Perpetual Happiness: The Ming Emperor Yongle

296 Pages·2001·1.702 MB·English

by  Shih-Shan Henry Tsai

Perpetual Happiness

Perpetual Happiness
The Ming Emperor Yongle
shih-shan henry tsai
university of washington press
Seattle and London
This publication was supported
in part by the Donald R.Ellegood
International Publications Endowment.
Copyright © 2001 by the University ofWashington Press
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
All rights reserved. No portion ofthis publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tsai, Shih-shan Henry
Perpetual happiness:the Ming emperor Yongle/Shih-shan Henry Tsai.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn0-295-98109-1 (alk. paper)
1.Ming Chengzu, Emperor ofChina, 1360–1424.
2.China—Kings and rulers—Biography.
3.China—History—Ming dynasty, 1368–1644.
i.Title.
ds753.6m43 t75 2001
951'.026'092—dc21
[b] 00–052771
The paper used in this publication is acid-free and recycled from 10 percent
post-consumer and at least 50 percent pre-consumer waste. It meets the
minimum requirements ofAmerican National Standard for Information Sciences—
Permanence ofPaper for Printed Library Materials,
ansi z39.48-1984. A8
For my wife, Dr. Hsiu-chuan Sonia Tsai

contents
Illustrations follow page 80
List ofMaps ix
Acknowledgments xi
Preface xiii
1 / A Day in the Life of Yongle’s Court: February 23, 1423 3
2 / The Formative Years, 1360–1382 20
3 / The Years ofWaiting, 1382–1398 37
4 / The Years ofSuccessional Struggle, 1398–1402 57
5 / The Years ofReconstruction: Government
and Politics, 1402–1420 77
6 / The Years ofRehabilitation: Society
and Economy, 1402–1421 104
7 / The Emperor ofCulture 129
8 / Yongle and the Mongols 148
9 / The Price ofGlory 178
vii
contents
10 / Epilogue 209
Appendix: The Children ofEmperor Hongwu 215
Notes 217
Glossary ofChinese Characters 237
Bibliography 245
Index 257
viii
maps
1. Yongle’s Empire, 1403–1424 18
2. Beijing and Its Vicinity during Yongle’s Reign 34
3. Ending the Civil War, 1402 68
4. Yongle’s First Personal Campaign, 1410 168
5. Yongle’s Fourth Personal Campaign, 1423 175
ix