生平

早年

明成祖时，朱瞻基父亲朱高炽（仁宗）为太子，生性仁厚端重，但有时不免失之于懦怯。成祖最喜爱次子汉王朱高煦，觉得他最像自己，有心废太子立汉王，但徐皇后和大臣们一直阻拦。而且朱瞻基自幼聪慧好学，与生母张氏皆深得成祖的喜爱，所以最终才没有废太子，并对朱瞻基悉心栽培。永乐九年（1411年）十一月立为皇太孙，数度随成祖征讨。永乐二十二年（1424年）仁宗即位，十月朱瞻基被立为皇太子。洪熙元年（1425年）四月，因南京地震多发，奉旨前往居守；同年六月仁宗驾崩，宣宗继位。

内政

明宣宗在位十年，重点在治理内政方面。宣德元年（1426年）平定汉王朱高煦的叛乱，宣宗原先只将他禁锢，仍前往探视，却被朱高煦使腿将其绊倒，宣宗一怒，将朱高煦用鼎扣住，烧烤至死，诸子全部处死。为了休兵养民，宣宗一改永乐时期的讨伐政策，主动从交址撤兵。

宣宗整顿统治机构，罢免「贪津不律」、「不达政体」、「年老体疾」的官员，实行精简和裁冗措施，以振朝风。而在用人方面限制入仕人数，实行保举和欠任。宣宗实行一些减轻民困的措施，减免税粮、复业流民、赈灾救荒等。宣德三年出塞，并修建永宁、隆庆诸城。

在宦官问题上，因明代初期宦官多由藩属国进贡或没入各地罪犯家属，在语言沟通上发生很大问题，言不同语只好以书同文来解决，宣德元年（1426年），明宣宗下令设置内书堂，教导宦官们读书。不过，明太祖苦心谋划的女官制度虽经成祖时期略加破坏，在此时仍发挥其防制阉党之祸的功用，可是宣宗下令容许教导宦官读书一举，无意中却开启了明代宦官干政之先兆，尤其在明神宗后，因气候变迁造成北方官话区大量贫困百姓自宫入朝廷谋职，万历至崇祯（1573－1644年）这71年间自宫入廷的阉宦总计高达三万人，使得教导宦官成为明朝覆灭的其中原因，也是最受后世批评之处。不过与唐朝相比，明代皇帝极权之盛，使终明朝皇帝亦不至受宦官控制，一般而言亦只是通过宦官来处理政务及制约大臣的权力。

第七次下西洋

宣德五年（1431年1月），宣宗以外番多不来朝贡为由，命令郑和再次出航。返航期间，郑和因劳累过度于宣德八年（1433年）四月初在印度西海岸古里去世。船队由太监王景弘率领返航，宣德八年七月初六（1433年7月22日）返回南京。第七次下西洋人数据载有27550人。这也是最后一次下西洋。

去世

宣德九年（1434年）腊月廿一日，皇帝突感不适。次日起，群臣即至左顺门诣问圣安。当年除夕也是立春，按礼制，群臣应向皇帝举行贺礼，但皇帝已无法接受朝贺。

宣德十年（1435年）正月初一的正旦贺礼一并宣布免去，同时命百官至文华殿朝贺皇太子。初三，皇帝崩于乾清宫，时年37岁。初五，上谥号宪天崇道英明神圣钦文昭武宽仁纯孝章皇帝。庙号宣宗。宣德十年六月廿一日，梓宫葬入景陵。

为政举措

政治

宣宗废后

在孙贵妃生下皇子朱祁镇后暗示胡皇后，让她以有病为由辞掉皇后之位。朱瞻基由此废了胡氏而改立孙氏为皇后，胡氏居住别宫。

后面宣宗在驾崩前曾叹年少轻狂，自己不应该轻率废后。

任用官员

内阁

• 杨士奇

• 杨荣

• 金幼孜

• 黄淮

• 陈山

• 张瑛

• 杨溥

• 权谨

宦官

• 金英：司礼太监，曾获免死诏。

• 范弘：累迁司礼太监，与金英受免死诏。

• 王瑾：宣宗为皇太孙时，朝夕给事。曾受赐银记曰「忠肝义胆」等。倍受宠信。

外交

安南人黎利反叛，屡次打败官军。黎利请示朝廷，请求重新立陈氏之后为安南国王。朱瞻基认为国中疲惫，远征无益，于是答应了他，册封陈暠为安南国王，罢征南兵。后来黎利篡夺陈暠之位而自立为王。派人入朝纳贡谢罪，请求皇帝册封群臣。有人请求皇帝讨伐黎利，朱瞻基不许，册封黎利为安南国王。安南国也就是交趾国，自此以后朝贡不绝。

军事

朱瞻基担心秋高马肥时蒙古人侵犯边疆，于是整顿兵马，驻扎喜峰口以待敌军。宣德三年，守将奏报兀良哈率领万名铁骑骚扰边疆，朱瞻基精选铁骑兵三千飞奔前往。敌军望见远处来军，以为是戍守边疆之兵，即以全军来迎战。朱瞻基命令将铁骑分为两路夹攻敌军，并且亲自射杀敌军先锋，杀死三人。两翼飞矢如云，敌人不敢前进。继而，朱瞻基又命连续发射神机铳，敌军人马死伤大半，剩下的全部溃逃。朱瞻基用数百铁骑直驱前行，敌人看到黄龙旗，才知道是皇帝亲征，于是全部下马拜倒在地请降，朱瞻基将这些人捆缚抓获，大胜而归。

遗诏

遗言

遗诏

人物评价

《明史》赞誉宣宗：「仁宗为太子，失爱于成祖。其危而复安，太孙盖有力焉。即位以后，吏称其职，政得其平，纲纪修明，仓庾充羡，闾阎乐业。岁不能灾。盖明兴至是历年六十，民气渐舒，蒸然有治平之象矣。若乃强藩猝起，旋即削平，扫荡边尘，狡寇震慑，帝之英姿睿略，庶几克绳祖武者欤。」

《明史纪事本末》：「方宣宗之即位也，法祖重农，赈荒惩贪。文事则经史在御，武备则车驾待边。又且却驺虞之祥，禁白乌之瑞。《豳图织妇》，训诰同风。《招隐猗兰》，四诗媲美。凡此皆善政也。而弃交趾于荒外，废胡后于长门，系陈祚于犴狴。毋亦稽中之德，大醇小疵，克终之规，百里九十耶？此则宣宗之失也。虽然，创业固难，守成匪易。仁、宣之治，非高、成不开；而高、成之政，非仁、宣不粹也。尝考仁宗一祀不永，而继以宣之济美，则久道化成。宣宗十载未多，而溯于仁之监国，则重熙累洽。故原其初造，则仁危于宣，席其已安，则宣光于仁。刘绪缵于元嘉，宋治盛于庆历。王道无旦夕之效，礼乐必百年而兴。呜呼！此其时哉。」

《国榷》：「谈迁曰：国初严御，每重囚岁械入京辄千百，簿尉巡檄之任，辄烦圣虑，盖详极矣。宣宗幼侍文皇帝出入塞垣，深谙民事。及即位，遽有乐安之驾，非素才武，畴克灭此而朝食也者？然兵不轻试，惓惓以生灵为念。水旱朝奏，赈贷午曁。亲阅囚牍，多所释遣。好文学之士，一才一技，皆被甄录。盖睿质天纵，文翰并美，而不矜其能，尝有自下之色。国家之治，宽严有制，烦简有则，帝实始之。而于废胡后,弃南交,孰为帝谅者？呜呼！废后非盛德事也，其弃南交，比于汉之朱崖矣。」

《名山藏》：「高皇帝承胡元纵弛之弊，宏振威武以儆天下，成祖以英达之资缵绪大服，海内竦然，振厉者五十馀年。昭皇帝（明仁宗）至德深仁不久于位，章帝（明宣宗）继之，乃涵濡以醇懿陶埴，以德义闻四方。」

《朝鲜文宗实录》：「上（朝鲜文宗）谓代言等曰: "尹凤率尔告予曰: 「洪熙皇帝及今（宣德）皇帝, 皆好戏事。 洪熙尝闻安南叛, 终夜不寐, 甚无胆气之主也。』」知申事郑钦之对曰：「尹凤谓予曰: 「洪熙沈于酒色，听政无时，百官莫知早暮。 今皇帝燕于宫中，长作杂戏。 永乐皇帝, 虽有失节之事, 然勤于听政, 有威可畏。」 凤常慕太宗皇帝, 意以今皇帝为不足矣。」上曰：「人主兴居无节, 岂美事乎?」」

个人爱好

宣德皇帝既是一个有较高文化素养的皇帝，又是一个喜欢射猎、美食、斗促织（蟋蟀）的皇帝。大臣皆因劝谏宣宗多读书，少玩乐被下狱。 宣宗的爱好劳民伤财以至于害民伤命。《聊斋志异》里的名篇《促织》里的皇帝正是明宣宗，人称「促织天子」，吴伟业有《明宣宗御用戗金蟋蟀盆歌》。

File:Zhu-Zhanji-Gibbons-at-Play.jpg|明宣宗《戏猿图》轴（1427年）。

File:明 朱瞻基 三阳开泰轴.jpg|《三阳开泰》轴 。

File:明 朱瞻基 御临黄筌花鸟卷.jpg|《御临黄筌花鸟》卷。

File:Ming Emperor Xuande playing Golf.jpg|《明宣宗行乐图》局部，捶丸。

File:Xuande-Hunting.jpg|《明宣宗射猎图》轴。

File:Xuande-Ausritt1.jpg|《明宣宗马上像》轴。

File:Ming dynasty Xuande mark and period (1426–35) imperial blue and white vase, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 明宣德 景德镇窑青花贯耳瓶, 纽约大都博物馆 .jpg|明宣德帝景德镇窑青花贯耳瓶，纽约大都会艺术博物馆

家族成员

后妃

• 恭让章皇后胡善祥，元配，无过被废，英宗追复其位号。

• 孝恭章皇后孙氏，原妾室，贵妃，英宗母（一说养母）。

• 荣思贤妃吴氏，代宗母，本为贤妃，代宗时尊为皇太后，英宗复位降为皇考贤妃，谥为荣思贤妃，安宗追复其位号。

• 贞哀国嫔郭爱，贤而有文学名气。宣德三年，郭爱因才被明宣宗选入后宫，但此刻郭爱已经病重，自知不起，便在进宫之前写下著名的《京邸病革自哀》，用词哀切，作词曰：「修短有数兮，不足较也。生而如梦兮，死则觉也。先吾亲而归兮，惭予之失孝也。心凄凄而不能已兮，是则可悼也。」《明史·后妃列传·后妃一》对郭爱评价甚高，称「贤而有文」。如她所料，郭爱进宫后二十天就病逝，年仅二十九岁。明宣宗追封为国嫔，谥贞哀。

明宣宗之母诚孝昭皇后在其死后杀害多人用以殉葬，殉葬者如下（明朝朝廷追封各死者为「妃」）：

• 端静贵妃何氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 纯静贤妃赵氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 贞顺惠妃吴氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 庄静淑妃焦氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 庄顺敬妃曹氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 贞惠顺妃徐氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 恭定丽妃袁氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 贞静恭妃诸氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 恭顺充妃李氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 肃僖成妃何氏，遭杀害殉葬。

• 淑妃刘氏，潜邸旧妾，后事不祥

• 恭慎夫人韩桂兰，朝鲜人，姊为成祖的丽妃韩氏。

子女

皇子

• 朱祁镇，长子，明英宗，母孝恭章皇后孙氏（注：明史后妃传上自相矛盾记载其生母是位宫人。但近有研究称，这一叙述不可靠。）

• 朱祁钰，次子，明代宗，母贤妃吴氏

皇女

• 顺德公主，母恭让章皇后胡氏。正统二年下嫁石璟。

• 永清公主，母恭让章皇后胡氏。《明实录》记载她于宣德八年去世，年十馀岁，尚未结婚。

• 常德公主，母孝恭章皇后孙氏。正统五年下嫁薛桓。成化六年薨。

纪念影视作品

电影

以下列出曾饰演「明宣宗」的演员，以及剧中演出「明宣宗」的电影：

电视剧

以下列出曾饰演「明宣宗」的演员，以及剧中演出「明宣宗」的电视剧：

Life

Zhu Zhanji was the eldest son of the Hongxi Emperor and Empress Chengxiaozhao. He was described as a crown prince who was endowed with the quality of an excellent monarch in a section of his biography surrounded by superstition. His grandfather, the Yongle Emperor, had high hopes that he might play an important part to assist his father.

He was fond of poetry and literature. Although he continued to refer to Beijing as the secondary capital on all official documents, he maintained it as his residence and continued to rule there in the style of his grandfather, the Yongle Emperor. He permitted Zheng He to lead the seventh and last of his maritime expeditions.

The Xuande Emperor's uncle, Zhu Gaoxu (the Prince of Han), had been a favorite of the Yongle Emperor for his military successes, but he disobeyed imperial instructions and in 1417 had been exiled to the small fief of Le'an in Shandong. When Zhu Gaoxu revolted, the Xuande Emperor took 20,000 soldiers and attacked him at Le'an. Zhu Gaoxu surrendered soon afterward, was reduced to the status of a commoner. Six hundred rebelling officials were executed, and 2,200 were banished. The emperor did not wish to execute his uncle at the start, but later events angered the emperor so much that Zhu Gaoxu was executed through fire torture. All his sons were executed as well. It is very likely that Zhu Gaoxu's arrogance, well detailed in many historic texts, offended the emperor. A theory states that when the emperor went to visit his uncle, Zhu Gaoxu intentionally tripped him.

In 1428, the Xuande Emperor granted King Hashi of Chūzan the family name Shang (尚, Shō in Japanese), gave him the title of Liuqiu Wang (琉球王, Jap: Ryūkyū-Ō, King of Ryūkyū), and gifted him a red lacquered tablet with Chung Shan (中山, Chūzan in Japanese) inscribed in gold, which was then placed on the Chūzonmon gate near Shuri Castle.

The Xuande Emperor wanted to withdraw his troops from Việt Nam, but some of his advisors disagreed. After Ming garrisons suffered heavy casualties, the emperor sent Liu Sheng with an army. These were badly defeated by the Vietnamese. The Ming forces withdrew and the Xuande Emperor eventually recognized the independence of Việt Nam. In the north, the Xuande Emperor was inspecting the border with 3,000 cavalry troops in 1428 and was able to retaliate against a raid by the Mongols of the Northern Yuan dynasty. The Ming government let Arughtai's Eastern Mongols battle with Toghon's Oirat tribes of the west. The Ming imperial court received horses annually from Arughtai, but he was defeated by the Oirats in 1431 and was killed in 1434 when Toghon took over eastern Mongolia. The Ming government then maintained friendly relations with the Oirats. China's diplomatic relations with Japan improved in 1432. Relations with Korea were generally good with the exception of the Koreans resenting having to send virgins occasionally to the Xuande Emperor's imperial harem.

A privy council of eunuchs strengthened centralized power by controlling the Jinyiwei (secret police), and their influence continued to grow. In 1428, the notorious censor Liu Guan was sentenced to penal servitude and was replaced by the incorruptible Gu Zuo (d. 1446), who dismissed 43 members of the Beijing and Nanjing censorates for incompetence. Some censors were demoted, imprisoned, and banished, but none were executed. Replacements were put on probation as the censorate investigated the entire Ming administration including the military. The same year the emperor reformed the rules governing military conscription and the treatment of deserters. Yet the hereditary military continued to be inefficient and to suffer from poor morale. Huge inequalities in tax burdens had caused many farmers in some areas to leave their farms in the past forty years. In 1430, the Xuande Emperor ordered tax reductions on all imperial lands and sent out "touring pacifiers" to coordinate provincial administration, exercising civilian control over the military. They attempted to eliminate the irregularities and the corruption of the revenue collectors. The emperor often ordered retrials that allowed thousands of innocent people to be released.

In the ninth year of the Ming Xuande emperor the Jurchens in Manchuria under Ming rule suffered from famine forcing them to sell their daughters into slavery and moving to Liaodong to beg for help and relief from the Ming dynasty government.

The Xuande Emperor died of illness in 1435 after ruling for ten years. He ruled over a remarkably peaceful period with no significant external or internal problems. Later historians have considered his reign to be the height of the Ming dynasty's golden age.

The emperor as an artist

The Xuande Emperor was known as an accomplished painter, particularly skilled at painting animals. Some of his art work is preserved in the National Palace Museum, Taipei and Arthur M. Sackler Museum (a division of Harvard Art Museum) in Cambridge. Robert D. Mowry, the curator of Chinese art at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, described him as "the only Ming emperor who displayed genuine artistic talent and interest."

Also, the Xuande mark and period (1426–35) is often considered one of the most sophisticated periods in the history of Chinese Blue and White porcelain crafts.

Family

Consorts and Issue:

• Empress Gongrangzhang, of the Hu clan (恭让章皇后 胡氏; 20 May 1402 – 5 December 1443), personal name Shanxiang (善祥)

　• Princess Shunde (顺德公主; 1420–1443), first daughter

　　• Married Shi Jing (石璟; 9 January 1420 – 17 October 1479) in 1437

　• Princess Yongqing (永清公主; d. 1433), second daughter

• Empress Xiaogongzhang, of the Sun clan (孝恭章皇后 孙氏; 1399–1462)

　• Princess Changde (常德公主; 1424–1470), third daughter

　　• Married Xue Huan (薛桓) in 1440

　• Zhu Qizhen, Yingzong (英宗 朱祁镇; 29 November 1427 – 23 February 1464), first son

• Empress Dowager Xiaoyi, of the Wu clan (孝翼皇太后 吴氏; 1397 – 16 January 1462)

　• Zhu Qiyu, the Jingtai Emperor (代宗 朱祁钰; 21 September 1428 – 14 March 1457), second son

• Noble Consort Duanjing, of the He clan (端静贵妃 何氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Chunjingxian, of the Zhao clan (纯静贤妃 赵氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Zhenshunhui, of the Wu clan (贞顺惠妃 吴氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Zhuangjingshu, of the Jiao clan (庄静淑妃 焦氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Zhuangshunjing, of the Cao clan (庄顺敬妃 曹氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Zhenhuishun, of the Xu clan (贞惠顺妃 徐氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Gongdingli, of the Yuan clan (恭定丽妃 袁氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Zhenjinggong, of the Zhu clan (贞静恭妃 诸氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Gongshunchong, of the Li clan (恭顺充妃 李氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Suxicheng, of the He clan (肃僖成妃 何氏; d. 1435)

• Consort Shu, of the Liu clan (淑妃 刘氏)

• Concubine Guo, of the Guo clan (郭嫔; d. 1435), personal name Ai

Ancestry