In the later years of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the court became practically paralyzed by internal factions fighting for control. The people suffered cruel oppression. During the reign of Emperor Shundi (1333-1341), the last emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, rebellion broke out all over the country.
Peasants led by Liu Futong rose in rebellion in 1351. They tied red scarves on their heads, and thus were referred to as the Red Turban Army. In the same year, Guo Zixing also led a peasant revolt, and they were also called Red Turban Army.
In 1352, Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398) joined Guo Zixing’s Red Turban Army. Because he was very brave and shrewd, he was quickly noticed by Guo Zixing, who married his adopted daughter Ma Xiuying to Zhu.
Zhu Yuanzhang became the well-known founder and first emperor (1368–1398) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) of China.
Zhu Yuanzhang’s birth name was Chongba. He was given the name Xingzong, and later Yuanzhang. Zhu was born into a poverty-stricken family, who lived by tilling leased farm land. At the age of 14 (in the spring of 1344) plague broke out in the Huaihe River valley, killing his father, mother and elder brother one after another. In order to survive, Yuanzhang became a monk in a monastery.
After joining the army at the age of 25, Zhu returned to his hometown to recruit followers, soon becoming Guo Zixing’s right hand man. After Guo died of illness, Zhu began to lead the army.
Zhu’s military force got strong gradually. Zhu was able to attract many talented followers. He gained the upper hand on the troublesome warlords -the source of great strife in the later years of the Yuan Dynasty. Zhu’s forces defeated all the major warlords.
In 1368 Zhu proclaimed himself the Ming emperor, established his capital in Jingdu (present-day Nanjing in Jiangsu Province) and adopted “Hongwu” as the title of his reign. In the same year, he conquered Dadu (present-day Beijing), and formally ended the rule of the Yuan Dynasty. China became once again unified under the Ming.
Zhu Yuanzhang, as a civilian emperor, was very capable and decisive. He was a fierce and powerful personality. Having come from a peasant family, he knew only too well how much the peasants suffered from the exactions of the gentry and the wealthy. At the very beginning of his rule, he ordered that a census be carried out. He measured all land, promoted good farming practice and sericulture, equalized tax rates and corvee labor rules, constructed irrigation systems and dikes, opened up wasteland and relaxed restrictions on craftsmen. To control tyrannical and corrupt officials, he formulated the Code of the Great Ming. He also abolished the post of prime minister in order to concentrate absolute authority in his own hands,
Through a series of reform in politics and military affairs, the society of the Ming Dynasty in early days enjoyed harmony and stability. As time went by, Emperor Hongwu increasingly feared rebellions and coups. He conducted a violent purge of his enemies, real and perceived, which lasted some ten years in order to secure the power of his family. Most of the ministers who were with him when he founded the dynasty were killed at this time.
Hu Weiyong was among them. He and his family were killed because he was accused of attempting to usurp the throne. He Shanchang had two Iron Dan book coupons which should have exempted him from punishment, but he and his family, over 70 people in all, were killed when he was over 70 years old.
Song Lian who was honored as “master”
by Zhu Yuanzhang lived discretely all his life, but he died on his way to a distant place to serve penal servitude after being prosecuted by the paranoid emperor.
The emperor of humble origins became one of the most infamous emperors for atrocities and autocracy in Chinese history.
