Zhu Yuanzhang (LYL 2)

Zhu Yuanzhang, who would rise from humble beginnings to become the Hongwu Emperor, founder of the Ming dynasty, is one of the most remarkable figures in Chinese history. Born into poverty in a tenant farming family and orphaned by famine, he spent time as a Buddhist monk and even a beggar before joining a local rebel group during the waning years of the Yuan dynasty. With keen political instincts and extraordinary leadership, Zhu gradually unified disparate rebel forces under his banner, systematically defeating rivals and ousting the Mongol rulers.

In 1368, he proclaimed himself emperor in Nanjing, establishing the Ming dynasty and restoring Han Chinese rule after nearly a century of foreign domination. As ruler, Zhu Yuanzhang implemented sweeping reforms to stabilize the economy, revive agriculture, and strengthen the central bureaucracy. His vision was to build a self-reliant, morally upright state governed by Confucian principles.