Zhu Yuanzhang First Ming Dynasty Emperor
Zhu Yuanzhang was founder of the Ming Dynasty, the one dynasty that enduredfor so long (1368-1644), considering the fact that it was established by acommoner. The reason Ming Dynasty and its first emperor Yuanzhang occupyspecial place in Chinese history is because this was one of the only lonelytwo dynasties to have been formed by a landless peasant. It is not everydaythat commoner emerges from nowhere, overthrown powerful rulers of the time,establishes his own dynasty that endures for three long centuries. ButYuanzhang managed to achieve this colossal feat and thus his name went downin Chinese history as a competent emperor, second commoner only after LiuYuanzhang's rise to fame and power was simply unprecedented in history.Born to a very poor family in Anhui province in 1328, Yuanzhang wasorphaned at a very young age. Since he practically lacked a family, hejoined Buddhist monastery and became a monk during his teen years. In badtimes, he even resorted to beggary but it appears that fate had somethingbig in store for him. This young man joined the quasi-religious movement tooverthrow the Mongols who had been created havoc in the country and quickly
His timing was propitious and he successfully overthrewthe Mongols to become the first Ming ruler. : 87)Yuanzhang is known in Chinese history as the Emperor Hungwu. This was the famous "Ming despotism," which refers not to his harsh treatment of his subjects (Zhu was in fact a populist who advocated social leveling policies and instituted soak-the-rich taxation) but to his consolidation and concentration of power into his own hands, at the expense of the bureaucracy. People forgave his shortcomings in the light ofthe fact that those who succeeded this great emperor were rather mediocrerulers with little personal charisma, strength or military prowess. But Yuanzhang is still remembered as the Son of Heaven anda highly effective ruler. Some charges were not even investigated which was seen asruthless abuse of power. Better relations were established after the return of the second mission, but, as we shall see, the pirates were not so easily controlled. Burmah revolted in 1385, but was brought into submission in 1388. Hungwu was thus thetitle assigned to the reign of the first Ming emperor and thus we findvarious names for Zhu Yuanzhang in Chinese history records. But with the deathof his wife, and Yuanzhang got older, his startling shortcomings becameprominent and resulted in some major errors of judgment. The overthrow of Mongols and YUAN Dynasty are recorded in history as majorevents that spurred series of successes for Yuanzhang and gave peasants thecourage to rise against the elite and their ruthless ambitions. "The YAœAN DYNASTY fell before an uprising of Chinese peasants.
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