Accession of the Hongzhi Emperor (Ming Xiaozong)

Timeline

1. 1487Forbidden City · BeijingAfter the Xianzong's death, the seventeen-year-old Crown Prince Zhu Youtang ascended the throne in the Hall of Literary Brilliance in September, proclaiming a general amnesty and designating the following year as the first year of Hongzhi. He honored Empress Dowager Zhou as Grand Empress Dowager, Empress Wang as Empress Dowager, posthumously honored his birth mother Lady Ji as Empress Xiaomu, and installed Lady Zhang as empress.
2. 1487Beijing · BeijingDays after accession, Xiaozong ordered the dismissal of favorites: Vice Minister Li Zisheng, eunuch Liang Fang, and the imperial in-law Wan Xi and their partisans were banished to garrison duty in varying degrees. In October the palace appointees were purged; over a thousand people including Ren Jie and Kuai Gang were dismissed and convicted to exile. Titles of Dharma King, Buddha Son, National Preceptor, and Perfected Person were abolished; Liang Fang and Li Zisheng were imprisoned, and Grand Secretary Wan An was dismissed.
3. 1487Hall of Literary Brilliance, Forbidden City · BeijingIn October, Vice Minister of Personnel and Hanlin Academician Xu Pu entered the Grand Secretariat to participate in state affairs. In November, Supervisor of Instruction Liu Jian became Vice Minister of Rites and Hanlin Academician and entered the Grand Secretariat, governing state affairs together with Xu Pu, Liu Ji, and others. By replacing the favorites' monopoly on power with capable ministers, Xiaozong energized the court and country, and the framework of the Hongzhi reforms began to take shape.