Marquis of Extended Grace was a title held by a descendant of the imperial family of the Ming dynasty during the subsequent Qing dynasty. 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. The Ming dynasty was Han Chinese while the Qing dynasty was dominated by the Manchus, a people from the northeast. Many Chinese remained loyal to the Ming dynasty long after it collapsed. In 1644-1662, there were several loyalist armies based in southern China. Several Ming princes accompanied Koxinga to Taiwan in 1661–1662, including the Prince of NingjingZhu Shugui and Prince Zhu Honghuan, son of Zhu Yihai, where they lived in the Kingdom of Tungning. Koxinga's grandson Zheng Keshuang surrendered to the Qing dynasty in 1683 and was rewarded by the Kangxi Emperor with the title "Duke of Haicheng" and he and his soldiers were inducted into the Eight Banners. The Qing then sent the 17 Ming princes still living on Taiwan back to mainland China where they spent the rest of their lives in exile, since their lives were spared and they were not executed. Zhu Honghuan was among them. The Qing government finally made peace with the Ming loyalists in 1725 when the Yongzheng Emperor bestowed the title of marquis on Zhu Zhilian, a senior descendant of the Ming imperial family. 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. Zhu Zhiliang was also inducted into the Chinese Plain White Banner of the Eight Banners system which was one of the Three Upper Banners. It was a 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 when the Zhou dynasty granted the fief of Song to a descendant of the Shang royal family. This practice was referred to as. Regardless, the Marquis was not granted the privilege to practice Ming customs and rituals. In contrast to the practices of previous dynasties, the Marquis served the Qing monarchy as subjects, instead of honoured guests with independent fiefdoms. Moreover, the Marquis' branch is one of minority in the House of Zhu. It can thus be argued that the Qing monarchs discontinued such custom with the installation of "Marquis of the Extended Grace". During the Xinhai Revolution which led to the abdication of the Qing Emperor, some advocated that a Han be installed as Emperor, either the descendant of Confucius, who was the Duke Yansheng, or the Ming dynasty Imperial family descendant, the Marquis of Extended Grace. The last marquis was Zhu Yuxun. In September 1924, Zhu met Reginald Johnston, the British tutor of Puyi, the last Qing emperor. Although China had been a republic since 1912, Puyi was still holding his imperial 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." 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. After Puyi was evicted from the Forbidden City in the Beijing Coup in October, Zhu visited him at the Japanese concession in Tianjin. Zhu later followed Puyi to the northeast. Puyi reigned as emperor of Manchukuo in 1934-1945. In 1929, Zhu Yuxun petitioned the National government of the Republic of China for help since he was living in destitution and said he could no longer carry out his duties. The government abolished his title as Marquis and paid him a stipend instead. In 1933, the government totally terminated all of his duties in carrying out ceremonies at the Ming tombs and totally ended his position. After that, nothing is known about what happened to Zhu Yuxun.
The following is a list of title holders: Adoptions occurred between related family members.
Zhu Zhilian. Based on Zhilian'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. A descendant of the first Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang's 13th son, Prince Zhu Gui, through Zhu Gui's descendant, Zhu Yi 朱彝, who along with his agnatic nephew Zhu Wenyuan 朱文元 went on an expedition against the Qing in Liaodong during the Chongzhen emperor's reign, since they were defeated in battle, they surrendered and defected to the Qing and were placed into the Bordered White Banner of the Eight Banners system. Their descendant Zhu Zhilian was the prefectural magistrate of Zhengding County as appointed by the Yongzheng Emperor.
Zhu Zhen. Son of Zhilian.
Zhu Shaomei. Son of Zhen.
Zhu Yifeng. Nephew of Shaomei. Inherited title in 1777.
Zhu Yurui. Son of Yifeng. Inherited title in 1797.
Zhu Xiuji. Son of Yurui.
Zhu Xiuxiang. Brother of Xiuji. Inherited title in 1828.
Zhu Yitan. Nephew of Xiuxiang. Inherited title in 1836.
Zhu Shugui. Granduncle of Xiuxiang. Inherited title in 1836.
Zhu Heling. Adopted son of Shugui.
Zhu Chengrui. Grandnephew of Heling. Inherited title in 1869.
Zhu Yuxun. Son of Chengrui. Born in 1882. Inherited title in 1891. Followed Puyi to Manchuria.
