Marquis of Extended Grace

Marquis of Extended Grace
Chinese 延恩侯

Marquis of Extended Grace was a title held by a descendant of the imperial family of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) during the subsequent Qing dynasty (1644–1912). Holders of this title were also called the Marquis of Zhu from the surname of the Ming imperial clan. The marquis presided at memorial ceremonies held twice a year at the Ming tombs near Beijing.[1]

The Ming dynasty was Han Chinese while the Qing was dominated by the Manchus, a people from the northeast. Many Chinese remained loyal to the Ming long after it collapsed. In 1644-1662, there were several loyalist armies based in southern China. A son of the last Ming emperor hid under a pseudonym until 1708, when he was discovered by the Qing and executed.[2] The Qing finally made their peace with the Ming in 1725 when the Yongzheng emperor bestowed the title of marquis on Zhu Zhiliang, a senior Ming descendant. He was posthumously promoted to "marquis of extended grace" in 1750. The title suggests that the Qing emperors were extending their grace to a representative of a defunct dynasty.[1] Zhu Zhiliang was also inducted into the Chinese Plain White Banner of the Eight Banners system.

It was a traditional Chinese custom for the Emperors of a new dynasty to enfeoff a member of the previous dynasty they overthrew with a noble title and give them land or a stipend to offer sacrifices at their ancestor's graves, practiced since the Shang dynasty.

The last marquis was Zhu Yuxun. In September 1924, Zhu met Reginald Johnston, Emperor Puyi's British tutor. Although China had been a republic since 1912, Puyi was still holding court in the Forbidden City at this time. Even though Zhu was living in a hovel and had only rags to wear, Johnston described him as "still a true Chinese gentleman."[3] The business card Zhu gave Johnston said he was a descendant of the Ming imperial family and lived in Yangguan Alley, a hutong near Dongzhi Gate.[1] After Puyi was evicted from the Forbidden City in the Beijing Coup in October, Zhu visited him at the Japanese concession in Tianjin.[1] Zhu later followed Puyi to the northeast. Puyi reigned as emperor of Manchukuo (Manchuria) in 1934-1945.

List of title holders

The following is a list of title holders:[4]

  1. Zhu Zhiliang (朱之琏). Based on Zhiliang's imperial ancestry, the Yongzheng emperor awarded him the title of marquis in 1725. He died in 1730. In 1750, he was posthumously awarded the title "marquis of extended grace" by the Qianlong emperor.
  2. Zhu Zhen (朱震). Son of Zhiliang.
  3. Zhu Shaomei (朱绍美). Son of Zhen.
  4. Zhu Yifeng (朱仪凤). Nephew of Shaomei. Inherited title in 1777.
  5. Zhu Yurui (朱毓瑞). Son of Yifeng. Inherited title in 1797.
  6. Zhu Xiuji (朱秀吉). Son of Yurui.
  7. Zhu Xiuxiang (朱秀祥). Brother of Xiuji. Inherited title in 1828.
  8. Zhu Yitan (朱贻坦). Nephew of Xiuxiang. Inherited title in 1836.
  9. Zhu Shugui (朱书桂). Granduncle of Xiuxiang. Inherited title in 1836.
  10. Zhu Heling (朱鹤龄). Adopted son of Shugui.
  11. Zhu Chengrui (朱诚端). Grandnephew of Heling. Inherited title in 1869.
  12. Zhu Yuxun (朱煜勋). Son of Chengrui. Inherited title in 1891. Followed Puyi to Manchuria.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Johnston, Reginald F. (1934), Twilight in the Forbidden City, Cambridge University Press, pp. 349–351, ISBN 1108029655
  2. ↑ Wu, Silas H. L. (1978), Passage to Power: Kʻang-hsi and his Heir Apparent, 1661-1722, p. 109 "The Chinese pretender had come to K'ang-hsi's attention as early as 1705, but he was implicated only after the arrest in early spring, 1708," This is Zhu Cihuan (朱慈煥), the fifth son of the Chongzhen emperor.
  3. ↑ Great Britain and the East, vol. 57, p. 356
  4. ↑ Draft History of Qing, chapters 9 ("Basic Annals of Shizong" 世宗本纪), 84 ("Rituals 3 – Auspicious Rituals 3" 禮三 吉禮三), 117 ("Officialdom 4" 職官四), and 169 ("Hereditary Tables of High Ministers and the Nobility" 诸臣封爵世表).