Taizi
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Taizi () was the title of the
crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...
of
imperial China The history of China spans several millennia across a wide geographical area. Each region now considered part of the Chinese world has experienced periods of unity, fracture, prosperity, and strife. Chinese civilization first emerged in the Y ...
.


Succession

Traditional
Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...
political theory favored strict agnatic primogeniture, with younger sons displaying filial obedience to the eldest upon the passing of the father. This rather straightforward system was somewhat complicated by
polygamy Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more tha ...
: since later wives were subordinated to the first, their children even when born first were likewise subordinated to hers. Following Lu Jia's conversion of
Liu Bang Emperor Gaozu of Han (2561 June 195 BC), also known by his given name Liu Bang, was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 202 to 195 BC. He is considered by traditional Chinese historiography to be one o ...
to Confucianism in the early 1st century BC,
Chinese dynasties For most of its history, China was organized into various Dynasty, dynastic states under the rule of Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarchs. Beginning with the establishment of dynastic rule by Yu the Great , and ending with the Imperial Edic ...
observed it in theory though not always in practice. Liu Bang himself began to favor Concubine Qi, a later concubine, to his primary empress, Lü Zhi, and doubted the competence of his heir Liu Ying. Even worse conflicts could occur when invaders previously observing their own rules of inheritance began to sinicize, as happened to the 10th-century Liao dynasty. Under the
Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
, the traditional Confucian principles of succession were upheld by the
Hongwu Emperor The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328– 24 June 1398), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Ming, personal name Zhu Yuanzhang, courtesy name Guorui, was the List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, founding emperor of the Ming dyna ...
's '' Instructions of the Ancestor of the August Ming''. These presented a grave problem when his eldest son died early, leaving a power struggle between a sheltered teenage grandson and his many experienced and well-armed uncles. One of these, the Prince of Yan, eventually overthrew his nephew under the pretense of saving him from ill counsel. His own legitimacy was precariously established: a charred body was procured from the ruins of Nanjing and proclaimed to be the accidentally-killed emperor; the nephew's reign was then condemned and delegitimized and the surviving son kept imprisoned and single; and imperial records were falsified to establish the Prince of Yan as his father's favorite and as a son of the primary wife, giving him primacy over his other brothers.


Names

As ''taizi'', the crown prince would possess a name separate both from his personal name and from his later
era name A regnal year is a year of the reign of a sovereign, from the Latin meaning kingdom, rule. Regnal years considered the date as an ordinal, not a cardinal number. For example, a monarch could have a first year of rule, a second year of rule, a t ...
,
temple name Temple names are posthumous titles accorded to monarchs of the Sinosphere for the purpose of ancestor worship. The practice of honoring monarchs with temple names began during the Shang dynasty in China and had since been adopted by other dynas ...
and
posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary Personal name, name given mainly to revered dead people in East Asian cultural sphere, East Asian culture. It is predominantly used in Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. ...
.


Lists


Crown Princes of Zhou

*Jī Xiefu, son of King Ping of Zhou


Crown Princes of Han

* Crown Prince Ying, son of
Liu Bang Emperor Gaozu of Han (2561 June 195 BC), also known by his given name Liu Bang, was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 202 to 195 BC. He is considered by traditional Chinese historiography to be one o ...
(Emperor Gao), later Emperor Hui * Crown Prince Qi, son of Emperor Wen, later Emperor Jing * Crown Prince Rong, son of Emperor Jing, later demoted to Prince of Linjiang * Crown Prince Che, son of Emperor Jing, originally Prince of Jiaodong and later Emperor Wu * Crown Prince Li, son of Emperor Wu, rebelled and killed * Crown Prince Fuling, son of Emperor Wu, later Emperor Zhao * Crown Prince Shu, son of Emperor Xuan, later Emperor Yuan * Crown Prince Ao, son of Emperor Yuan, later Emperor Cheng * Crown Prince Xin, grandson of Emperor Yuan, originally Prince of Dingtao, later adopted by Emperor Cheng, whom he succeeded as Emperor Ai


Crown Princes of Tang

* Li Jiancheng, son of Tang Gaozu, killed during the
Xuanwu Gate Incident The Xuanwu Gate Incident was a palace coup for the throne of the Tang dynasty on 2 July of 626, when Prince Li Shimin (Prince of Qin) and his followers assassinated his brothers Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Li Yuanji (Prince of Qi). L ...
*
Li Chengqian Li Chéngqián (李承乾) (619 – 5 January 645), courtesy name Gaoming (高明), formally Prince Min of Hengshan (恆山愍王), was a crown prince of the History of China, Chinese Tang dynasty. He was Emperor Taizong of Tang, Emperor Taizong's ...
, son of Tang Taizong, demoted * Li Zhi, son of Tang Taizong, later Emperor Gaozong * Li Zhong, son of Tang Gaozong, forced to commit suicide * Li Hong, son of Tang Gaozong, either died of illness or poisoned by mother
Wu Zetian Wu Zetian (624 – 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, was List of rulers of China#Tang dynasty, Empress of China from 660 to 705, ruling first through others and later in her own right. She ruled as queen consort , empress consort th ...
* Li Longji, son of Tang Ruizong, later Emperor Xuanzong


Crown Princes of Ming

* Crown Prince Yiwen, son of the
Hongwu Emperor The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328– 24 June 1398), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Ming, personal name Zhu Yuanzhang, courtesy name Guorui, was the List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, founding emperor of the Ming dyna ...
, predeceased his father *Crown Prince Zhu Yunwen, son of Crown Prince Yiwen, later the Jianwen Emperor, posthumously demoted & restored * Crown Prince Hejian, son of the
Jianwen Emperor The Jianwen Emperor (5 December 1377 – probably 13 July 1402), personal name Zhu Yunwen, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Huizong of Ming and by his posthumous name as the Emperor Hui of Ming, was the second emperor of the Ming d ...
, allegedly burnt to death, posthumously demoted & restored *Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi, son of the
Yongle Emperor The Yongle Emperor (2 May 1360 – 12 August 1424), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Chengzu of Ming, personal name Zhu Di, was the third List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1402 to 142 ...
, later the Hongxi Emperor *Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, son of the
Hongxi Emperor The Hongxi Emperor (16 August 1378 – 29 May 1425), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Renzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Gaochi, was the fourth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1424 to 1425. He was the eldest son of the Y ...
, later the Xuande Emperor *Crown Prince Zhu Qizhen, son of the
Xuande Emperor The Xuande Emperor (16 March 1399 31 January 1435), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Xuanzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Zhanji, was the fifth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1425 to 1435. He was the son and successor of ...
, later the Zhengtong & Tianshun Emperor *Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen, son of the
Zhengtong , succession = Emperor of the Ming dynasty , reign-type = First reign , reign = 31 January 1435 – 22 September 1449 , coronation = 7 February 1435 , cor-type = Enthronement , regent = , reg-type = Regents , ...
& Tianshun Emperor, demoted * Crown Prince Huaixian, son of the
Jingtai Emperor The Jingtai Emperor (21 September 1428 – 14 March 1457), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Daizong of Ming and by his posthumous name as the Emperor Jing of Ming, personal name Zhu Qiyu, was the seventh List of emperors of the Ming ...
, demoted & posthumously restored *Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen, restored, later the Chenghua Emperor * Crown Prince Daogong, son of the
Chenghua Emperor The Chenghua Emperor (9 December 1447 – 9 September 1487), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Xianzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Jianshen, changed to Zhu Jianru in 1457, was the ninth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1464 ...
, predeceased his father *Crown Prince Zhu Youcheng, son of the Chenghua Emperor, later the Hongzhi Emperor *Crown Prince Zhu Houzhao, son of the Hongzhi Emperor, later the Zhengde Emperor * Crown Prince Aichong, son of the
Jiajing Emperor The Jiajing Emperor (16September 150723January 1567), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizong of Ming, personal name Zhu Houcong, art name, art names Yaozhai, Leixuan, and Tianchi Diaosou, was the 12th List of emperors of the Ming ...
, predeceased his father * Crown Prince Zhuangjin, son of the Jiajing Emperor, predeceased his father *Crown Prince Zhu Zaihou, son of the Jiajing Emperor, later the Longqing Emperor *Crown Prince Zhu Yijun, son of the Longqing Emperor, later the Wanli Emperor *Crown Prince Zhu Changluo, son of the
Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shenzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Yijun, art name Yuzhai, was the 14th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, emperor of the Ming dynasty, reig ...
, later the Taichang Emperor *Crown Prince Zhu Youxiao, son of the
Taichang Emperor The Taichang Emperor (28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Guangzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Changluo, was the 15th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, emperor of the Ming dynasty. He was the ...
, later the Tianqi Emperor * Crown Prince Huaichong, son of the
Tianqi Emperor The Tianqi Emperor (23 December 1605 – 30 September 1627), personal name Zhu Youjiao, was the 16th emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1620 to 1627. He was the eldest son of the Taichang Emperor and an elder brother of the Chongzhen ...
, predeceased his father * Crown Prince Daohuai, son of the Tianqi Emperor, predeceased his father * Crown Prince Xianchong, son of the Tianqi Emperor, predeceased his father * Crown Prince Xianmin, son of the Chongzhen Emperor


See also

*
Crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...
* The " Crown Prince Party" faction of the
Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...
, which employs the same characters


Notes


References

{{Reflist Chinese princes Crown princes zh:太子#中国