Huang-Ming baoxun 皇明寶訓

There are two different books called Huang-Ming baoxun 皇明寶訓 "Precious instructions of the August Ming". The first book is dating back to the Hongwu reign-period 洪武 (1368-1396), when Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋, founder of the Ming dynasty 明 (1368-1644), issued his imperial instructions in 5 juan.

The "Instructions" are modeled on the Tang-period 唐 (618-907) book Zhenguan zhengyao 貞觀政要, a book that presents models for institutional regulations. The first chapter of the Huang-Ming baoxun contains general regulations for the emperor and his conduct of government, from observing Heaven's will to the duty to exert a benevolent and exemplary government.

The second chapter points out details in daily government with the duty to observe rituals, to honour meritorious officials and to rely on a household policy of austerity. The third chapter presents details about how to interact with the ministers and state officials from the side of the officials, the fourth chapter from the viewpoint of the emperor. The fifth chapter finally deals with the interrelations between the court and the military and with the "barbarians".

The book was published under the editorship of Zhan Tong 詹同 and Song Lian 宋濂 (1310-1381).

A second book with the title Huang-Ming baoxun was issued during the Wanli reign-period 萬曆 (1573-1619). It was compiled by Lü Ben 呂本 (1504-1587) and Chen Zhiben 陳治本 (jinshi degree 1592) and contains an enlarged version of the earlier Hongwu instructions. The new title was Taizu Gaohuangdi baoxun 太祖高皇帝寶訓 in 15 juan.

There is also an extension containing the instructions of the successive emperors in 6 more juan. The Wanli version is 40-juan long and contains the governmental instructions of ten Ming emperors.