明代皇帝多寫有詩歌，但對詩道的雅好與研求程度不同，本論文透過皇帝詩歌及相關史料，發掘明代皇帝在日常抒懷、宮廷節慶、外交內政等多重應用。詩歌為君德帝業的妝點，寫作四言詩及樂府，意在追摹《詩經》及古聖王述作傳統，五、七言古詩及律絕則多用以抒情言志。惟因囿居宮廷，題材有限，又刻意經營帝王氣象，以致多成習套。明代皇帝詩歌的傳播管道，有刊鈔、刻石、史籍著錄、詩選選錄，及稗官小說之談，然管道多樣亦不能保證傳世，所以詩集亡佚者多，詩作真偽相參。對於臣民而言，並不在乎皇帝詩歌真偽或文學性，而多視為軼聞奇談，是窺探天顏的管道。

Most Ming emperors composed poetry, but their poetic interests and degrees of understanding differed. This article analyzes the poetry of Ming emperors, as well as related historical source materials, in an effort to uncover its various applications regarding the expression of emotions, palace festivals, imperial activities, and foreign affairs. Ming emperors wrote poetry to display their virtue and great achievements. They composed four-character and Yuefu poetry in an effort to imitate both the Shijing and the literary tradition established by earlier emperors. They also penned old-style poems and quatrains to express their emotions and aspirations. However, not only did their residence at court limit the range of topics found in their poetry, they moreover deliberately used poetry to glorify the nation and the imperial image, which resulted in a poetic output that was fixed in form and monotonous in content. During the Ming, imperial poetry was disseminated to the public via handwritten copies, stone inscriptions, descriptive notes, anthology extracts, and novels written by officials. Despite such diverse means of dissemination, a large amount of imperial poetry has been lost or adulterated. Yet, regardless of its authenticity or literary quality, officials and the people nonetheless read the emperor's poetry not only for interesting anecdotes, but also to attain a glimpse into the emperor's character.