Han Chinese costume during the Chongzhen period

"Chongzhen Tongbao" (崇禎通寶) issued during the Chongzhen period

Chongzhen (5 February 1628 – 25 April 1644) was the era name of the Chongzhen Emperor, the last emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, and was also the Ming dynasty's final era name. It was used for 17 years.

In 1622 (Tianqi 2), Zhu Youjian was created the Prince of Xin (信王) by his elder brother, the Tianqi Emperor. In 1627 (Tianqi 7), his elder brother, the Tianqi Emperor, died, and Zhu Youjian ascended to the throne. The era names proposed by the cabinet are "Qiansheng" (乾聖), "Xingfu" (興福), "Xianjia" (咸嘉), and "Chongzhen" (崇貞), for Zhu Youjian circle to choose from. Zhu Youjian circled "Chongzhen" (崇貞) and changed "貞" to "禎".^[1] According to one statement, the four era names presented are "Yongchang" (永昌), "Shaoqing" (紹慶), "Xianning" (咸寧) and "Chongzhen" (崇貞).^[2] The following year (1628), the era was changed to Chongzhen.

In February 1644 (Chongzhen 17, 2nd month), Li Zicheng established the Shun dynasty in Xi'an, Shaanxi, with the era name "Yongchang" (永昌). On 25 April 1644 (19th day of the 3rd month), the Shun army captured Beijing, the capital of the Ming dynasty. The Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself in Meishan, Beijing (present-day Jingshan, Beijing), and the Ming dynasty fell. After hearing the news, Zhu Yousong, Prince of Fu, ascended the throne in Nanjing, the temporary capital, on 19 June of the same year (15th day of the 5th month), as the Hongguang Emperor, and established the Southern Ming regime. He continued to use the Chongzhen era name until the end of New Year's Eve of 1644 (Chongzhen 17), and the following year, the era was changed to Hongguang.^[3]

After the fall of the Ming dynasty, the Joseon scholars, out of anti-Qing sentiment and Little China ideology, still used the Chongzhen era name in their country. This is called the "Chongzhen Era" (崇禎紀元).^[4]

Change of era

• 5 February 1628 (Tianqi 8, 1st day of the 1st month): The era was changed to Chongzhen 1 (崇禎元年, "the first year of Chongzhen").
• 28 January 1645 (Chongzhen 18, 1st day of the 1st month): The era was changed to Hongguang 1 (弘光元年, " the first year of Hongguang").

Comparison table

Other regime eras that existed during the same period

• China
  • Tiancong (天聰, 1627–1636): Later Jin — era name of Hong Taiji
  • Chongde (崇德, 1636–1643): Qing dynasty — era name of Hong Taiji
  • Shunzhi (順治, 1644–1661): Qing dynasty — era name of the Shunzhi Emperor
  • Ruiying (瑞應, 1621–1629): Ming period — era name of She Chongming (奢崇明)
  • Yongxing (永興, 1628): Ming period — era name of Zhang Weiyuan (張惟元)
  • Tianyun (天運, 1637): Ming period — era name of Zhang Puwei (張普徽)
  • Tianding (天定, 1644): Ming period — era name of Liu Shoufen (劉守分)
  • Chongxing (重興, 1644): Ming period — era name of Qin Shangxing (秦尚行)
  • Xingwu (興武, 1635–1636): Ming period — era name of Gao Yingxiang (高迎祥)
  • Yongchang (永昌, 1644–1645): Shun dynasty — era name of Li Zicheng
  • Yiwu (義武, 1643–1644): Xi dynasty — era name of Zhang Xianzhong
  • Dashun (大順, 1644–1646): Xi dynasty — era name of Zhang Xianzhong
• Vietnam
  • Vĩnh Tộ (永祚, 1619–1629): Later Lê dynasty — era name of Lê Thần Tông
  • Đức Long (德隆, 1629–1635): Later Lê dynasty — era name of Lê Thần Tông
  • Dương Hòa (陽和, 1635–1643): Later Lê dynasty — era name of Lê Thần Tông
  • Phúc Thái (福泰, 1643–1649): Later Lê dynasty — era name of Lê Chân Tông
  • Long Thái (隆泰, 1618–1625): Mạc dynasty — era name of Mạc Kính Khoan
  • Thuận Đức (順德, 1638–1677): Mạc dynasty — era name of Mạc Kính Vũ
• Japan
  • Kan'ei (寛永, 1624–1644): era name of Emperor Go-Mizunoo, Empress Meishō and Emperor Go-Kōmyō
  • Shōhō (正保, 1644–1648): era name of Emperor Go-Kōmyō

See also

• List of Chinese era names
• List of Ming dynasty era names

References

Further reading

• Li Chongzhi (李崇智) (December 2004). Zhongguo lidai nianhao kao (中國歷代年號考). Beijing (北京): Zhonghua Book Company (中華書局). ISBN 7101025129.
• Deng Hongbo (鄧洪波) (March 2005). Chronology of East Asian history (東亞歷史年表). Taipei (臺北): National Taiwan University, Program for East Asian Classics and Cultures (國立臺灣大學東亞經典與文化研究計劃). ISBN 9789860005189. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2021-11-26.