Zhu Yihai, Prince of Lu

The Gengyin Emperor (Chinese: 庚寅; 1618–1662), personal name Zhu Yihai (Chinese: 朱以海), was an emperor of the Southern Ming Dynasty, reigning from 1645 to 1655. He has no temple name.

Biography

Zhu Yihai was born in 1618, during the 46th year of the reign of Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He was son of Zhu Shouyong, he was one of 9th-generation descendant (same generation with Taichang Emperor) of Zhu Tan, Prince Huang of Lu, 10th son of Hongwu Emperor.

The mansion of Prince of Lu was located at Yanzhou. The Qing forces had attacked Yanzhou and made the mansion collapsed. At that time, the peerage of Prince of Lu was succeeded by Zhu Yihai's eldest brother, Zhu Yipai. After Qing came, Zhu Yipai committed suicide with his two another brothers, Zhu Yixing (朱以洐) and Zhu Yijiang (朱以江).

After his brothers suicide, Zhu Yihai was enfeoffed as the 11th Prince of Lu by Chongzhen Emperor. After four days he succeeded his peerage, Li Zicheng attacked Beijing and he fled to southern China.

Reign

The Prince of Lu was part of the resistance against the invading Qing dynasty forces. His primary consort (元妃), Lady Chen, committed suicide during the impending fall of the Ming. The location of her suicide can still be found on the island of Zhoushan.

In 1651 he fled to the island of Kinmen, which in 1663 was taken over by the invading force. His grave was discovered on the island in 1959, which disproved the theory advanced by the 18th-century History of Ming that he was killed by Koxinga. His eldest son, Zhu Honghuan (朱弘桓), married the fourth daughter of Koxinga and went to live in the Kingdom of Tungning Taiwan under the protection of Zheng Jing, his brother-in-law and worked as a farmer. Another Ming Prince who accompanied Koxinga to Taiwan was the Prince of Ningjing Zhu Shugui.

After the surrender of the Kingdom of Tungning, the Qing sent the 17 Ming princes still living on Taiwan back to mainland China where they spent the rest of their lives. Including Zhu Honghuan.