In contrast to the outward-looking policies of the Yongle Emperor which saw the voyages of Zheng He throughout the Indian Ocean, his son and successor the Hongxi Emperor put the Ming Empire on an introverted agenda, banning much of the foreign trade that had flourished up to that point.
This is not to suggest Hongxi was a poor emperor. He instituted many other reform which are given credit by many historians for China's prosperity under the Ming Dynasty.
But it was an unfufilled plan that takes interest here. In May 1425, Hongxi ordered that the capital of the Empire be moved back to the southern city of Nanjing, thus reversing the transfer of government to Beijing under his father some years before. Soon after, however, he expired from a heart attack at the age of 46 with his plan unfufilled.
But suppose the Emperor was in better health, avoids said heart attack and manages to live well into his sixties. The years following will see the capital move back to Nanjing and the continued enlightened rule of the Hongxi Emperor.
What can we predict from such a change?
This is not to suggest Hongxi was a poor emperor. He instituted many other reform which are given credit by many historians for China's prosperity under the Ming Dynasty.
But it was an unfufilled plan that takes interest here. In May 1425, Hongxi ordered that the capital of the Empire be moved back to the southern city of Nanjing, thus reversing the transfer of government to Beijing under his father some years before. Soon after, however, he expired from a heart attack at the age of 46 with his plan unfufilled.
But suppose the Emperor was in better health, avoids said heart attack and manages to live well into his sixties. The years following will see the capital move back to Nanjing and the continued enlightened rule of the Hongxi Emperor.
What can we predict from such a change?