Hongwu thirty-one, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang died, Zhu Yuanzhang's grandson Zhu Yunwen succeeded to the throne and changed the reign to Jianwen , but Zhu Yunwen reigned for only one year, and the king of Yan Zhu Di launched the battle of Jingnan , Jianwen Zhu Yunwen disappeared strangely, and Zhu Di ascended the throne and became emperor. When Zhu Yuanzhang passed the throne to his grandson Zhu Yunwen, Zhu Yunwen was only fifteen years old. Was Zhu Yuanzhang not afraid of passing the throne to such a young grandson, which would lead to unstable throne? Why didn’t he pass the throne to the fourth prince with outstanding ability?
The reason is that according to the 's inheritance system . Even if the arch-primary son Zhu Biao died young, Zhu Di was only ranked fourth in the inheritance ranking. Secondly, although Zhu Di was outstanding in his ability and decisive in killing, he was not Zhu Yuanzhang's ideal successor. Third, because Zhu Yunwen was the eldest son of the crown prince Zhu Biao, and he was benevolent and filial, very similar to his father Zhu Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang believed that Zhu Yunwen would become a kind successor.
According to the principle of establishing the legitimate and the eldest son of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di was only ranked fourth.
In ancient times, in order to prevent princes from competing for the throne, the emperor always followed the principle of establishing a legitimate and chieftain when he established a prince, and Zhu Yuanzhang was no exception. Zhu Yuanzhang's eldest son was Zhu Biao. He spent a lot of effort on this eldest son Zhu Yuanzhang. Not only did he teach him strategies for governing the country, but he also trained many ministers in the court to become Zhu Biao's confidants. Zhu Yuanzhang was also very satisfied with Zhu Biao's heir, but things didn't go as they wished. Zhu Biao died young. Among Zhu Yuanzhang's other sons, Zhu Di was the most capable one, but Zhu Di was only Zhu Yuanzhang's fourth prince, and his mother's family was humble, so according to the principle of establishing a legitimate and becoming a eldest son, Zhu Yuanzhang would not pass the throne to Zhu Di.
Although Zhu Di has outstanding ability and decisive killing, he is not Zhu Yuanzhang's ideal successor.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very acknowledged Zhu Di's ability. He was not only brave, but also very strategic. Zhu Di always followed Zhu Yuanzhang during his conquest of the world. However, in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, Zhu Di was not his ideal successor because he believed that Zhu Di was too resentful. If he ascended the throne in the future, brothers might be killed. Moreover, after years of war, Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to find a kind heir so that the people could recuperate.
Zhu Yunwen is the eldest son of the prince Zhu Biao, and he is kind and generous, very similar to his father Zhu Biao.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied with his first crown prince Zhu Biao, and Zhu Yuanzhang also wanted to pass the throne to Zhu Biao, but Zhu Biao died young, so Zhu Yuanzhang thought of passing the throne to Zhu Biao's descendants, that is, Zhu Yunwen. Zhu Yunwen can be said to be Zhu Biao's eldest son, and he was generous and kind, very similar to his father Zhu Biao. Zhu Yuanzhang believed that Zhu Yunwen would be a qualified heir in the future, so in the end, Zhu Yuanzhang passed the throne to his crown prince Zhu Yunwen.
So the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang passed the throne to Zhu Yunwen instead of Zhu Di was because Zhu Di was not the eldest son, but more because Zhu Yuanzhang believed that Zhu Di was not the suitable heir, and Zhu Yunwen's kind and generous side was recognized by Zhu Yuanzhang. In addition, Zhu Yunwen was the eldest son of the crown prince Zhu Biao, and Zhu Yunwen was finally appointed as the heir. However, in the end, Zhu Yunwen reigned for only one year, and King Yan Zhu Di launched the Jingnan Campaign and seized the throne.
