Early years

Zhu Houzhao was made crown prince at a very early age and because his father did not take up any other concubines, Zhu did not have to contend with other princes for the throne. (His younger brother died in infancy.) The prince was thoroughly educated in Confucian literature and he excelled in his studies. Many of the Hongzhi Emperor's ministers expected that Zhu Houzhao would become a benevolent and brilliant emperor like his father.

Reign as emperor

Zhu Houzhao ascended the throne as the Zhengde Emperor and was married to his Empress at the age of 14. Unlike his father, the Zhengde Emperor was not interested in ruling or his Empress and disregarded most state affairs. His actions have been considered reckless, foolish or pointless. There are many instances where he showed a lack of responsibility.

The Zhengde Emperor took up a luxurious and prodigal lifestyle and indulged himself in women. It was said that he liked to frequent brothels and even created palaces called "Bao Fang" (豹房; literally "The Leopards' Chamber") outside the Forbidden City in Beijing initially to house exotic animals such as tigers and leopards for his amusement and then later used to house beautiful women for his personal enjoyment. He also met Wang Mantang, one of his favorite consorts at a Bao Fang. On one occasion he was badly mauled while hunting tigers, and could not appear in court audiences for a month. On another occasion he burned down his palace by storing gunpowder in the courtyards during the lantern festival. His harem was so overfilled that many of its women starved to death due to lack of supplies.

Zhu Houzhao was noted by many sources as fairly efficient administrator, although indulging in an luxurious life style and refusing to attend most meetings, he showed himself to be competent in his decisions and governance. Under his rule, the economy continued to grow, and the people were generally prosperous.

For months at a time he would live outside the Forbidden City or travel around the country with heavy expenditures being paid from the Ming government's coffers. While being urged to return to the palace and attend to governmental matters, the Zhengde Emperor would refuse to receive all his ministers and ignored all their petitions. He also sanctioned the rise of eunuchs around him. One particular Liu Jin, leader of the Eight Tigers, was notorious for taking advantage of the young emperor and squandered immense amount of silver and valuables. The diverted funds were about 36 million pounds of gold and silver. There was even rumor of a plot that Liu Jin had intended to murder the emperor and place his own grandnephew on the throne. Liu Jin's plot was ultimately discovered, and he was executed in 1510. However, the rise of corrupt enunchs continued throughout the Zhengde Emperor's reign. There was also an uprising led by the Prince of Anhua and another uprising led by the Prince of Ning. The Prince of Anhua was the Zhengde Emperor's great-granduncle, while the Prince of Ning was his granduncle.

In time, the Zhengde Emperor became notorious for his childish behaviour as well as abusing his power as emperor. For instance, he set up a staged commercial district inside his palace and ordered all his ministers, eunuchs, soldiers and servants of the palace to dress up and act as merchants or street vendors while he walked through the scene pretending to be a commoner. Any unwilling participants, especially the ministers (who viewed it as degrading and an insult), would be punished or removed from their post.

Then in 1517, the Zhengde Emperor gave himself an alter ego named Zhu Shou (朱壽) so he could relinquish his imperial duties and send himself off on an expedition to the north to repel raiding expeditions several tens of thousands strong led by Dayan Khan. He met the enemy outside the city of Yingzhou and defeated them in a major battle by surrounding them. For a long period of time after this battle, the Mongols did not launch a raiding expedition into Ming territory. Then again in 1519, the Zhengde Emperor led another expedition to Jiangxi province to the south to quell the Prince of Ning rebellion by a powerful prince known as Zhu Chenhao who had bribed many people in the emperor's cabinet. He arrived only to discover that the revolt had already been put down by Wang Yangming, a local administrative officer. Frustrated at not being able to lead his troops to victory, the Zhengde Emperor's advisor suggested they release the prince in order to capture him again. In January 1521, the Zhengde Emperor had the rebel Prince of Ning executed in Tongzhou, an event that was recorded even by the Portuguese embassy to China.

Relations with Muslims

The Zhengde Emperor was fascinated by foreigners and invited many Muslims to serve as advisors, eunuchs, and envoys at his court. Works of art such as porcelain from his court contained Islamic inscriptions in Arabic or Persian.

An edict against slaughtering pigs led to speculation that the Zhengde emperor adopted Islam due to his use of Muslim eunuchs who commissioned the production of porcelain with Persian and Arabic inscriptions in white and blue. It is unknown who really was behind the anti-pig slaughter edict.

The Zhengde Emperor preferred foreign Muslim women, having many relationships with them.

According to Bret Hinsch in the book Passions of the cut sleeve: the male homosexual tradition in China, the Zhengde Emperor had an alleged homosexual relationship with a Muslim leader from Hami, named Sayyid Husain, who served as the overseer in Hami during the Ming-Turpan border wars, although no evidence supporting this claim exists in Chinese sources.

Dark Affliction

Prior to the death of the Zhengde Emperor in early 1521, rumours about a mysterious group of creatures collectively called Dark Afflictions (黑眚 Hēi Shěng) circulated the capital. Their attacks caused much unrest, because they randomly attacked people at night, causing wounds with their claws. The Minister for War asked the emperor to write an imperial edict proclaiming local security troops would arrest all those who frightened other people. The threat brought a sudden end to the spread of the stories.

Contact with Europe

The first direct European contacts with China occurred during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor. In several initial missions commissioned by Afonso de Albuquerque of Portuguese Malacca, the Portuguese explorers Jorge Álvares and Rafael Perestrello landed in southern China and traded with the Chinese merchants of Tuen Mun and Guangzhou. In 1513 their king, Manuel I of Portugal sent Fernão Pires de Andrade and Tomé Pires to formally open relations between the main court at Beijing and Lisbon, capital of Portugal. Although the Zhengde Emperor gave the Portuguese ambassador his blessing while touring Nanjing in May 1520, he died soon after and the Portuguese (who were rumored to be troublemakers in Canton and apparently even cannibalized kidnapped Chinese children), were ejected by Chinese authorities under the new Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe. Although illegal trade continued thereafter, official relations between the Portuguese and the Ming court would not improve until the 1540s, culminating in the Ming court's consent in 1557 to Portugal establishing Macau as their trading base in China.

Sino-Malay alliance against Portugal

The Malay Malacca Sultanate was a tributary state and ally to Ming China. When Portugal conquered Malacca in 1511 and committed atrocities against the Malay Sultanate, the Chinese responded with violent force against Portugal.

The Ming government imprisoned and executed multiple Portuguese envoys after torturing them in Guangzhou. The Malaccans had informed the Chinese of the Portuguese seizure of Malacca, to which the Chinese responded with hostility toward the Portuguese. The Malaccans told the Chinese of the deception the Portuguese used, disguising plans for conquering territory as mere trading activities, and told of all the atrocities committed by the Portuguese.

Due to the Malaccan Sultan lodging a complaint against the Portuguese invasion to the Zhengde Emperor, the Portuguese were greeted with hostility from the Chinese when they arrived in China. The Malaccan Sultan, based in Bintan after fleeing Malacca, sent a message to the Chinese, which combined with Portuguese banditry and violent activity in China, led the Chinese authorities to execute 23 Portuguese and torture the rest of them in jails. After the Portuguese set up posts for trading in China and committed piratical activities and raids in China, the Chinese responded with the complete extermination of the Portuguese in Ningbo and Quanzhou Pires, a Portuguese trade envoy, was among those who died in the Chinese dungeons.

The Chinese defeated a Portuguese fleet in 1521 at the Battle of Tunmen , killing and capturing so many Portuguese that the Portuguese had to abandon their junks and retreat with only three ships, only escaping back to Malacca because a wind scattered the Chinese ships as the Chinese launched a final attack.

The Chinese effectively held the Portuguese ambassador hostage, using them as a bargaining chip in demanding that the Portuguese restore the deposed Malaccan Sultan (King) to his throne.

The Chinese proceeded to execute several Portuguese by beating and strangling them, and torturing the rest. The other Portuguese prisoners were put into iron chains and kept in prison. The Chinese confiscated all of the Portuguese property and goods in the Pires embassy's possession.

In 1522 Martim Afonso de Merlo Coutinho was appointed commander of another Portuguese fleet sent to establish diplomatic relations. The Chinese defeated the Portuguese ships led by Coutinho at the Battle of Shancaowan. A large number of Portuguese were captured and ships destroyed during the battle. The Portuguese were forced to retreat to Malacca.

The Chinese forced Pires to write letters for them, demanding that the Portuguese restore the deposed Malaccan Sultan back to his throne. The Malay ambassador to China was to deliver the letter.

The Chinese sent a message to the deposed Sultan of Malacca concerning the fate of the Portuguese ambassador, which the Chinese held prisoner. When they received his reply, the Chinese officials then proceeded to execute the Portuguese ambassador, slicing their bodies into multiple pieces. Their genitalia were inserted into the oral cavity. The Portuguese were executed in public in multiple areas in Guangzhou, deliberately by the Chinese in order to show that the Portuguese were insignificant in the eyes of the Chinese. When more Portuguese ships landed and were seized by the Chinese, the Chinese then executed them as well, cutting off the genitalia and beheading the bodies and forcing their fellow Portuguese to wear the body parts, while the Chinese celebrated with music. The genitalia and heads were displayed strung up for display in public, after which they were discarded.

Death

Kangling, The tomb of The Zhengde Emperor —— early January 2020

The Zhengde Emperor died in 1521 at the age of 31. It was said that he was drunk while boating on a lake one day in the fall of 1520. He fell off his boat and almost drowned. He died after contracting illnesses from the Grand Canal waters. Since none of his several children had survived childhood, he was succeeded by his cousin Zhu Houcong, who became known as the Jiajing Emperor. His tomb is located at Kangling of the Ming tombs.

Legacy

By the accounts of some historians, although bred to be a successful ruler, the Zhengde Emperor thoroughly neglected his duties, beginning a dangerous trend that would plague future Ming emperors. The abandonment of official duties to pursue personal gratification would slowly lead to the rise of powerful eunuchs that would dominate and eventually ruin the Ming dynasty.

The Ming scholar Tan Qian argued that: "The Emperor was smart and playful... He also did not harm officials who argued against him. enjoyed the support of the minister and the efficient works of the clerks. worked until midnight to issue edicts that punished criminals like Liu Jin and Qian Ning (Zhengde's own adoptive son)."

Some modern historians have come to view his reign in a new light and debate that his actions along with that of his successors such as the Wanli Emperor were a direct reaction to the bureaucratic gridlock that affected the Ming dynasty in its later half. The emperors were very limited in their policy decision and could not really implement any sort of lasting effective reforms despite the obvious need, while they were faced with constant pressure and were expected to be responsible for all the troubles the dynasty faced. As a result, the ministers became increasingly frustrated and disillusioned about their posts, and protested in different forms of what was essentially an imperial strike. Thus emperors such as the Zhengde Emperor sneaked out of the palace while emperors such as the Jiajing and Wanli emperors simply did not show up in the imperial court. Other authors state that Zhengde was a ruler with a strong will, who dealt decisively with Liu Jin, Prince Ning, Prince Anhua and the Mongol threat, acted competently in crises caused by natural disasters and plagues and collected taxes in a benevolent manner. Although his reign's achievements were in large parts the contributions of his very talented officials, they also reflected on the capability of the ruler.

Family

Consorts:

• Empress Xiaojingyi, of the Xia clan (孝靜毅皇后 夏氏; 1492–1535)

• Consort Shuhuide, of the Wu clan (淑惠德妃 吳氏; d. 1539)

• Consort Rongshuxian, of the Shen clan (榮淑賢妃 沈氏; 1492–1542)

• Wang Mantang (王满堂); 1471 – 1541)

Ancestry

Cultural references

• In the 1959 film Kingdom and the Beauty (江山美人), the Zhengde Emperor disguises himself as a regular commoner among the people.

• Facets of Love, also known as Northern Ladies of China (北地胭脂), a 1973 film directed by Li Han-hsiang, tells three brothel-themed stories set in different time periods, one of them about Emperor Zhengde.

• The Hong Kong film Chinese Odyssey 2002 (天下無雙) is loosely based on a story of one of the Zhengde Emperor's tours in Zhejiang province.

• In the 2005 television show Zhengde Commentary (正德演義), the Zhengde Emperor was portrayed by television variety show host He Jiong.

人物生平

即位之初

明武宗朱厚照為明孝宗嫡長子，生于1491年10月26日（弘治四年九月二十四日申時）。兩歲被立為皇太子。唯一的弟弟朱厚煒又早夭，是孝宗唯一長大成人的兒子。弘治十一年春，皇太子出閣讀書。他天性聰穎，講筵時極為認真，面對講師則恭敬對待。幾個月後，便已知曉翰林院與左春坊所有講師的姓名，以致有講師缺席便會問詢左右「某先生今日安在邪？」這讓孝宗極為喜愛，出遊必帶上皇太子。同時孝宗聽聞皇太子閒暇時喜好兵戎事，認為他安不忘危，所以也不予以幹涉。

弘治十八年五月初八日，孝宗皇帝駕崩。在完成文武百官軍民耆老勸進的固定程序後，五月十八日，皇太子朱厚照即位，是為明武宗。

明正德九年正月，後來反叛的寧王朱宸濠獻新樣元宵四時花燈數百，窮極奇巧，內附火藥，明武宗命獻者入懸。時值冬季，宮中按例在簷下設有氈幕禦寒。以致火星觸及氊幕，引發大火，自二鼓時分一直燒至天明。火勢最大時，武宗正在前往豹房的途中，望見乾清宮的火災，武宗向左右開玩笑稱這是「好一棚大煙火也」，兩天後壬午日，武宗以乾清宮災御奉天門視朝，撤寶座不設，遂下詔罪己，並諭文武百官，同加修省。後又常常離開帝都燕京四處巡遊。

宦官與豹房

住在京師期間，又不願住在紫禁城，在宮外建了一座「豹房」居住，豹房所養，僅有花豹一隻、土豹三隻；主要是甄選大量美女於中，供其淫樂。

正德帝男寵也不計其數，取名曰「老兒當」，「老兒」是黑話，指少年。「當」為「黨」。「老兒當」即「少年黨」。但也有學者稱，因為正德帝喜歡各地宗教，這些「老兒當」主要是通曉漢文、蒙文、藏文或波斯文的年輕人，作為宗教人士的翻譯官。

正德帝不喜上朝，起初寵信劉瑾、張永、丘聚、谷大用等號稱「八虎」的宦官，1510年平定安化王之亂朱寘鐇後，下令將劉瑾凌遲處死，後又寵信武士江彬等人。

正德帝喜好宗教靈異、怪力亂神，終日與來自西域、回回、蒙古、烏斯藏（西藏）、朝鮮半島的異域法師、番僧相伴。正德帝曾學習蒙古語，自稱忽必烈，也學藏傳佛教，自稱大寶法王。正德帝還曾親自接見第一位來華的葡萄牙使者皮萊資。正德帝並因為自己生肖屬豬，曾一度敕令全國禁食豬肉，但他自己仍食用豬肉「內批仍用豕」；旋即在大學士楊廷和的反對下，降敕廢除。

應州之役

正德帝「奮然欲以武功自雄」。正德十二年（1517年）10月，在江彬的慫恿下，自封為「鎮國公總督軍務威武大將軍總兵官朱壽」，到邊地宣府（今張家口宣化區）親征，擊潰蒙古韃靼小王子（即達延汗巴圖蒙克），回去後又給自己加封太師。史稱「應州大捷」。

平寧王亂及駕幸南京

正德十四年（1519年）六月十四日，寧王朱宸濠在封藩江西南昌叛亂，是為寧王之亂，不過四十三天，就被贛南巡撫王陽明及吉安知府伍文定募集散兵游勇平定，斬殺三萬餘人，朱宸濠被擒。八月二十二日，武宗離開北京親征。二十六日，武宗抵達涿州，此時王陽明平定叛亂的奏報送達，但武宗仍決定繼續南幸。十二月十一日，武宗傳諭內閣，以正德十五年（1520年）元旦於南京朝賀、祭祀天地。十二月二十六日，武宗御駕抵應天府。次日，祭祀南京太廟，武宗成為自永樂以後重新駕臨南京的皇帝。正德十五年閏八月初八日，武宗於南京受寧王降。八月十二日，武宗離京返回北京。

賦稅改革

正德八年（1513年）起在江南全面推行的賦稅改革，既減輕了江南當地百姓的負擔，更使從弘治晚期開始，江南地區拖欠中央累積十年之久的賦稅，僅經兩年時間就全部還清。

市舶司改革

增加外貿收入，擴大了朝廷稅源。

駕崩

武宗御駕南征返回北京途中，於淮安清江浦上學漁夫撒網，作為遊戲，卻失足落入水中，並因此患病「燥熱難退」。正德十五年十二月初十，大駕回到北京，文武百官出至正陽橋外迎接。十三日，皇帝於南郊祭祀天地，祭拜過程中突然嘔血，隨即送入齋宮休養。次日，返回大內，僅在奉天殿舉行慶成禮。此後，立春日的朝賀一同免去。正德十六年（1521年）正月初九日，監察御史鄭本公鑑於武宗身體狀況不樂觀，上奏武宗，望能於宗室間過繼一人主掌東宮，但後來武宗身體略有好轉。三月十三日晚間，武宗突然向身邊的太監陳敬和蘇進表示自己可能無法痊癒，讓其召司禮監並稟告皇太后，由太后與內閣議處天下事，並表示自己耽誤子嗣。十四日，武宗於豹房駕崩，得年31歲（周歲29歲）。

由于武宗無子嗣，因此遵照《皇明祖訓》，由武宗堂弟、孝宗弟興獻王朱祐杬之子興王朱厚熜入嗣大統。正德十六年五月，朱厚熜抵達京師，上謚號為承天達道英肅睿哲昭德顯功弘文思孝毅皇帝，上廟號為武宗。九月，武宗入葬天壽山陵區的康陵。

詔書

罪己詔

（原詔文中其有缺損處，以「□」代借）

遺詔

軼聞

明武宗的生辰為弘治四年九月二十四日，八字為辛亥年，戊戌月，丁酉日，戊申時出生。其中，八字地支分別為申酉戌亥，這種排列方法被稱為連如貫珠。在此以前僅太祖朱元璋的八字與此類似。

賜自己的替僧為漢地噶瑪巴，正德五年封大慶法王，鑄大慶法王西天覺道圓明自在大定慧佛金印，兼給誥命，藏名為「領占班丹」，並曾邀請藏地八代噶瑪巴至北京（七代噶瑪巴曾說：「將現身兩位噶瑪巴」）；蒙古名為忽必烈；波斯名為沙吉熬爛，即蘇菲師（Shaykh，回教蘇菲派長者、教長），並擁有一群伊斯蘭火者，稱為老兒當，同時內府多製作有《古蘭經》經文瓷器，其中故宮博物院所藏一枚正德白釉礬紅彩阿拉伯文波斯文盤，其款識為波斯文「大明國可汗即蘇萊曼沙阿御製」。對道教亦多有了解，可能曾號錦堂老人。

正德十五年（1520年）閏八月，武宗御駕自南京返回時，途徑鎮江，適逢退休居家的原內閣大臣靳貴病逝，于是親臨靳貴家中弔唁。但是隨行大臣代皇帝撰寫的祭文皆不能稱意，明武宗遂親自寫道：「朕居東宮，先生為傅。朕登大寶，先生為輔。朕今南遊，先生已矣。嗚呼哀哉！」左右的侍從文學之臣看後都斂手稱服。

山西應縣木塔頂層有一方明武宗皇帝御匾「天下奇觀」。

2004年，在美國德州一位華僑手中發現由明朝正德皇帝親筆所書的聖旨，內容敘述做人應如何有進取心以及如何為忠君之臣與正人君子。此文物的發現造成了史學家對歷史記載正德皇帝人格的爭議。

歷史評價

史學界對正德帝的評價不一，

有人認為正德帝雖荒淫無行，行徑胡鬧，不理國政，造成叛變日起，且自身壯年即因為逸樂而死；但是亦有人認為他頗能容忍大臣，不罪勸諫之人。君臣之間，相安無事，知錯能改，誅滅奸佞。

• 張廷玉等《明史》贊曰：「明自正統以來，國勢浸弱。毅皇手除逆瑾，躬禦邊寇，奮然欲以武功自雄。然耽樂嬉遊，暱近群小，至自署官號，冠履之分蕩然矣。猶幸用人之柄躬自操持，而秉鈞諸臣補苴匡救，是以朝綱紊亂，而不底於危亡。假使承孝宗之遺澤，制節謹度，有中主之操，則國泰而名完，豈至重後人之訾議哉！」

• 談遷《國榷》論曰：「武宗少即警敏，好佚樂。……而武宗又不罪一諫臣，元相呵護，群吏奉法。……夜半出片紙縛（劉）瑾，……錢寧俛首受罪。」

• 吳熾昌《續客窗閒話》論曰：「……遊戲中確有主裁，但好行小慧，為儒尚且不可，況九五之尊耶？今之讀史者直以帝比之桀紂，無乃過甚。當初諡曰武宗毅皇帝，毅者果決之謂，可見遇事實能決斷，非盡阿諛可知矣。」

任用官員

宰輔

• 劉健

• 謝遷

• 李東陽

• 焦芳

• 王鏊

• 楊廷和

• 劉宇

• 曹元

• 梁儲

• 劉忠

• 費宏

• 楊一清

• 靳貴

• 蔣冕

• 毛紀

寵臣

• 錢寧

• 江彬

太監

• 劉瑾：八虎之首，掌司禮監秉筆太監。

• 張永：八虎之一，總神機營，與劉瑾為黨。後與劉瑾不合。並且為後來倒劉瑾的重要人物。且與王守仁交善。

• 谷大用：八虎之一，提督西廠。

• 馬永成：八虎之一，提督東廠。

• 丘聚：八虎之一，提督東廠。

• 羅祥：八虎之一。

• 魏彬：八虎之一，總三千營。劉瑾誅後，代掌司禮監。

• 高鳳：八虎之一。司禮監太監，掌管機密。

• 張忠：御馬太監，與司禮張雄、東廠張銳並侍豹房用事，時號三張。性皆兇悖。並與大盜張茂財，結為兄弟。並且後與寧王朱宸濠勾結，收受賄絡，協助其叛變；而後還遮藏王守仁之捷，騙出武宗親自出征。

• 吳經：太監，隨武宗南征，就先到揚州，強奪寡婦、處女，要求拿金錢來換取。

家庭成員

母親

• 孝成敬皇后張氏

兄弟姊妹

• 蔚悼王朱厚煒

• 太康公主朱秀榮

妻妾

• 后妃

　• 孝靜毅皇后夏氏

　• 淑惠德妃吳氏

　• 榮淑賢妃沈氏

　• 王妃

　• 劉美人，又稱劉夫人，太原民劉良之女

• 無妃嬪位號者

　• 王滿堂，女官，職位浣衣

　• 馬氏，馬昂之妹

• 位號不詳

　• 戴氏，總兵官戴欽女

　• 杜氏，馬昂妾

藝術形象

• 民間有關于武宗微服出巡與民間女子相愛的故事，即游龍戲鳳。

電影和電視劇

• 1959年香港邵氏兄弟電影公司出品電影《江山美人》，趙雷飾演明武宗。

• 1961年香港立達影業公司《刁蠻女俠》。

• 1976年香港電視劇《民間傳奇之江山美人》，鄭少秋飾演明武宗。

• 1979年香港邵氏兄弟電影公司出品電影《北地胭脂》，岳華飾演明武宗。

• 1979年香港麗的電視武俠劇《天龍訣》，萬梓良飾演明武宗。

• 1993年香港亞洲電視古裝武俠劇《天蠶變之再與天比高》，宗揚飾演明武宗。

• 1994年香港古裝愛情劇《俠女游龍》，羅嘉良飾演明武宗。

• 1994年香港古裝劇《天師鐘馗之江山美人》，陳泰鳴飾演明武宗。

• 1998年台灣古裝劇《江山美人》，崔浩然飾演明武宗。

• 1998年中國大陸電視劇《保鏢之天之嬌女》，王衛國飾演明武宗。

• 2000年中國大陸電視劇《機靈小不懂》，聶遠飾演明武宗。

• 2000年中國大陸、台灣合拍半喜劇電視劇《絕色雙嬌》，焦恩俊飾演明武宗。

• 2000年香港無線電視翡翠台古裝電視劇《金裝四大才子》，蔡子健飾演明武宗。

• 2002年香港電影《天下無雙》，張震飾演明武宗。

• 2004年中國大陸電視劇《皇后進宮》，吳大維飾演明武宗。

• 2004年中國大陸電視劇《無憂公主》，馮紹峰飾演明武宗。

• 2004年中國大陸電視劇《鳳臨閣》，賈一平飾演明武宗。

• 2004年中國大陸電視劇《長劍相思》，高梓淇飾演明武宗。

• 2005年中國大陸古裝歷史顛覆劇《正德演義》，何炅飾演明武宗。

• 2005年中國大陸電視劇《天下第一》，鄧超飾演明武宗。

• 2005年中國大陸電視劇《天下第一媒》，李楠飾演明武宗。

• 2005年中國大陸電視劇《劍出江南》，劍出江南飾演明武宗。

• 2007年中國大陸電視劇《夜來風雨》，任東霖飾演明武宗。

• 2009年香港古裝武打電視劇《王老虎搶親》，羅貫峰飾演明武宗。

• 2010年香港古裝電視劇《秋香怒點唐伯虎》，黎諾懿飾演明武宗。

• 2010年香港電影《龍鳳店》，任賢齊飾演明武宗。

• 2010年中國大陸電視劇《蘇三傳奇》，李彥明飾演明武宗。

• 2011年中國大陸電視劇《王陽明 (電視劇)》，朱一龍飾演明武宗。

• 2018年中國大陸古裝劇《回到明朝當王爺之楊凌傳》，劉芮麟飾演明武宗。

戲曲

• 京劇《游龍戲鳳》、《梅龍鎮》

歌仔戲

• 電視歌仔戲：《正德皇帝遊江南》（黃香蓮主演）

• 電視歌仔戲：《青山綠水行》（楊麗花主演）

• 電視歌仔戲：《花月正春風》（楊麗花主演）

• 電視歌仔戲：《巡按與大盜》（洪秀玉主演）

• 電視歌仔戲：《三戲正德皇帝》（陳小咪主演）

文學作品

• 小說：喬靖夫《武道狂之詩》天行者出版

• 小說：月關《回到明朝當王爺》高寶國際出版