Glossary

Jianwen

建文

Term · calendar

Chinese era name (建文) of the Ming for the years 1399–1402: 1399 is Jianwen 1 (元年) and Jianwen 4 is 1402. Jianwen (建文) is a Chinese era name (nianhao) of the Ming, proclaimed in 1399. Under the Ming and Qing an emperor kept one era for his whole reign and is known by it: the Jianwen Emperor. Its years are counted in lunar years: 1399 is Jianwen 1 (元年), 1402 its last year, Jianwen 4. A Chinese source dates a year within it as “Jianwen 2” (建文二年) rather than by a continuous count. Before: Hongwu. After: Yongle.