List of vassal prince peerages of the Ming dynasty
Locations of the fiefdoms of Ming princes
After Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor) founded the Ming dynasty, he designated his eldest son, Zhu Biao, as crown prince, and enfeoffed all of his other sons and a grandnephew as vassal princes. Fiefs of nine of these princes were located at frontier regions for defense. Hongwu Emperor also posthumously bestowed his late patrilineal and matrilineal relatives with princely titles.
This article shows all princes of Ming dynasty, including non-actual princes (male imperial members and nobles had no title).
Forefathers of House of Zhu
For convenience of showing relationships of these imperial princes and emperors, this text will show the forefathers of Hongwu Emperor and their sons.
Numbers of actual peerages
First rank princely peerages
[1][2][3]
Hongwu Emperor's line: 25 peerages (including Prince of Jingjiang); two were absorbed into the crown (Yongle Emperor and Southern Ming Longwu Emperor), seven were abolished, and two had no heir
Zhu Biao's line: three peerages, all of them abolished.
Posthumous imperial princes and untitled imperial princes
After the Hongwu Emperor was enthroned, he posthumously honored and bestowed on his brothers and patrilineal relatives various second-rank princely titles. Also, some imperial sons who died prematurely were posthumously bestowed with first-rank princely titles, but some of them also had not posthumous titles, too. Below shows all of the posthumous princes of the imperial house, including descendants of Zhu Biao and Southern Ming princes, but excluding matrilineal relatives of the Hongwu Emperor and other nobles, as they cannot be considered members of the imperial house.
Note: Bold names refer to persons with a posthumous title and imperial princes without title.
Line of Hongwu Emperor patrilineal relatives
Zhu Zhongba, oldest known paternal ancestor of the dynasty
Zhu Chuwu (朱初五), also name Zhu Xiao (朱孝), Zhu Sijiu's third son
Zhu Chushi (朱初十), Zhu Sijiu's fourth son
Line of Hongwu Emperor's brothers
Zhu Shizhen, "Emperor Renzu Chun"
Zhu Xinglong (朱興隆; died 1344), Zhu Shizhen's eldest son, named Zhu Chongwu (朱重五) during his lifetime, "Prince of Yuzhang" (豫章王), later changed to "Prince of Nanchang" (南昌王)
Zhu Zaikui (朱載㙺), Jiajing Emperor's seventh son, "Prince Ai of Ji" (薊哀王)
Zhu Zai... (朱載), Jiajing Emperor's eighth son, Prince Si of Jun (均思王)
Unnamed tenth son of Chenghua Emperor
Zhu Jianshi (朱見湜), Emperor Yingzong's third son
Zhu Zhanyin (朱瞻垠), Hongxi Emperor's fourth son, "Comm. Prince of Jingle" (靜樂郡王), later changed to "Prince Xian of Qi" (蘄獻王)
Zhu Gaoxi (朱高爔), Yongle Emperor's fourth son
Zhu Nan (朱楠), Hongwu Emperor's 26th son
Non-imperial princes
According to the regulation of the Ming dynasty, only imperial sons and other imperial clan members (excluding matrilineal relatives of the imperial house) can award princely titles. For non-imperial and nobles (excluding matrilineal relatives of the imperial house), the highest rank title that could be awarded was “duke” (国公), they could only posthumously awarded the second-rank princely title after they died. This regulation was carried out until the extinction of the Ming dynasty, and regimes of Hongguang Emperor and Longwu Emperor. During the reign of Yongli Emperor, he abolished the regulation under the force of Sun Kewang [zh] and granted various princely titles to Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo, Zheng Chenggong (known as Koxinga) and other military officers of Southern Ming.
Posthumously bestowed in Ming dynasty
Mr. Hou (侯), "Prince of Da" (大王), maternal great-great-grandfather of Hongwu Emperor
Mr. Wang (王), "Prince of Gao" (高王), maternal great-grandfather of Hongwu Emperor
Mr. Chen (陳), "Prince of Yang" (揚王), maternal grandfather of Hongwu Emperor
Hongwu Emperor, , Zhu Shizhen's fourth son
), Jiajing Emperor's sixth son, "Prince Huai of Qi" (戚懷王)
), Jiajing Emperor's eighth son, Prince Si of Jun (均思王)