Jiajing Emperor (Zhu Houcong)明世宗朱厚熜

Style & Daoist names

the Jiajing Emperor, Zhu Houcong (the Jiajing Emperor), Perfected Lord Who Soars in Mystery and Embodies Wondrous Unity, Governing Thunder and Primal Yang in the Lingxiao and Shangqing Heavens (self-bestowed)

Period

Ming

Dates

1507 — 1567

Role

EmperorsDaoism-Venerating Emperors

Birthplace

Anlu (present-day Zhongxiang, Hubei)

Life

Zhu Houcong, the eleventh emperor of the Ming, reigned under the era name Jiajing for forty-five years and was the Ming ruler most devoted to Daoism. After his accession he became a fervent believer in Daoism, favoring in succession Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen, holding liturgical retreats and offerings on a massive scale, and ordering his ministers to compose "green-text" memorials to the Daoist gods — giving rise to the term "Green Text Chancellor"; he conferred on himself Daoist titles such as "Perfected Lord of the Flying Mystery, Wondrously Sole, Ruling the Thunder and Primal Yang of the Numinous Empyrean and Highest Clarity," ingested elixirs, and in his later years spent more than twenty years not attending court, residing instead in the Western Park to practice the mysteries. He conferred the title of Perfected on numerous Daoist priests and granted them first rank, suppressed Buddhism in favor of Daoism, elevated the titles of Zhenwu, the Jade Emperor and other deities, ordered the rebuilding of temples such as those at Mount Longhu and the Wudang Mountains, and commissioned the compilation and printing of Daoist texts. The Jiajing devotion to Daoism had a profound effect on Ming politics and society, and is regarded by historians as one of the significant causes of political corruption in the mid-Ming, as well as representing the final high tide of Daoism's role in Ming politics. He died in 1567 from ingesting elixirs.

Contributions & Influence

• Used imperial authority to promote Daoism to the utmost, with liturgical retreats and green-text memorials flourishing as never before
• Favored Shao Yuanjie and Tao Zhongwen, elevating the political standing of Daoist priests
• Promoted the rebuilding of temples at Mount Longhu and the Wudang Mountains and the elevation of Daoist deity titles