生平

早年经历

洪武二十四年（1391年），十三岁的他被封为宁王，二年后到北方边境的军事重镇宁国就藩。宁国，即大宁，地处喜峰口外，属古会州之地，东连辽左，西接宣府，为一大镇。朱权带有甲兵八万，战车六千，所属朵颜三卫骑兵均骁勇善战。朱权多次会合诸王出塞作战，在当时诸王中，有「燕王善战，宁王善谋」之说，而二人又在边境，友情甚笃。

建文时期

建文元年（1399年），燕王朱棣起兵反叛，朱棣曾与诸将商议道：「以往我巡察塞上时，见大宁诸军十分剽悍。如果我能获得大宁，截断辽东，采用边骑助战，便大事可成。」建文帝朱允炆害怕朱权投向朱棣，召朱权至京师，朱权抗命不至，对南京朝廷持观望态度，被诏削三护卫。另一方面朱棣也想取得大宁骑兵助战。当年九月，江阴侯吴高进攻永平，朱棣前往营救。吴高退兵，朱棣于是从刘家口抄小路直趋大宁，诈称是因为穷蹙前来求救。

朱权邀请朱棣一人骑马入城，朱棣握住朱权的手大哭，诉说自己是不得已才起兵的，求他代为起草奏章谢罪。朱棣居住数日，朱权都诚恳相待，全无防备之心。北平精锐部队则埋伏城外，官兵也逐渐入城，暗中勾结三卫酋长及诸守军。朱棣这才告辞离去，朱权到郊外为其饯行，伏兵趁机而起，将朱权拥往前行。三卫弓骑及诸守军，一呼云集。守将朱鉴抵挡不住，力战而死。王府妃妾世子均随入松亭关，回到北平，大宁成了一座空城。同时收纳大宁诸军及三卫骑兵为己用，实力大增。朱权进入燕军之后，时常为朱棣草拟檄文。朱棣对朱权许诺，事成之后，平分天下。

永乐时期

明成祖朱棣称帝后，朱权请求改封南方。当他要求苏州时，朱棣回答：「苏州属于畿内。」当他要求钱塘时，朱棣则说：「先父将它赐给五弟，终无结果。建文帝无道，在钱塘封其弟为王，也未能享受。建宁、重庆、荆州、东昌都是好地，你随意选择吧。」永乐元年（1403年）二月，朱权改封南昌。朱棣亲自写诗送行，命朱权以布政司为宫邸，建筑规模毫无变更。

不久，有人告发称朱权用巫术诅咒皇帝，并且诽谤朝廷。朱棣派人秘密调查，因查无实证，方才作罢。朱权知朱棣猜忌，故好黄老之术，「构精庐一区，鼓琴读书其间」，藉此逃避杀戮。当时南昌一带盛行许旌阳真君的忠孝净明道，朱权退而参修净明道，但心又忿忿不平，对朱棣耿耿于怀。

洪熙、宣德、正统时期

明仁宗时，法禁稍有缓解，朱权于是上书，说南昌并非他的封国。仁宗回信说道：「南昌，叔父从先皇那里受封已达二十馀年了，不是封国，那又是什么呢？」宣德三年（1428年），朱权请求明宣宗将靠近南昌城的灌城乡土田赐给他。宣德四年（1429年）又议论说宗室不应确定品级。明宣宗十分生气，对朱权颇有指责之意。朱权便上书谢罪。

当时朱权年纪已老，有关官员大多相互倾轧，以显示自己的威权，而朱权则整日与文学士互相往来，寄托自己的远大志向，自号臞仙。明英宗正统十三年（1448年），朱权病逝。諡献，称宁献王。世子朱盘烒早死，由孙朱奠培继承王爵。

著作

朱权著作丰厚，曾奉敕编辑《通鉴博论》，撰有《宁国仪范》、《家训》、《文谱》、《诗谱》、《史断》、《通鉴博论》、《汉唐秘史》、《琴阮启蒙》、《神奇秘谱》、《茶谱》、《琼林雅韵》、《神隐》、《太和正音谱》等数十种著作。其中《太和正音谱》为戏剧史上重要的理论专著。

家庭

妻

• 妃张氏，兵马指挥张泰之女，先薨

子女

子

• 庄惠世子朱磐烒 (宁惠王)，永乐二年四月册为宁世子。永乐十五年三月东城兵马指挥俞盛女为宁世子妃。

• 未名，早殇

• 临川康僖王朱磐熚，宣德元年七月册北城兵马副指挥黄福女为临川王妃（正统四年十二月去世）。景泰六年五月册百户王兴女为临川王妃。天顺四年削爵。

• 宜春安简王朱磐烑，永乐十二年闰九月生。宣德三年七月册为宜春王。宣德五年十月册金吾后卫指挥刘勋女为宜春王妃。弘治五年七月薨。年七十九岁。母王氏。

• 新昌安僖王朱磐炷，永乐十七年十月生。宣德五年十月册为新昌王。正统二年二月册孝陵卫指挥使葛覃女为新昌王妃。天顺三年薨。无子除封。有一女南康县主。

• 信丰悼惠王朱磐㷬，宣德七年冬十月封为信丰王。正统四年正月薨。年十九岁。母尤氏。未婚无子除。

女

• 永新郡主，宣德二年七月封为永新郡主，配金乡卫舍人高鹤龄。

• 玉山郡主，宣德二年七月封为玉山郡主，配都督舍人方景祥。

• 清江郡主，宣德二年二月封为清江郡主，配西宁卫指挥陈通弟逸。

• 奉新郡主，宣德二年二月初五册封配王爽。

• 金溪郡主，宣德二年二月封为金溪郡主。配右军都督韩观弟辅。景泰元年八月薨。　

• 泰和郡主，宣德二年二月封为泰和郡主。配鄱阳县民汪彦诚子湛然。

• 彭泽郡主，宣德二年二月封为彭泽郡主，配龙骧卫指挥王刚侄质。

• 庐陵郡主，宣德二年二月封为庐陵郡主，配蕲州卫指挥田晟弟昱。

• 新喻郡主，宣德二年二月封为新喻郡主，配赣州府照磨胡羽子光霁。

• 新城郡主，宣德二年二月封为新城郡主，配留守中卫指挥李俊子瓛。

• 浮梁郡主，宣德二年七月封为浮梁郡主。

• 十二女夭折

• 南丰郡主，宣德二年二月封为南丰郡主，配江西都指挥张祥子雯。

• 永豊郡主，正统三年六月为永豊郡主，适孟日敬。

墓葬

朱权墓在江西省新建县石埠乡缑岭东麓璜源村，正统七年（1442）朱权自建生坟，屡往游览。1958年10月29日－11月20日，江西省文管会对其墓进行了发掘。墓前原有南极长生宫，前有南极殿，左有泰元殿和冲霄楼，右有旋玑殿和凌江楼。宫前有醉仙亭和一对6.9米高的八棱形华表，上刻道门符篆。宫后墓室隐于山中。墓室系采用青砖砌成卷拱结构，全长31.7米，宽21.45米，高4.5米，分前室、次前室、中室和后室四部分。前室用自来石顶住，二门无自来石。中室之后，有券门通后室。后墙正中有一壁龛，两旁用红石作八棱柱，柱下有础，础上有正心坊，坊上有斗拱，以支持出檐。

由于朱权晚年学道，以道冠道袍入殓，口含一枚金钱，体压大小金钱二行，每行六枚。其他随葬品，有金、银、铜、锡、玉、瓷等器物，有些珍品已由故宫博物院收藏，其馀藏江西省博物馆内。

墓内出土圹志一盒，志、盖各一，由青石板制成，边长91厘米，四周饰以6.5厘米宽的龙戏珠纹。

后代

朱权的后代朱宸濠起事，对抗明武宗，即宸濠之乱，仅仅四十三日，就被赣南巡抚王阳明平定，于是宁王封国被废除。著名画家八大山人是他的七世孙。易堂九子之一的林时益则是他的八世孙。

注释

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" (南极冲虚妙道真君, 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 (张氏), died before his own death.

Sons

1. Zhu Panshi (朱盘烒), Hereditary Prince Zhuanghui (庄惠世子), posthumously as Prince Hui of Ning (宁惠王), created as Hereditary Prince of Ning (宁世子) in April 1403. He was married to a daughter of Yu Sheng (俞盛), Eastern Military Forces Commander (东城兵马指挥) as Hereditary Princess Consort of Ning (宁世子妃) in March 1417.

2. Unnamed, died young.

3. Zhu Panye (朱盘烨), Commentary Prince Kangxi of Linchuan (临川康僖郡王). He married to daughter of Huang Fu (黄福), Northern Military Forces Commander (北城兵马副指挥) in July 1425, then married to Wang Xing's (王兴) daughter in May 1455. Demoted as Commoner in 1461.

4. Zhu Panyao (朱盘烑), Commentary Prince Anjian of Yichun (宜春安简郡王). Born in September 1414, title created in July 1428. He married a daughter of Liu Xun, Jinwu Guard Commander (金吾后卫指挥) in October 1430. He died in July 1492 when he was 79, his mother was Lady Wang (王氏).

5. Zhu Panzhu (朱盘炷), 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 (孝陵卫指挥使) 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 (南康县主).

6. Zhu Panmuo (朱盘㷬), Commentary Prince Daohui of Xinfeng (信丰悼惠郡王), 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 (高鹤龄), Jinxiang Guard Sheren (金乡卫舍人).

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 (陈逸).

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 (韩辅). 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 (彭泽郡主), title created February 1426, married to Wang Zhi (王质).

8. Commentary Princess Luling (庐陵郡主), 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 (胡光霁).

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 (南丰郡主), title created February 1426, married to Zhang Wen 张雯.

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.