Hongwu Emperor

Hongwu Emperor – Ming Dynasty

Zhu Yuanzhang, who ruled from 1328 to 1398, was honored as Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty. He was also called Emperor Hongwu and was the founder of the empire.

In the 14th century, it was a time when China was plagued with famine, sickness, and revolts led by peasants. At that point, Zhu Yuanzhang led and commanded the forces that captured China, ending the assaults of the Mongol-led Yuan empire. Due to his intense attacks and counterattacks, the Mongols were forced to flee towards the Central Asian Steppes.

As the first Ming Dynasty emperor, he took the Mandate of Heaven and built the Ming Dynasty. And since he only trusted his family, he made his sons into influential feudal princes.

Family of Zhu Yuanzhang and His Early Life

Zhu Yuanzhang was born into a poor family of peasant-tenant farmers in the Zhongli village at the Huai River plains. Today, it’s Fengyang, Anhui Province.

He lived with his father and mother. He had seven older siblings, though some were given away by his parents due to poverty.

Unfortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang lost his family at an early age since severe drought and famine ravaged the lands. These ruined the harvest during that period, which also caused the deaths of others.

For the next few years, the future first Ming Dynasty emperor lived life as a wandering beggar. He had a first-hand experience of the hardships and troubles of ordinary people.

After around three years, he went back to the monastery and took shelter there until he reached 24-years-old. During his stay with the Buddhist monks, he learned how to write and read.

Rebellions against the Yuan Dynasty

His tranquility was eventually taken away when the monastery he lived in was attacked by troops preventing a local rebellion. In 1352, Zhu Yuanzhang joined one of the rebel forces that rose against the Yuan Dynasty.

Because of his skills, he rapidly rose through the ranks and eventually became a commander. He was considered as the defender of Neo-Confucianism and Confucianism among the predominant Han-Chinese population in the country. Technically, Zhu Yuanzhang appeared as a leader of the rebels who was trying to overthrow the Yuans.

The Yuans ruled China ever since the Mongols invaded in the 3rd quarter of the 13th century. Yet as time progressed, they were steadily losing their control over the country.

Tormented by famine, floods, plagues, peasant uprisings, and widespread rebellions, the Mongol rulers lost control of the situation. And among themselves, they squabbled and battled for power yet failed to repress numerous rebellions.

The Red Turban Rebellion

Zhu Yuanzhang’s rebel forces eventually joined the Red Turbans. They were a millenarian faction linked to the White Lotus Society. These people were a rebel group that followed the religious and cultural traditions of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and other religions.

They called themselves the Red Turbans since their members wore red-colored headgear. Plus, it was an offshoot of the radical White Lotus Movement.

The group appeared as part of a bigger peasant rebellion against one of the Yuan Dynasty’s policies. Specifically, the policy utilized forced labor to fulfill construction projects, especially on the Yellow River and Grand Canal.

Slowly, the future Emperor Hongwu of the Ming made himself more essential to the cause. He married one of the movement leader’s daughters, then took over the leadership in 1355.

He soon built his power base along the Yangzi Valley. Here, he eventually grouped 20 to 30 thousand men under his leadership.

Separation of the Red Turbans

By 1358, both Central and Southern China fell into the hands of various rebel groups. And during those moments, the Red Turbans separated as well.

Zhu Yuanzhang became the head of a smaller group called Ming, whereas the bigger group was led by Chen Youliang. He controlled the Yangtze River valley’s central area.

Beginning in 1360, both Chen and Zhu Yuanzhang battled a protracted war for supremacy. This was over the previous territories that the Red Turbans controlled.

The climatic part of the war was the Battle of Lake Poyang, which happened in 1363. It was considered the biggest naval war in history. This battle lasted for three days and resulted in the defeat and the retreat of Chen’s larger fleet.

A month later, Chen died during a battle. After that, Zhu didn’t join in any other battles and chose to remain in Nanjing. From there, he directed and instructed his generals to engage in campaigns.

Eventually, the future first Ming Dynasty emperor replaced the traditional goal of the Red Turban’s policy. Initially, they aimed to reinstate the old Song Dynasty, but he replaced it instead with his own goals to rule. Luckily, he was able to acquire more support by letting go of the anti-Confucian policies that alienated the educated class.

Quite interestingly, Zhu understood that he required administrators to build a stable government. He didn’t only need warriors who were out searching for loot.

The New Beginning – Establishment of the Ming Empire

In 1367, his forces were able to defeat the Kingdom of Dazhou led by Zhang Shicheng. It was mainly centered in Suzhou and included most areas of the Yangtze River Delta and Hangzhou. The latter was the previous capital of the Song.

With the southern area under his control, the future Emperor Hongwu sent out two generals, Ch’ang Yu-ch’un and Hsu Ta. There, they led the troops against the north.

In 1368, he claimed himself as the first Ming Dynasty emperor in Nanjing. He then adopted Hongwu as the title of his rule.

Emperor Hongwu then utilized the adage “Exile the Mongols and Restore Hua”. It was a call to stir the Han Chinese into assisting and supporting him. Then, campaigns in the northern area succeeded; eventually, the Honan and Shantung provinces surrendered to the Ming.

Later in the same year, the Ming army entered Dadu (Peking). Battles ensued and eventually caused Emperor Shun Ti of the Mongols to flee towards Inner Mongolia. Because of this, the rule of the Yuans finally came to an end.

In 1381, the Ming army was able to capture the last Yuan-based province in Yunnan. By the year 1382, China was once again unified under the Ming.

The Rule of Emperor Hongwu

Under the rule of the first Ming Dynasty emperor, Mongol officials who dominated the government were replaced by the Han Chinese. Zhu Yuanzhang restored the classic Confucian exam system, which chose civil servants or state bureaucrats accordingly. The decision was based on merit and their knowledge of philosophy and literature, mostly on the Classics.

Candidates for positions in the officer corps or civil service were required to pass the traditional competitive exams again. The Confucian scholar gentry that the Yuans marginalized assumed their role in the Chinese state again.

They rejected everything linked with the Mongols, and it extended to other areas as well. The Mongol dress-code was discarded, and Mongol names weren’t used further. As for the palaces and administrative establishments utilized by the Yuans, they were eventually attacked.

Eliminating Corruption

Another notable action during the rule of the first Ming Dynasty emperor was his intense hatred for corruption.

Emperor Hongwu was highly diligent and frugal, so he did his best to instill the lifestyle in his officials. He thought that what he suffered in the past was due to a corrupted system with greedy officials. After Zhu Yuanzhang became the first Ming emperor, he improved centralized power and fought corruption with strict penalties.

Around 150,000 officials faced death due to corruption, no matter the amount they illegally occupied.

Legal Reforms

The legal code created during the rule of the first Ming Dynasty emperor was among the most remarkable achievements then. In the records of Ming’s history, it’s stated that as early as 1364, the monarchy began drafting codes of laws.

The code was called Da Ming Lu or the Code of Great Ming/Laws of Great Ming.

Emperor Hongwu devoted a lot of time to this specific project, even instructing that the code be intelligible and comprehensive. This was to prevent any official from exploiting loopholes in the code by purposely misinterpreting it.

The Ming code set a lot of emphasis on family relations too.

Having the code greatly improved the Tang Dynasty’s code in regards to how they treated slaves. The Tang code states that slaves should be considered as types of domestic animals. If they were killed by citizens, no sanctions would be imposed on the killer.

But the code under the Ming Dynasty protected both free citizens and slaves.

From Da Ming Lu to the Da Gao

Later in Emperor Hongwu’s rule, the Da Ming Lu was set aside in favor of a much harsher and strict legal system. It was documented in the Da Gao or Great Announcements.

Compared to the earlier code, Da Gao’s penalties for almost all the crimes were significantly increased. There, over 1,000 crimes were suitable for capital punishment.

Most of the Da Gao was made for the government and its officials. Specifically, it was for anti-corruption. Those who looted and misused over the equivalent of 60 Liang of silver were beheaded then flayed. After this, their skin would be publicly displayed for all to see.

To note, a single Liang equaled around 30 grams.

The first Ming Dynasty emperor granted everyone the right to capture those officials who were suspected of such crimes. They would then be sent directly to the capital – a first in the entirety of Chinese history.

Other than regulating the government, the Da Gao focused on setting limits to numerous social groups.

One example would be for idle men. If they didn’t fix their lifestyle after the law was carried out, they’d be executed. As for their neighbors, they would be exiled.

Additionally, the Da Gao had comprehensive sumptuary laws. They were extremely detailed such as banning ornaments in the heating room of commoners’ houses and the like.

Reinstating Imperial Traditions

After Emperor Hongwu organized his empire in 1368, he eventually reintroduced the Chinese imperial traditions. This was in line with the earlier golden era of the Song and Tang. Finally, the ancient Chinese customs once again dominated the empire.

The first Ming Dynasty emperor Zhu Yuanzhang aimed to build his legitimacy by restoring the classic sacrifices of Chinese leaders. For the same reason, Buddhist and Confucian ceremonies returned too.

Whatever his legitimacy was, the emperor stamped out any of the lingering rebel groups. His actions lasted for the next two decades and throughout his reign.

When it came to his successors, they also continued his goals in unifying China via a centralized government. They also aimed for the empire to have a firm grip on power.

Generally, it was the start of another golden era for the country’s history.

Land Reforms

A lot of historians consider the first Ming Dynasty emperor as one of the best emperors of China. He ensured that his policies were in favor of the poor. The emperor made sure to give them a means of support for their families and themselves.

From the start, Emperor Hongwu utilized land reforms to provide land to small farmers in his domain. Public works programs like the construction of dikes and irrigation systems were made. It was an attempt to help the poor farmers.

As for the demands on forced labor for peasants on both the imperial court and scholar-gentry, these were reduced too. With that, the demand for both scholar and imperial gentry was affected.

In 1370, an order was set out where some lands in Anhui and Hunan should be appropriated to young farmers. The order was created to preclude the acquisition of land by corrupt landlords. It was also part of a decree announcing that the land’s title would not be transferable.

Around the mid-portion of his reign, another edict was made. For those who had fallow land that was under cultivation, they could keep it as theirs without it being taxed.

Hearing this made the people enthusiastic about the emperor’s policy. So in 1393, the number of cultivated land increased – a much greater achievement than any other Chinese empire.

Prevention of Oppression

Since he came from a poor family, Emperor Hongwu knew how much the farmers suffered. This was most evident under the oppression of the higher people and the gentry.

A lot of the corrupt people relied on their influence from the magistrates. So, they trespassed ruthlessly on farmers’ lands yet contrived. It was done by bringing the lower officials and having them transfer the issues of taxes to the smaller farmers.

The first Ming Dynasty emperor introduced two vital systems: the Fish Scale Records and Yellow Records to prevent such problems. These worked to ensure both the government’s income from land taxes and the people’s rights to their properties.

Saving People from Slavery

In 1372, Emperor Hongwu commanded the general release of all innocent individuals who were enslaved during the Mongol reign. Fourteen years later, he had his officials buy back the children from Huinan province. These were children sold as slaves by their parents due to famine.

Education Policy

Emperor Hongwu attempted to dismiss Mencius from the Temple of Confucius. That’s because some parts of his work were considered harmful.

However, his efforts failed due to the numerous objections coming from vital officials of the dynasty. These included Qian Tang, the Minister of Justice.

Eventually, Emperor Hongwu organized and coordinated the compilation of Mencius Abridged, where 85 lines were removed. Aside from this, they omitted lines that described the rules of governance and those promoting benevolence. Lastly, they also removed lines that were critical of King Zhou (Shang).

At the Guo Zijian, math, law, equestrianism, archery, and calligraphy were emphasized by the emperor. He also included the Confucian classics as the requirement for the Imperial Exams.

The area surrounding the Meridian Gate of Nanjing was utilized for archery. They were put to use by the generals and guards under Hongwu. Emperors Hongwu and Yongle carried out a cavalry-based army based on the Yuan military.

Under the first Ming Dynasty emperor, He Suonan served the Ming and Yuan militaries, favored archery and equestrianism. The archery towers on the Xi’an city walls were built by Emperor Honwgwu. Then, future emperors like Zhengtong built these at the Forbidden City.

Works by Emperor Hongwu

Emperor Hongwu created essays that were exhibited in every village throughout China. These warned people to behave appropriately, or they would face the necessary consequences.

His writings included the Ancestral Injunctions and the Great Warnings or Grand Pronouncements. Another writing of his was the Six Maxims, which influenced the Sacred Edict of Emperor Kangxi.

Around 1384, Emperor Hongwu requested for the Chinese compilation and translation of the Islamic astronomical tables. It was a task completed by a Muslim astronomer Mashayihei and a Chinese scholar-official named Wu Bozong.

The tables were then known as the Muslim SYstem of Calendrical Astronomy or Huihui Lifa. It was published in the country a couple of times until the early 18th century.

Choosing the Heir for the Throne

Emperor Hongwu also had a great heir named Zhu Biao. He was a talented and kind individual whom Zhu Yuanzhang supported and loved wholeheartedly.

The first Ming Dynasty emperor had all his best marshals and ministers to teach and serve Zhu Biao. Every time Emperor Hongwu led the army in battle, he’d trust his son with everything necessary in the home front.

Luckily, Zhu Biao was skilled and could manage everything perfectly. He gained support and respect from all the ministers and marshals of the empire. Zhu Biao was both exceptionally talented in politics and was genuinely kind.

When Zhu Yuanzhang was 62, his capable crown prince unfortunately passed away. Aside from the huge grief that his death brought, it also left a huge problem for the emperor. Who would be the next heir of Emperor Hongwu?

Massacres for the Throne

A lot of the Ming emperor’s other sons excelled in the military. That’s because most of them followed their father and fought on the battlefield.

But instead of them, the emperor chose his late crown prince’s son as the heir of his dynasty. With that, he commanded his other sons to assist and support the young crown prince.

After deciding, Emperor Hongwu began a mass slaughter, which became the most controversial act in his life.

During that time, there were numerous generals with outstanding accomplishments. They were also related to the emperor’s sons because of marriage.

Zhu Yuanzhang believed that these people were likely to overthrow the young heir. Possibly, it was to support their princes to become the new emperor.

Emperor Hongwu then made a couple of excuses to sentence the people he suspected would rebel. With that, thousands of people were killed during his late years.

As a great ruler, Emperor Hongwu likely didn’t expect this to be a huge mistake. He trusted that his other sons would protect the Ming Empire while supporting his grandson. The emperor underestimated the greed for power and the throne while overestimating family bonds.

So after his grandson ascended the throne, it was snatched away years later by his own son, Zhu Di. He did this through a battle called the INcident of Jingnan.