Chongzhen

Chongzhen (Chinese: 崇祯) refers to both the era name and the emperor who used it, and is associated with the last period of the Ming dynasty. The Chongzhen Emperor, personal name Zhu Youjian, reigned from 1627 to 1644 and was the final ruler of the Ming dynasty that governed China from Beijing.

He ascended the throne in 1627 following the death of the Tianqi Emperor. His reign was marked by severe fiscal strain, natural disasters, and growing military pressure from northern forces led by the Manchus. Court factions and the influence of eunuchs contributed to governance problems, complicating attempts at reform. Chongzhen sought to restore central authority, curb extravagance, and strengthen frontier defenses, but revenues remained insufficient and the military was strained.

Military defeats, droughts, and uprisings culminated in Beijing’s fall to Li Zicheng’s rebellion in 1644. Faced with capture, the Chongzhen Emperor reportedly took his own life in the palace. The fall ended the Ming dynasty’s rule over mainland China, though Ming loyalists continued in the south as the Southern Ming for a brief period, while Manchu-led forces established the Qing dynasty.

The Chongzhen era is used by historians to denote the final years of the Ming dynasty, a time of political instability, fiscal crisis, and social unrest that contributed to the dynasty’s collapse. The episode remains a focal point in studies of late imperial governance and the transition from Ming to Qing rule.