Emperor Yingzong of Ming (29 November 1427 – 23 February 1464), personal name Zhu Qizhen, was the sixth and eighth emperor of the Ming dynasty. He ruled as the Zhengtong Emperor from 1435 to 1449, and as the Tianshun Emperor from 1457 until his death in 1464.

Emperor Yingzong was the eldest son and successor of the Xuande Emperor. After ascending the throne, he adopted the era name Zhengtong, which means "right governance". During his first reign, the empire was at its height of prosperity and power. As the first child emperor of the Ming dynasty, his rule was heavily influenced by high dignitaries at court. Initially, his grandmother, Grand Empress Dowager Zhang, along with the "Three Yangs" (Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu), held the highest positions of power. However, in 1442, the Emperor began to listen more to the eunuch Wang Zhen.

In 1449, at Wang Zhen's suggestion, Emperor Yingzong personally led the army against the Mongol army of Esen Taishi, but at the Battle of Tumu Fortress, the Ming army was defeated and the Emperor was captured. This event shocked the government and the country, leading the court to elevate Emperor Yingzong's brother, Zhu Qiyu, to the throne as the Jingtai Emperor. During his captivity, Emperor Yingzong established good relations with Esen and was eventually released in 1450.

After Emperor Yingzong returned to his homeland, the Jingtai Emperor felt threatened and ordered him to stay in the Southern Palace within the Forbidden City. He also restricted Emperor Yingzong's contact with the outside world. After the Jingtai Emperor fell ill in early 1457, Emperor Yingzong regained power after dethroning his brother in a palace coup. The era name of his second reign was Tianshun, which means "obedience to Heaven". The following month, the Jingtai Emperor died. Emperor Yingzong ruled for another seven years before his death in 1464. His eldest son, the Chenghua Emperor, then ascended to the imperial throne.

Zhu Qizhen, the future Emperor Yingzong, was born on 29 November 1427 as the elder of the two sons of the Xuande Emperor. The Emperor was overjoyed by his son's birth and showed him love and affection. Zhu Qizhen's mother, Lady Sun, was one of the Emperor's concubines. The Xuande Emperor appointed him crown prince on 20 February 1428, and promoted Lady Sun to empress in March of the same year. He also ensured that Zhu Qizhen received proper military training. In 1433, the Ministry of War assembled a detachment of 7,112 physically fit 11–12-year-old youths, as ordered by the Emperor, and the prince was appointed as their commander. According to historian Fang Chao-ying, Zhu Qizhen began his education with his teacher, who was likely the eunuch and former pedagogue Wang Zhen.

The Xuande Emperor died on 31 January 1435 after a brief illness. Zhu Qizhen was only eight years old, prompting a proposal to place his father's younger brother Zhu Zhanshan, Prince of Xiang, on the throne. The 17th-century Chinese historian Mao Qiling claims that Zhu Qizhen's grandmother, Empress Dowager Zhang, supported Zhu Zhanshan. Empress Sun quickly intervened and prevented Zhu Zhanshan's ascension, resulting in Zhu Qizhen being crowned as the new emperor. Despite this, Lady Zhang still held significant influence in the government.

In contrast, the editors of the History of Ming, the official history of the Ming dynasty completed in 1739, portrayed Empress Dowager Zhang as a supporter of Zhu Qizhen's rights. According to their version, she summoned all three grand secretaries – Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu – and emphasized that Zhu Qizhen was now emperor. Thereupon, the grand secretaries expressed their allegiance to the young prince, followed by the entire court.

Emperor Yingzong's ascension to the throne was in accordance with the rules, as he was the eldest son of the deceased emperor and the officially appointed crown prince. However, the laws established by the founder of the dynasty, the Hongwu Emperor, enshrined a system of government in which a strong and decisive monarch was expected to make decisions independently, with the advice of ministers. This system did not account for the scenario of a child ruler, leaving no provisions or precedents for how to handle the situation. At court, the most respected and highest-ranking individual was Grand Empress Dowager Zhang, who effectively, though not formally, became the regent. Empress Dowager Sun was also occasionally consulted, but she held a lower status than her mother-in-law.