生平

早年經歷

洪武二十四年（1391年），十三歲的他被封為寧王，二年後到北方邊境的軍事重鎮寧國就藩。寧國，即大寧，地處喜峰口外，屬古會州之地，東連遼左，西接宣府，為一大鎮。朱權帶有甲兵八萬，戰車六千，所屬朵顏三衛騎兵均驍勇善戰。朱權多次會合諸王出塞作戰，在當時諸王中，有「燕王善戰，寧王善謀」之說，而二人又在邊境，友情甚篤。

建文時期

建文元年（1399年），燕王朱棣起兵反叛，朱棣曾與諸將商議道：「以往我巡察塞上時，見大寧諸軍十分剽悍。如果我能獲得大寧，截斷遼東，採用邊騎助戰，便大事可成。」建文帝朱允炆害怕朱權投向朱棣，召朱權至京師，朱權抗命不至，對南京朝廷持觀望態度，被詔削三護衛。另一方面朱棣也想取得大寧騎兵助戰。當年九月，江陰侯吳高進攻永平，朱棣前往營救。吳高退兵，朱棣于是從劉家口抄小路直趨大寧，詐稱是因為窮蹙前來求救。

朱權邀請朱棣一人騎馬入城，朱棣握住朱權的手大哭，訴說自己是不得已才起兵的，求他代為起草奏章謝罪。朱棣居住數日，朱權都誠懇相待，全無防備之心。北平精銳部隊則埋伏城外，官兵也逐漸入城，暗中勾結三衛酋長及諸守軍。朱棣這才告辭離去，朱權到郊外為其餞行，伏兵趁機而起，將朱權擁往前行。三衛弓騎及諸守軍，一呼雲集。守將朱鑑抵擋不住，力戰而死。王府妃妾世子均隨入松亭關，回到北平，大寧成了一座空城。同時收納大寧諸軍及三衛騎兵為己用，實力大增。朱權進入燕軍之後，時常為朱棣草擬檄文。朱棣對朱權許諾，事成之後，平分天下。

永樂時期

明成祖朱棣稱帝後，朱權請求改封南方。當他要求蘇州時，朱棣回答：「蘇州屬于畿內。」當他要求錢塘時，朱棣則說：「先父將它賜給五弟，終無結果。建文帝無道，在錢塘封其弟為王，也未能享受。建寧、重慶、荊州、東昌都是好地，你隨意選擇吧。」永樂元年（1403年）二月，朱權改封南昌。朱棣親自寫詩送行，命朱權以布政司為宮邸，建築規模毫無變更。

不久，有人告發稱朱權用巫術詛咒皇帝，並且誹謗朝廷。朱棣派人秘密調查，因查無實證，方才作罷。朱權知朱棣猜忌，故好黃老之術，「構精廬一區，鼓琴讀書其間」，藉此逃避殺戮。當時南昌一帶盛行許旌陽真君的忠孝淨明道，朱權退而參修淨明道，但心又忿忿不平，對朱棣耿耿于懷。

洪熙、宣德、正統時期

明仁宗時，法禁稍有緩解，朱權于是上書，說南昌並非他的封國。仁宗回信說道：「南昌，叔父從先皇那裡受封已達二十餘年了，不是封國，那又是什麼呢？」宣德三年（1428年），朱權請求明宣宗將靠近南昌城的灌城鄉土田賜給他。宣德四年（1429年）又議論說宗室不應確定品級。明宣宗十分生氣，對朱權頗有指責之意。朱權便上書謝罪。

當時朱權年紀已老，有關官員大多相互傾軋，以顯示自己的威權，而朱權則整日與文學士互相往來，寄託自己的遠大志向，自號臞仙。明英宗正統十三年（1448年），朱權病逝。諡獻，稱寧獻王。世子朱盤烒早死，由孫朱奠培繼承王爵。

著作

朱權著作豐厚，曾奉敕編輯《通鑑博論》，撰有《寧國儀範》、《家訓》、《文譜》、《詩譜》、《史斷》、《通鑑博論》、《漢唐秘史》、《琴阮啟蒙》、《神奇秘譜》、《茶譜》、《瓊林雅韻》、《神隱》、《太和正音譜》等數十種著作。其中《太和正音譜》為戲劇史上重要的理論專著。

家庭

妻

• 妃張氏，兵馬指揮張泰之女，先薨

子女

子

• 莊惠世子朱磐烒 (寧惠王)，永樂二年四月冊為寧世子。永樂十五年三月東城兵馬指揮俞盛女為寧世子妃。

• 未名，早殤

• 臨川康僖王朱磐熚，宣德元年七月冊北城兵馬副指揮黃福女為臨川王妃（正統四年十二月去世）。景泰六年五月冊百戶王興女為臨川王妃。天順四年削爵。

• 宜春安簡王朱磐烑，永樂十二年閏九月生。宣德三年七月冊為宜春王。宣德五年十月冊金吾後衛指揮劉勛女為宜春王妃。弘治五年七月薨。年七十九歲。母王氏。

• 新昌安僖王朱磐炷，永樂十七年十月生。宣德五年十月冊為新昌王。正統二年二月冊孝陵衛指揮使葛覃女為新昌王妃。天順三年薨。無子除封。有一女南康縣主。

• 信豐悼惠王朱磐㷬，宣德七年冬十月封為信豐王。正統四年正月薨。年十九歲。母尤氏。未婚無子除。

女

• 永新郡主，宣德二年七月封為永新郡主，配金鄉衛舍人高鶴齡。

• 玉山郡主，宣德二年七月封為玉山郡主，配都督舍人方景祥。

• 清江郡主，宣德二年二月封為清江郡主，配西寧衛指揮陳通弟逸。

• 奉新郡主，宣德二年二月初五冊封配王爽。

• 金溪郡主，宣德二年二月封為金溪郡主。配右軍都督韓觀弟輔。景泰元年八月薨。　

• 泰和郡主，宣德二年二月封為泰和郡主。配鄱陽縣民汪彥誠子湛然。

• 彭澤郡主，宣德二年二月封為彭澤郡主，配龍驤衛指揮王剛侄質。

• 廬陵郡主，宣德二年二月封為廬陵郡主，配蘄州衛指揮田晟弟昱。

• 新喻郡主，宣德二年二月封為新喻郡主，配贛州府照磨胡羽子光霽。

• 新城郡主，宣德二年二月封為新城郡主，配留守中衛指揮李俊子瓛。

• 浮梁郡主，宣德二年七月封為浮梁郡主。

• 十二女夭折

• 南豐郡主，宣德二年二月封為南豐郡主，配江西都指揮張祥子雯。

• 永豊郡主，正統三年六月為永豊郡主，適孟日敬。

墓葬

朱權墓在江西省新建縣石埠鄉緱嶺東麓璜源村，正統七年（1442）朱權自建生墳，屢往遊覽。1958年10月29日－11月20日，江西省文管會對其墓進行了發掘。墓前原有南極長生宮，前有南極殿，左有泰元殿和衝霄樓，右有旋璣殿和凌江樓。宮前有醉仙亭和一對6.9米高的八棱形華表，上刻道門符篆。宮後墓室隱于山中。墓室系採用青磚砌成卷拱結構，全長31.7米，寬21.45米，高4.5米，分前室、次前室、中室和後室四部分。前室用自來石頂住，二門無自來石。中室之後，有券門通後室。後牆正中有一壁龕，兩旁用紅石作八稜柱，柱下有礎，礎上有正心坊，坊上有斗拱，以支持出簷。

由于朱權晚年學道，以道冠道袍入殮，口含一枚金錢，體壓大小金錢二行，每行六枚。其他隨葬品，有金、銀、銅、錫、玉、瓷等器物，有些珍品已由故宮博物院收藏，其餘藏江西省博物館內。

墓內出土壙誌一盒，誌、蓋各一，由青石板製成，邊長91釐米，四周飾以6.5釐米寬的龍戲珠紋。

後代

朱權的後代朱宸濠起事，對抗明武宗，即宸濠之亂，僅僅四十三日，就被贛南巡撫王陽明平定，於是寧王封國被廢除。著名畫家八大山人是他的七世孫。易堂九子之一的林時益則是他的八世孫。

注釋

Other names

In addition to Prince of Ning, Zhu Quan was also known as the Strange Scholar of the Great Ming (大明奇士, Da Ming Qi Shi). As part of his Taoist attempts to avoid death, he adopted the aliases the Emaciated Immortal (臞仙, Qúxiān), the "Master who Encompasses Emptiness" (涵虚子, Hánxūzi), "Taoist of the Mysterious Continent" or " Taoist of the Mysterious Island" (玄洲道人, Xuánzhōu Dàoren), and "Perfected Gentleman of the Marvelous Way of the Unfathomable Emptiness of the Southern Pole" (南极沖虚妙道真君, Nánjí Chōngxū Miàodào Zhēnjūn).

History

Zhu Quan was initially a military commander in service to his father, the Hongwu Emperor who founded the Ming dynasty. He was granted the frontier fief of Ning with his capital at Daning in present-day Chifeng, Inner Mongolia in 1391. He was famous for his mastery of art and war and played an important role during the unrest surrounding the ascension of his teenage nephew, Jianwen Emperor, in 1399.

Under the advice of his Confucian advisors, the Jianwen Emperor summoned his uncle to an audience in the imperial capital Nanjing. Wary of the emperor's intentions, as other uncles were demoted or executed the same year, Zhu Quan refused and lost three of his divisions for insubordination.

Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, was preparing for his own uprising against the emperor and considered it a major point to neutralize Zhu Quan, a talented leader of well-trained troops located behind his lines. Taking advantage of Wu Gao's attack on Yongping near modern Shanhaiguan, the Prince of Yan after crushing Wu Gao's force rode hastily to Daning and feigned defeat and distress. After several days, his forces were in position and successfully captured Zhu Quan as he was seeing his brother off. The official history of the Ming records Daning's evacuation, with Zhu Quan's harem and courtiers removed to Songtingguan and the prince himself kept in the Yan capital at Beiping, but passes over Zhu Di's setting of the entire city to the torch and the destruction of Zhu Quan's extensive library.

From that point, Zhu Quan assisted his brother in his uprising, with the History of Ming recording that the Prince of Yan offered to split the entire empire between them. After his elevation as the Yongle Emperor in 1402, however, he swiftly reneged and refused to appoint his brother to lordship over Suzhou or Qiantang, instead giving him a choice only of backwater appointments. He settled upon Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi. After a scare where he was accused of practicing wugu sorcery, Zhu Quan essentially retired from any interference with the realm, devoting his time instead to cultural pursuits.

Meeting daily with local or visiting scholars, he pursued immortality. He treasured and revised his Secret Book of Origins (原始秘书, Yuánshǐ Mìshū), a text which survived the fire of Daning and sharply attacked Buddhism as a foreign "mourning cult" at odds with Chinese culture and proper governance. His encyclopedia of Taoism, the Most Pure and Precious Books on the Way of August Heaven (天皇至道太清玉册, Tiānhuáng Zhìdào Tàiqīngyù Cè), was so esteemed it joined the Taoist canon. His brother ordered him to complete the Comprehensive Mirror of Extensive Essays (Tongjian Bolun) and was also credited with writing Family Advice (Jia Xun), Ceremonial Customs of the Country of Ning (Ningguo Yifan), The Secret History of the Han and Tang (汉唐秘史, Hàn-Táng Mìshǐ), History Breaks Off (Shi Duan), a Book of Essays (文谱, Wén Pǔ), a Book of Poetry (诗谱, Shī Pǔ), and several other annotated anthologies. His most successful was his Tea Manual (茶谱, Chá Pǔ). In addition, he personally funded the publication of many rare books and composed several operas.

Zhu Quan is an important figure in the history of the Chinese zither, or guqin, for his compilation of the important Manual of the Mysterious and Marvellous (神奇秘谱, Shénqí Mì Pǔ) in 1425. This is the earliest known large scale collection of qin scores to have survived to the present day.

Family

Consort

• Lady Zhang (張氏), died before his own death.

Sons

1. Zhu Panshi (朱盤烒), Hereditary Prince Zhuanghui (莊惠世子), posthumously as Prince Hui of Ning (寧惠王), created as Hereditary Prince of Ning (寧世子) in April 1403. He was married to a daughter of Yu Sheng (俞盛), Eastern Military Forces Commander (東城兵馬指揮) as Hereditary Princess Consort of Ning (寧世子妃) in March 1417.

2. Unnamed, died young.

3. Zhu Panye (朱盤燁), Commentary Prince Kangxi of Linchuan (臨川康僖郡王). He married to daughter of Huang Fu (黃福), Northern Military Forces Commander (北城兵馬副指揮) in July 1425, then married to Wang Xing's (王興) daughter in May 1455. Demoted as Commoner in 1461.

4. Zhu Panyao (朱盤烑), Commentary Prince Anjian of Yichun (宜春安簡郡王). Born in September 1414, title created in July 1428. He married a daughter of Liu Xun, Jinwu Guard Commander (金吾後衛指揮) in October 1430. He died in July 1492 when he was 79, his mother was Lady Wang (王氏).

5. Zhu Panzhu (朱盤炷), Commentary Prince Anxi of Xinchang (新昌安僖郡王). Born in October 1419, title created in October 1430. He married to daughter of Ge Tan (葛覃), Xiaoling Guard Commander (孝陵衛指揮使) in February 1437. He died in 1459, his title later cancelled due to his not having a son, but he had a daughter, County Princess Nankang (南康縣主).

6. Zhu Panmuo (朱盤㷬), Commentary Prince Daohui of Xinfeng (信豐悼惠郡王), title created in October 1432. He died in January 1437 when he was 19. His title later cancelled due to his not having a son.

Daughters

1. Commentary Princess Yongxin (永新郡主), title created in July 1426, married to Gao Heling (高鶴齡), Jinxiang Guard Sheren (金鄉衛舍人).

2. Commentary Princess Yushan (玉山郡主), title created in July 1426, married to Fang Jingxiang (方景祥), Captaincy Sheren (都督舍人).

3. Commentary Princess Qingjiang (清江郡主), title created in February 1426, married to Chen Yi (陳逸).

4. Commentary Princess Fengxin (奉新郡主), title created in 5 February 1426, married to Wang Shuang (王爽).

5. Commentary Princess Jinxi (金溪郡主), title created February 1426, married to Han Fu (韓輔). Died in August 1449.

6. Commentary Princess Taihe (泰和郡主), title created February 1426, married to Wang Zhanran (汪湛然), citizen from Poyang County.

7. Commentary Princess Pengze (彭澤郡主), title created February 1426, married to Wang Zhi (王質).

8. Commentary Princess Luling (廬陵郡主), title created February 1426, married to Tian Yu (田昱).

9. Commentary Princess Xinyu (新喻郡主), title created February 1426, married to Hu Guangji (胡光霽).

10. Commentary Princess Xincheng (新城郡主), title created February 1426, married to Li Huan (李瓛).

11. Commentary Princess Fuliang (浮梁郡主), title created July 1426.

12. Died Young, no title.

13. Commentary Princess Nanfeng (南豐郡主), title created February 1426, married to Zhang Wen 張雯.

14. Commentary Princess Yongfeng (永豊郡主), title created June 1427.

Descendants

• 1st prince: Zhu Quan, Prince Xian of Ning

　• Hereditary Prince: Zhu Panshi, Prince Hui of Ning

　　• 2nd Prince: Zhu Dienpei, Prince Jing of Ning

　　　• 3rd Prince: Zhu Kunjun, Prince Kang of Ning

　　　　• 4th Prince: Zhu Chenhao, Prince of Ning

Zhu Quan is also the ancestor of the famous Chinese painter Zhu Da.