A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Chu Ch'ang-lo

by Herbert A. Giles

433 Chu Ch'ang-lo 朱常洛. A.D. 1582-1620. Son of Chu I-chün, whom he succeeded in 1620 as fourteenth Emperor of the Ming dynasty. On his accession the mining taxes were abolished, and the eunuch collectors were recalled. He died after a reign of two months under suspicious circumstances, and his father's favourite, the concubine Chêng, in vain tried to retain power by taking possession of his eldest son. She was forced to retire, and two eunuchs, of whom one was the infamous Wei Chung-hsien, obtained control of the Emperor. Canonised as 光宗貞皇帝.