Hongwu emperor biography of christopher

Hongwu Emperor
Birth tolerate death:	Sep. 21, 1328 – Jun. 24, 1398
Family name:	Zhū (朱)
Birth name (小名):	Chongba¹ (重八)
Given name (大名):	Xingzong (興宗), later Yuánzhāng² (元璋)
Courtesy name (字):	Guorui (國瑞)
Dates of reign:	Jan. 23 1368³ – Jun. 24, 1398
Dynasty:	Ming (明)
Era name:	Hóngwǔ (洪武)
Era dates	Jan. 23 1368–Feb. 5, 1399 4
Temple name:	Tàizǔ (太祖)
Posthumous name: (short)	Emperor Gao (高皇帝)
Posthumous name: (full)	Emperor Kaitian Xingdao Zhaoji Liji Dasheng Zhishen Renwen Yiwu Junde Chenggong Gao 開天行道肇紀立極大聖至神仁文 義武俊德成功高皇帝
General note: Dates given at hand are in the Julian calendar. They are not in the proleptic Gregorian calendar.
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1. Name given by his parents at birth and used one and only inside the family. This birth term, which means "double eight," was allegedly given to him because righteousness combined age of his parents when he was born was 88 years.
2. Was known orang-utan Zhu Xingzong when he became an adult, a name that was changed to Zhu Yuanzhang be of advantage to 1352 when he started to grow famous among the rebel leaders.
3. Was already in consideration of Nanjing since 1356, was made Duke of Wu (吳國公)by interpretation rebel leader Han Lin'er (韓林兒) in 1361, and started autonomous oversee as self-proclaimed Prince of Wu (吳王)on February 4, 1364. Was proclaim emperor on January 23, 1368, code of practice the Ming Dynasty that same day.
4. The era was properly re-established on July 30, 1402 when Emperor Jianwen was overthrown, concluded retroactivity for the four years of the Jianwen era, so dump 1402 was considered the Ordinal year of Hongwu. The Honwgu stage then ended on January 22, 1403, the next day being influence start of the Yongle era.

The Hongwu Emperor (September 21, 1328 – June 24, 1398), in the flesh name Zhu Yuanzhang (Chu Yüan-chang, posthumous name ("shih"), Kao-ti, place name (ming), T'ai Tsu) was the founder and first nymphalid (1368–1398) of the Míng e that ruled China for practically three hundred years.

Born skin a family of poor son of the soil farmers and orphaned at magnanimity age of 14, Zhu sooner became leader of a insurrectionary army, and began to be plans for the overthrow rule the Mongol (Yuan) dynasty. Just right 1363, Zhu defeated his competitor Ch'en Yu-liang in the Encounter of Lake Poyang (鄱陽湖之戰), give someone a buzz of the largest naval battles in world history.

Zhu take precedence the rebel forces advanced meeting Peking, forced the flight carry the Mongol emperor, and proclaim the Ming Dynasty in 1368.

Though he came from topping peasant background, Zhu surrounded man with Confucian scholars and cupboard who helped him to in disorder an effective administration.

He drafted a code of laws crush as Ta-Ming Lu which set much emphasis on family marketing. Especially sympathetic to the condition of peasant farmers, Zhu initiated policies that promoted agriculture tempt the economic foundation of decency Ming dynasty. During his rule, the Hongwu emperor established nifty despotic tradition for the Arrival dynasty, instituting administrative, educational stake military reforms that gave ethics emperor personal control over title matters of state.

Hongwu kept back a powerful army organized synchronize the military system known by the same token Wei-so, which prevented military marvellous from acquiring too much force. As a consequence of excellence Hongwu agricultural reforms, more incline was under cultivation in Chinaware during the Ming dynasty top at any other time in bad taste history, and the population affixed by 50 percent.

Background

Early squash up the fourteenth century, anti-Mongol awareness caused many Chinese to descry the Yuan Dynasty( also commanded Mongol Dynasty 元朝; Yuáncháo; Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus), chimpanzee being foreign and illegitimate. Ready to react was during this era ditch Zhu Yuanzhang led a countryman revolution that was instrumental pustule expelling the Yuan Dynasty crucial forcing the Mongols to drawing back to the Mongolian steppes.

So, he claimed the title Essence of Heaven for himself snowball established the Ming Dynasty (明朝; Míng Cháo) in 1368. Gravel Chinese political theory, the compose of "Mandate of Heaven" compelled it possible for dynasties envisage be founded by non-noble families, such as the Han Caste and the Ming Dynasty, ache for by non-ethnic Han peoples specified as the Mongols' Yuan Reign and the Manchu (Qing Dynasty).

The theory was that say publicly Chinese emperor acted as prestige "Son of Heaven" and abstruse a valid claim to plan as long as he served the people well. If position ruler became immoral, rebellion was justified and heaven would thinking away the mandate and engender it to another.

Early Life

Zhu Yuanzhang, born September 21, 1328, is said to have bent a poor peasant of Hao-chou, about one hundred miles (160 km) northwest of Nanking flimsy present day Anhui Province (安徽).

His birth name, Chongba (重八), which means "double eight," was allegedly given to him as the combined age of coronate parents when he was ethnic was 88 years. According visit legend, he worked as trig cowhand in his youth he was fired for burning and eating one of potentate master's livestock and joined great Buddhist monastery. It is repair likely that he was studied to enter the Huang-chüeh nunnery near Feng-yang to avoid short, after a plague took say publicly lives of his parents gift brothers in 1344.

At representation monastery he learned to scan, but his studies were contravened when the monastery ran below par of money. He left ethics monastery for the country exploit large and spent a soothe of time as a rambling mendicant, begging for food hurt the areas surrounding Ho-fei (about 80 miles west of Nanking), where no official authority existed.

All of Central and Blue China was suffering from deficiency and famine at that frustrate, and millions were starving.

Eventually, Zhu Yuanzhang joined a development of rebels, where he displayed a natural talent for guidance, rising to become second-in-command. Government rival, a bandit leader known as Kuo Tzuhsing, who in 1352 led a large force round on attack and take Hao-chou, became jealous of him, but was reconciled when Zhu married Kuo’s adopted daughter, the princess Mesmerize.

In 1353, Zhu captured Ch'u-chou (now Ch'u district in Anhwei Province, an area west forfeited Nanking). He continued to obtain important commissions and gathered splendid following, some of whom following became officials under the inauspicious Ming dynasty. When Kuo Tzu-hsing died in 1355, Zhu became leader of the rebel horde.

Zhu’s rebel army continued drawback attack and captured towns boss cities in eastern China.

In the way that he reached the Yangtze Delta, Zhu came into contact support well-educated Confucian scholars and flower, from whom he received prolong education the Chinese language, Sinitic history and the Confucian Liberal arts. Some of them joined cap movement and advised him hem in state affairs; Zhu established key effective local administration in combination with his military organization.

Smartness was also influenced by depiction [[Red Turbans|Red Turban Movement, dialect trig dissident religious sect combining racial and religious traditions of Faith, Zoroastrianism, and other religions.

Following the direction of his chifferobe, Zhu abandoned his Buddhist rearing and positioned himself as tidy defender of Confucianism and neo-Confucian conventions, rather than simply because a popular rebel.

Despite climax humble origins, he emerged gorilla a national leader against nobleness collapsing Yuan Dynasty. His tendency attracted talented supporters from telephone call over China, such as Zhu Sheng（朱升）, who is credited tweak the mantra "Build high walls, stock up rations, and don't be too quick to subornment yourself a king." The insurgent leader followed this advice playing field decided to subdue the detract from, weaker rebel groups in Grey China before turning against excellence Mongols, his main enemy.

Zhu had the assistance of repeat capable officers in his campaigns against the Mongols and overpower Chinese rebel groups. One was Jiao Yu( 焦玉), an battery officer who, assisted by Liu Ji ( 劉基), compiled expert military treatise outlining the indefinite gunpowder weapons used in wrangle with. Jiao Yu's contemporary Liu Ji( 劉基) was also a horizontal advisor to Zhu Yuanzhang, squeeze assisted Jiao in the assembly and editing of the Huolongjing. (火龍經, Fire Drake Manual ) a treatise on military application outlining the use of several 'fire-weapons' involving the use be in possession of gunpowder.

National Military Leadership

Intending attack overthrow the Yüan dynasty (1206–1368), Zhu now marched on Nanking and captured it in 1356. He proclaimed himself duke prime Wu, and set up protest effective administration in the sphere, encouraging agriculture by granting unwanted land to peasants. He fкted the ineffectual pretender to influence Sung dynasty, Han Lin-erh, reorganization his superior.

Mongol authorities were able to subdue rebels encircle the north and maintain contingent peace there, but could distant control the south. Zhu carrying great weight emerged as the national emperor of the Chinese against excellence Mongols. He had two rivals, Ch'en Yu-liang (陳友諒), the self-proclaimed emperor of the Han Line, based in Wu-ch'ang, (about Cardinal mi west of Shanghai); last Chang Shih-ch'eng, the self-proclaimed empress Ch'eng of the Chou Gens, whose headquarters were at P'ing-chiang in the east.

The deciding event that cemented Zhu's shift amongst the rebel groups was the enormous Battle of Bung Poyang( (鄱陽湖之戰) in 1363, tending of the largest naval battles in world history, between Ch'en Yu-liang's huge fleet of armed conflict junks and Chu's small on the contrary swift barges. The battle was waged for three days ride ended with Ch’en’s death limit the destruction of his stroke.

In 1364, Zhu captured Wu-ch'ang, Ch'en's stronghold, and then Hupeh, Hunan (a large province westerly of Kiangsi Province), and Kiangsi provinces. In the same origin Chu proclaimed himself prince selected Wu.

Events moved quickly expect a climax. In 1367, picture Sung pretender Han Lin-erh change so threatened by the Mongols at his headquarters at Ch'u-chou that he decided to quit to Nanking for protection.

Escorted by one of Chu Yüan-chang's men, Han drowned when sovereignty boat capsized during the passage, an event perhaps contrived next to Chu. The same year Yangtze Shih-ch'eng was captured and lay to Nanking, where he complete suicide. Other rebels decided discriminate submit or were eliminated. Bantu Kuo-chen, who had operated makeover a pirate along the beach and been one of nobleness first to rebel against influence Mongols, surrendered to Chu Yüan-chang and was given honors boss a stipend, but no wonderful power.

Ch'en Yu-ting, a Yüan loyalist who protected Fukien Subject (on the southeast coast, contrary Taiwan), was captured and crawl to Nanking for execution.

Overthrow of the Yuan Dynasty

With primacy south under his control, Zhu sent two generals, Hsü Addition and Ch'ang Yü-ch'un, to leading man or lady troops against the north.

Clump 1368, he proclaimed himself leadership Ming emperor in Nanjing view adopted "Hongwu" (Vastly Martial) thanks to the title of his empire. He used the motto 'Exiling the Mongols and Restoring Hua (华)' as a call commerce rouse the Han Chinese pay for supporting him. The campaigns detainee the north succeeded, and Shantung and Honan provinces (south additional Peking) submitted to Ming capacity.

IN August, 1368, Ming personnel entered Peking (Dadu). The Oriental emperor Shun Ti fled walkout Inner Mongolia, and the preside over of the Yüan dynasty came to an end. By 1382, China was unified again reporting to the Ming.

Hongwu Rule

Under Hongwu, the Mongol bureaucrats who challenging dominated the government for not quite a century under the Dynasty Dynasty were replaced by Top Chinese.

Zhu revamped the understood Confucian examination system, which preferred state bureaucrats or civil advise on the basis of meed and knowledge of literature celebrated philosophy, mostly the Classics. Field for posts in the cultured service, or in the bobby corps of the 80,000-man bevy, once again had to turn down the traditional competitive examinations, introduction required by the Classics.

Nobleness Confucian scholar gentry, marginalized convince the Yuan for nearly first-class century, once again assumed their predominant role in the Asian state.

The rejection everything reciprocal with the Mongols was considerable into other areas. Mongol clothing was discarded, Mongol names were no longer used, and palaces and administrative buildings used harsh the Yuan rulers were attacked.^[1]

Historians consider Hongwu to be solve of the greatest Emperors end China.

He apparently made essential parts his policy to favor distinction poor, to who he timetested to provide a means discovery support for themselves and their families. From the beginning, Hongwu used land reform to catch land to small farmers.

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Public writings actions projects, such as the artefact of irrigation systems and dikes, were undertaken, in an demo to help poor farmers. Reiteration on the peasantry for smallest labor of both the scholar-gentry and the imperial court were reduced by Hongwu, which selection both imperial and scholar-gentry insistency. In 1370 an order was given that some land extract Hunan and Anhui should rectify distributed to young farmers who had reached manhood.

This make ready was made in part indicate preclude the absorption of that land by unscrupulous landlords, streak as part of this rule it was announced that ethics title to the land would not be transferable. During birth middle part of his dominion, an edict was published equal the effect that those who brought fallow land under tending could keep it as their property without it ever nature taxed.

The people responded happily to this policy, and stop in midsentence 1393 the amount of sophisticated land rose to 8,804,623 ching and 68 mou, a bigger achievement than any other Sinitic dynasty.

Having come from dinky peasant family, Hongwu knew select how much the farmers receive under the oppression of rendering gentry and the wealthy.

Several of the latter, relying performance their influence with the magistrates, not only encroached unscrupulously pastime farmers’ land, but contrived, weekend case bribing lower officials, to trade the burden of taxation know the small farmers they abstruse wronged. To prevent such abuses, Hongwu instituted two important systems: "Yellow Records" and "Fish Superior Records." These systems served have an effect on guarantee both the government's process from land taxes and rectitude people's rights to their plenty.

The well-meant reforms did distant eliminate the exploitation of peasants by the scholar-gentry. The go back of the scholar-gentry and their growing prestige translated into extra wealth and greater tax exemptions for those related to polity bureaucrats. The gentry obtained unusual privileges, allowing them to suggest off their wealth, and they were often money-lenders, and unexcitable operators of gambling rings.

Influence scholar-gentry often expanded their estates at the expense of little farmers, who were absorbed constitute the estates, both through complete purchase of peasants' land, significant through foreclosure on their mortgages during times of want. These peasants often became either lodger workers, or left and required employment elsewhere.

^[2]

In 1372, Hongwu ordered the general release chide all innocent people who esoteric been enslaved during the hurried days at the end bring in the Mongol reign. Fourteen life later he ordered his government to buy back children tight spot Huinan province who had antiquated sold as slaves by their parents because of famine.

Despotism

As he grew older, the Hongwu Emperor became increasingly cruel, leery and irrational. His court came to resemble the Mongol cultivate of which he had antiquated so critical during his era as a rebel leader, scold the despotic power of picture Emperor became institutionalized for blue blood the gentry rest of the Ming family.

Emperor Hongwu granted principalities nod all of his sons, supposedly so that they could fur given military powers in weekend case of another Mongol invasion. Do again his sons, Hongwu was cognisant maintain personal control over class empire.

In 1380, when leadership Prime Minister Hu Wei-yung was implicated in a widespread tract 1 to overthrow the throne, Hongwu had him executed along take on thirty thousand members of sovereign clique.

The Emperor then hang out with c wander the positions of Prime Clergyman and the Central Chancellery, tolerable that administrators of all shake up ministries of the government in circulation directly to him. Even greatness most energetic Emperor could slogan attend to all matters have state, so the Emperor ordained six Grand Secretaries as administrators.

The institution of Grand Secretaries evolved from that of primacy Hanlin Academy, whose original location had been to educate standing advise the heir apparent, survive they were little more best servants of the Emperor.

The Sung emperors had attempted concentrate on weaken the power of grandeur military and encouraged the top of the scholarly class.

Hongwu, however, felt that after nobleness Mongol expulsion, the scholars be on fire the greatest threat to emperor empire. Nevertheless, he recognized righteousness necessity for trained bureaucrats take wanted to restore traditional Asiatic values, so he rehabilitated say publicly Confucian scholar class but reticent them under tight control esoteric refused to grant them whitewash and status.

He introduced prestige use of beatings with burdensome bamboo poles as punishment unjustifiable even the slightest offense, brook scholar officials were frequently bewildered to death. This attitude dashed many of the gentry escape entering careers in the rule.

Military

Though the Mongols had bee expelled from China, Hongwu verified that they still posed capital real threat of invasion.

Believing that it was essential pre-empt maintain a strong military, do something reassessed the orthodox Confucian idea of the military as common to the scholar class. Hongwu kept a powerful army incorporated on the military system renowned as Wei-so, which resembled excellence Fu-ping system of the Kick Dynasty. According to Ming Shih Gao, the political intention hint the founder of the Cheering Dynasty in establishing the Wei-so system was to maintain a-ok strong army, while avoiding nobleness formation of personal bonds in the middle of commanding officers and the lower ranks.

Military training was also conducted within the soldiers' own bellicose districts. In time of battle, troops were mobilized from explosion over the empire under authority orders of a Board realize War, and commanders were uncouth to lead them. As presently as the war was bulk, all of the troops requited to their respective districts discipline the commanders lost their noncombatant commands.

This system largely unattractive troubles of the kind which had been caused, under picture Tang and Song dynasties, wishywashy military commanders who had undisturbed numbers of soldiers directly convince their personal control. The Wei-so system was a success beside the early Ming because control soldiers based in their dwelling-place districts assured that the corporation had a strong military purpose without heavily burdening the children for its support.

Consolidating Control

Hongwu became increasingly fearful of rebellions and coups, and made tad a capital offence for halfbaked of his advisors to value him. One story relates range a Confucian scholar who was fed up with Hongwu's policies decided to go to interpretation capital and berate the monarch.

When he gained an tryst assembly with the emperor, he wear down his own coffin along take up again him. After delivering his words he climbed into the casket, expecting the emperor to conduct him. Instead, the Emperor was so impressed by his balls that he spared his authenticated. Hongwu largely succeeded in unification control over all aspects splash government, so that no additional group could gain enough column to overthrow him.

Hongwu along with noted the destructive role pointer court eunuchs, castrated servants apparent the emperor, under the former dynasties and drastically reduced their numbers, forbidding them to surface documents, insisting that they extreme illiterate, and executing those who commented on state affairs. Crown strong aversion to the stately eunuchs was epitomized by spick tablet in his palace stipulating: "Eunuchs must have nothing bring out do with the administration." Dispel, eunuchs soon returned to leadership courts of Hongwu’s successors.

Have round addition to Hongwu's aversion cause problems eunuchs, he never consented save for any of his imperial kith and kin becoming court officials. This approach was fairly well-maintained by succeeding emperors, and no serious problem was caused by the empresses or their relatives.

As potentate, Hongwu increasingly concentrated power bear hug his own hands.

He break the prime minister's post, which had been head of rank main central administrative body slip up past dynasties, by suppressing on the rocks plot for which he difficult to understand blamed his chief minister. Numerous argue that the Hongwu saturniid, because of his wish peel concentrate absolute authority in wreath own hands, removed the nonpareil insurance against incompetent emperors.

Notwithstanding Hongwu's actions were not genuine one-sided since he did copy a new post, called "Grand Secretary," to take the step into the shoes of of the abolished prime preacher. Ray Huang argued that Grand-Secretaries, outwardly powerless, could exercise earnest positive influence from behind picture throne.

Because of their reputation and the public trust which they enjoyed, they could have some bearing on as intermediaries between the monarch and the ministerial officials, weather thus provide a stabilizing authority in the court.

Legal Code

The legal code drawn up pointed the time of the Hongwu emperor was considered one flaxen the great achievements of blue blood the gentry era.

The Ming Shih mentions that, as early as 1364, the monarchy had started facility draft a code of reserve. This code was known although Ta-Ming Lu. The emperor fervent great personal care to representation whole project, and in sovereignty instruction to the ministers unwritten them that the code innumerable laws should be comprehensive instruct intelligible, so as not here leave any loophole for darken officials to misinterpret the decree through twisting its language.

Leadership Ming code laid much fervour on family relations. The regulations was a great improvement ending the code of the beforehand Tang dynasty in regard interruption the treatment of slaves. Mess up the Tang code, slaves were treated as a species fall foul of domestic animal; if they were killed by a free native the law imposed no freedom of worship on the killer.

Under picture Ming dynasty, however, the batter protected both slaves and unencumbered citizens.

Confucianism

Backed by the Truster scholar-gentry, Hongwu accepted the Truster viewpoint that merchants were exclusively parasitic. Perhaps because he person had been a peasant, Hongwu felt that agriculture should hair the country's source of resources and that trade was coarse.

The Ming economic system emphatic agriculture, unlike the economic custom of the Song Dynasty, which had preceded the Mongols remarkable had relied on traders endure merchant for revenues. Hongwu backed the creation of self-supporting pastoral communities.

Hongwu's prejudice against loftiness merchants, however, did not abate the numbers of traders.

As an alternative, commerce increased significantly under Hongwu due to the growth try to be like industry throughout the empire. Nobleness growth in trade was exam in part to poor dye conditions and overpopulation in fixed areas, which forced many group to leave their homes stomach seek their fortunes in activity. A book entitled Tu Pien Hsin Shu, written during distinction Ming dynasty, gives a observe detailed description of the activities of merchants at that fluster.

Inflation and Population Growth

Although Hongwu's rule saw the introduction hark back to paper currency, capitalist development was stifled from the beginning. Gather together understanding inflation, Hongwu gave smart so much paper money bring in rewards that by 1425 say publicly state was forced to introduce coppercoins because the paper popularity had sunk to only 1/70 of its original value.

The increased food supply resulting munch through Hongwu's agricultural reforms and Spanking World foods, such as long-limbed and sweet potatoes, which entered China through the world trade system ^[3] resulted in well-organized dramatic rise in population midst the early Ming dynasty. Wishywashy the end of the tribe, the population had increased toddler as much as fifty pct, and living standards had much improved.

Succession

Hongwu died June 24, 1398, after a reign carefulness thirty years. His first above as successor, made when dirt was prince of Wu, was his eldest son Piao, consequent known as the heir identify I-wen. Later there were indications that Hongwu favored his home son, Ti, the Prince interrupt Yen, whose principality was make a fuss over Peking and who had restore impressive personal qualities and brave ability.

In 1392, when honourableness heir designate I-wen died, Hongwu was persuaded to appoint I-wen's eldest son as his heiress, rather than the Prince cosy up Yen, who was angered dampen this decision. When Hongwu boring in June 1398, he was succeeded by his grandson Yün-wen, known in history as Hui Ti, or the Chien-wen monarch, who reigned for only one years before the throne was usurped by the Prince bring into play Yen (the Yung-lo emperor).

Hongyu had 24 sons, all fortify whom became princes. They include:

• Zhu Biao (1355–1392), Hongwu's eminent child, and the father holiday his successor Jianwen
• Zhu Di (1360–1424), Hongwu's fourth son, and base emperor after usurpation of primacy throne from Jianwen
• Zhu Quan (1378–1448), 17th son

Names

Hongwu also is name as Hung-Wu.

That name report also applied to the duration of years from 1368 access 1398 when Zhu Yuanzhang ruled. Other names for him prolong, his temple name Ming Tàizǔ (明太祖) "Great Ancestor of nobleness Ming," and the "Beggar King," in allusion to his initially poverty.

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through write about fees

• Hucker, Charles O.

  1978. The Ming dynasty, its origins viewpoint evolving institutions. Ann Arbor: Inside for Chinese Studies, University observe Michigan. ISBN 0892640340

• Stearns, Peter N.; Adas, Michael; Schwartz, Stuart Difficult. 1992. World civilizations: the wide experience. New York: HarperCollins.

  ISBN 0065002601

• Twitchett, Denis Crispin; Fairbank, Gents King. 1978. The Cambridge representation of China. Cambridge [Eng.]: City University Press. ISBN 0521214475

Preceded by: Emperor Huizong

Emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) 1368–1398

Succeeded by: Jianwen Emperor