The Rise and Excesses of the Prince of Fu

In the twilight years of the Ming Dynasty, the ancient capital of Luoyang became the stage for one of history’s most dramatic clashes between aristocratic excess and popular revolt. At the center stood Zhu Changxun, the Prince of Fu – a man whose life embodied the rotting core of Ming aristocracy.

Born to Emperor Wanli’s favorite consort Lady Zheng, Zhu enjoyed privileges unmatched by other imperial princes. When political maneuvering prevented his ascension as crown prince, the emperor compensated him with staggering wealth. Historical records describe how Zhu’s requests for estates, salt monopolies, and commercial taxes were approved “before morning reports dried on the page.” By the time he took residence in Luoyang, his fortune dwarfed that of earlier Ming princes.

Behind Luoyang’s vermilion walls, the Prince of Fu maintained a court of legendary decadence. While banquets featured delicacies like camel hump and peacock tongues, Henan province suffered catastrophic famines. Contemporary accounts describe villages “emptied by starvation” and cities where “men ate each other.” This grotesque inequality created perfect conditions for rebellion.

The Gathering Storm: Peasant Uprisings in Henan

As Li Zicheng’s rebel army swept through surrounding counties – Yiyang, Yongning, Lushi, Yanshi – they accomplished two critical objectives: securing Luoyang’s periphery and training new recruits. The speed of their advance terrified Ming officials.

A desperate letter from Nanjing Minister of War Lü Weiqi to Prince Zhu reveals the panic among Luoyang’s elite. Warning of “unprecedented famine” and “bandits joining rebels by the ten-thousands,” Lü pleaded for military reinforcements. His most revealing passage cautioned against repeating mistakes of neighboring towns where aristocrats “relied on heaven, planned nothing, spared no coin, and heeded no advice – now regretting when it’s too late.”

Yet the prince, described in sources as “clutching wealth like life itself,” ignored these warnings. When rebel forces arrived in January 1644, Luoyang’s defenders – unpaid and starving – openly mocked their master: “The palace hoards millions while we starve fighting bandits?” Their resentment would prove decisive.

The Siege That Shook an Empire

On January 20, 1644, Ming garrison troops performed a stunning about-face. Throwing open the city gates, they arrested their commanders and welcomed Li Zicheng’s forces. As dawn broke on January 21, rebels controlled Luoyang.

The capture scene revealed Ming aristocracy’s moral bankruptcy. Discovered hiding in a Buddhist temple, the obese prince (contemporary accounts emphasize his size) begged for mercy while Lü Weiqi futilely urged maintaining imperial dignity. Brought before Li Zicheng, the prince groveled in terror.

Li’s interrogation cut to the heart of Ming collapse: “You, a prince, richest under heaven – during famine, wouldn’t spare a coin for the people. You’re a slave.” After forty cane strokes, the prince was beheaded. Lü met similar fate, his earlier requests for troops to crush rebels thrown back as ironic justice.

Revolutionary Measures and Their Aftermath

Li’s administration of conquered Luoyang revealed sophisticated rebel strategy:

1. Wealth Redistribution: The prince’s granaries became public stores, feeding thousands. Records describe hungry peasants “flowing like water” to join the cause.
2. Military Innovation: Appointing former Ming clerk Shao Shichang to organize defenses showed early state-building attempts, though this provisional government would later fall to Ming counterattacks.
3. Strategic Mobility: Subsequent “city-leveling” tactics – demolishing walls after capture – demonstrated Li’s understanding of guerrilla warfare necessities.

The psychological impact reverberated through Ming corridors of power. When Emperor Chongzhen received news, he reportedly wept before ministers: “I couldn’t protect my own uncle.” Court diaries describe the emperor collapsing from exhaustion during ancestral rites – symbolic of a dynasty crumbling under its own weight.

Legacy: When Palaces Burn

Luoyang’s fall marked a turning point in peasant wars. Within months, Li would take Xiangyang and establish revolutionary governance. The twin captures of Luoyang and Xiangyang within weeks shattered Ming invincibility myths while providing rebels crucial resources and confidence.

Historically, the episode exemplifies three enduring truths:

1. The Cost of Inequality: Prince Zhu’s hoarding during famine became the revolution’s kindling.
2. Military-Civil Fusion: Li’s ability to turn garrison troops against their masters showed rebellion’s contagious power in unjust systems.
3. The Limits of Loyalty: Ming officials like Lü discovered too late that blind adherence to a corrupt system guaranteed neither safety nor honor.

Today, archaeological work at Luoyang’s Fu Palace ruins continues uncovering evidence of the prince’s excesses – from gold-laced roof tiles to wine vessels large enough to bathe in. These material remains stand as mute testimony to a regime that forgot governing means feeding the people before filling palaces. As contemporary Chinese historians note, the Prince of Fu’s story remains compulsory study for understanding how inequality breeds revolution – lessons echoing far beyond Ming dynasty walls.