The Xuande Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was a rare combination of capable ruler and gifted artist, a monarch who governed one of the largest empires in the world while producing landscape paintings of genuine museum quality. Born Zhu Zhanji on March 16, 1398, he ascended the throne in 1425 after his father's brief one-year reign. His era name, Xuande, meaning "proclamation of virtue," described a reign that historians consider one of the most stable and prosperous in Ming dynasty history. He strengthened the civil service examination system, reduced military spending by pulling back from his grandfather's expensive campaigns in Vietnam, and allowed the eunuch admiral Zheng He to conduct what would become the seventh and final treasure voyage to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. He was also a serious painter. His works, primarily landscapes and animal subjects executed in the traditional Chinese ink wash style, survive in museum collections worldwide, including the Palace Museum in Beijing and the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Art historians consider them among the finest imperial paintings, notable for their technical skill and for being genuine artistic expressions rather than mere court exercises. His reign produced exceptionally fine porcelain as well, and Xuande-era ceramics are among the most prized objects in Chinese art history. He died on January 31, 1435, at age 37. The cause of death is disputed by historians; some suggest natural illness, others point to possible poisoning, though no definitive evidence supports the latter claim. His death ended a period of stability that the Ming dynasty would struggle to replicate.