Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng
Zhu Zaiyu (1536 – 19 May 1611) was a Chinese scholar, mathematician and music theorist. He was a prince of the Chinese Ming dynasty. In 1584, Zhu innovatively described the equal temperament via accurate mathematical calculation.
Also recorded as Duanqing · Boqin · Juqu Shanren · Zhu Zaiyu
Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng

16th century scientist Zhu Zaiyu · mybook · Public domain
- Name
- Zhu Zaiyu
- Born
- 1536, Huaiqing, Henan, Ming dynasty
- Died
- 19 May 1611
- Occupation
- Astronomer, historian, physicist, mathematician, choreographer, music theorist
- Nationality
- Ming dynasty
- Fields
- music · music theory
- Known for
- Comprehensive Treatise on Music and Music Theory
- Languages
- Chinese
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Zhu Zaiyu (1536 – 19 May 1611) was a Chinese scholar, mathematician and music theorist. He was a prince of the Chinese Ming dynasty. In 1584, Zhu innovatively described the equal temperament via accurate mathematical calculation.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
wikipedia incomplete · checked 25 September 2026
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q198136 · wikipedia · Zhu Zaiyu
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Zhu Zaiyu • Title — Hereditary Prince of Zheng (鄭世子) • Posthumous Name — Hereditary Prince Duanqing (端清世子) • Reign — 1593–1611 • Reign Type — Tenure • Full Name — Zhu Zaiyu (朱載堉) • Born — 1536, Huaiqing, Henan, Ming dynasty • Died — 19 May 1611 • Father — Zhu Houwan, Prince Gong of Zheng • Occupation — Astronomer, historian, physicist, mathematician, choreographer, music theorist • House — Zhu • Issue — * Zhu Yixi • Zhu Yitai • Illustration — Zhu Zaiyu dance steps • Illustration — Zhu Zaiyu flag dance Zhu Zaiyu (1536 – 19 May 1611) was a Chinese scholar, mathematician and music theorist. He was a prince of the Chinese Ming dynasty. In 1584, Zhu innovatively described the equal temperament via accurate mathematical calculation.
Life
Life
Zhu was born in Qinyang, Henan Province to an aristocratic family, the sixth-generation descendant of the Hongxi Emperor, the fourth emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu inherited the title the Prince of Zheng in 1593, but quickly resigned it to his cousin. On the emperor's order, he was granted a new princely title in 1606, the year he delivered a set of ten musicological treatises to the court, establishing his scholarly merit. His posthumous name was 鄭端靖世子 ("His Excellency The Dauphin of Zheng"). Zhu wrote on music theory and temperament (five treatises survive), music history (two treatises survive), dance and dance music (five treatises survive), and several other works. Three music theory works in particular are associated with the ideas of equal temperament, the Lü Xue Xin Shuo「律學新說」 ("on the equal temperament", 1584), Lü Lü Zheng Yi「律呂精義」("A clear explanation of that which concerns the equal temperament", 1595/96), and Suan Xue Xin Shuo「算學新說」("Reflection on mathematics", 1603). His work has been described as "the crowning achievement of two millennia of acoustical experiment and research" (Robinson 1962:224) and he is described as "one of the most important historians of his nation's music". • Illustration — Zhu Zaiyu's equal temperament ratio in Yue Lü Quan Shu「樂律全書」 Zhu also wrote treatises (three survive) on astronomy, physics, mathematics and calendrics, calculated the magnetic declination of Peking, the mass density of mercury and accurately described the duration of one tropical year to correct the Ming calendar. Zhu's work on equal temperament did not get any official recognition during his lifetime nor during the Qing dynasty. This was due to the Ming and Qing emphasis on classical scholarship and discouragement of ideas based on empirical observation rather than textual interpretations.

Equal temperament pitch pipes
Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng · 樂律全書·卷八

Zhu Zaiyu equal temperament treble pitch pipes
Zhu Zaiyu · mybook
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1536
Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng born at Qinyang.
1611
Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng died.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q198136: Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of ZhengWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,108 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Zhou LongPerson
- Zhou XinfangPerson
- Zhu Jian'erPerson
- Zhu Xiao-MeiPerson
- Zia Mohiuddin DagarPerson
- Ziad RahbaniPerson
- ZickZack SchallplattenOrganisation
- Zig-Zag TerritoiresOrganisation
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Zhu Zaiyu, Prince of Zheng?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.