Longqing Emperor

The Longqing Emperor, born Zhu Zaiji in 1537, was the thirteenth emperor of the Ming dynasty of China and reigned from 1567 until his death in 1572. He was the third son of the Jiajing Emperor and lived for years as the Prince of Yu, outside the Forbidden City, before his father died and he took the throne. His reign opened with the reversal of several unpopular policies of his father: officials who had been exiled were brought back, corrupt officials and the Taoist priests who had surrounded the court were dismissed, and the ban on foreign trade was lifted, which legalized trade through Yuegang in Fujian. He relied on capable ministers, among them Zhang Juzheng, and his government repelled an incursion by Altan Khan that reached Beijing, then made peace with the Mongols and restored the exchange of horses for silk. After a promising start he withdrew from daily government in favor of personal pleasures. He died at the age of thirty-five and was succeeded by his ten-year-old son, the Wanli Emperor.