Humanities › History & Culture Emperors of the Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 Share Flipboard Email Print History & Culture Asian History Figures & Events Basics Southeast Asia East Asia South Asia Middle East Central Asia Asian Wars and Battles American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Kallie Szczepanski Kallie Szczepanski History Expert Ph.D., History, Boston University J.D., University of Washington School of Law B.A., History, Western Washington University Dr. Kallie Szczepanski is a history teacher specializing in Asian history and culture. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on March 06, 2017 The Ming Dynasty is famous world-wide for its graceful blue-and-white glazed porcelains, and for the voyages of Zheng He and the Treasure Fleet. The Ming were also the only ethnically Han Chinese family to rule the empire between 1270 and the end of the imperial system in 1911. This list includes the Ming emperors' given names and their reign-names, as well as their years in power. Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor, 1368-1398 Zhu Yunwen, the Jianwen Emperor, 1398-1402 Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor, 1402-1424 Zhu Gaochi, the Hongxi Emperor, 1424-1425 Zhu Zhangji, the Xuande Emperor, 1425-1435 Zhu Qizhen, the Zhengtong Emperor, 1435-1449 and 1457-1464 Zhu Qiyu, the Jingtai Emperor, 1449-1457 Zhu Jianshen, the Chenghua Emperor, 1464-1487 Zhu Youtang, the Hongzhi Emperor, 1487-1505 Zhu Houzhao, the Zhengde Emperor, 1505-1521 Zhu Houcong, the Jiajing Emperor, 1521-1566 Zhu Zaihou, the Longqing Emperor, 1566-1572 Zhu Yijun, Wanli Emperor, 1572-1620 Zhu Changluo, the Taichang Emperor, 1620 Zhu Youjiao, the Tianqi Emperor, 1620-1627 Zhu Youjian, the Chongzhen Emperor, 1627-1644 For more information, see the List of Chinese Dynasties. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Szczepanski, Kallie. "Emperors of the Ming Dynasty." ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/emperors-of-the-ming-dynasty-195255. Szczepanski, Kallie. (2021, February 16). Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/emperors-of-the-ming-dynasty-195255 Szczepanski, Kallie. "Emperors of the Ming Dynasty." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/emperors-of-the-ming-dynasty-195255 (accessed January 26, 2022). copy citation