Zhu Zaizhen

Zhu Zaizhen (29 March 1537 – 9 February 1565) was a prince of the Ming dynasty. He was the fourth son of the Jiajing Emperor, and his mother was Consort Lu. In 1538, he was granted the title of Prince of Jing.

Biography
Zhu Zaizhen was notorious for his greed and arrogance, traits that were likely inherited from his father, the Jiajing Emperor, who was known for his violent temper. This often resulted in conflicts between the father and son, but despite their strained relationship, the Jiajing Emperor still protected his son. At the time, the emperor only had two sons: the eldest, Zaiji, Prince of Yu, and the second son, Zaizhen. Consort Du, the mother of Zaiji, was unfavored, while Consort Lu, the mother of Zaizhen, was favored. The emperor's indecisiveness in choosing a crown prince, influenced by the opinions of alchemists ( fāngshì), caused concerns and doubts both at home and abroad.

In January 1561, the emperor ordered Zaizhen to go to his fiefdom in De'an Prefecture (present-day Hubei Province). However, upon his arrival, rumors began to spread. He then requested for additional farmland, which was eventually approved by the Ministry of Revenue after thorough discussion. Shashi in Jingzhou was not under the jurisdiction of Prince of Jing. However, he sent his officials to collect the rent, but the prefect Xu Xuemo refused to pay. Additionally, he collected a firewood tax from Liu jia ge in Hanyang, which was opposed by prefectural judge Wu Zongzhou. As a result, both Xu Xuemo and Wu Zongzhou were punished. This led to the usurpation of tens of thousands of hectares of land, fields, and lakes.

In 1565, Zhu Zaizhen died of illness. Upon receiving this news, the Jiajing Emperor said to his Senior Grand Secretary Xu Jie, "This son had always hoped to be a crown prince, and now he is gone." Zhu Zaizhen had no children and was buried in Xishan in Beijing. As per the emperor's orders, all of his concubines were required to return to the capital and reside in Prince of Jing's former residence. Additionally, his princedom was abolished.