Emperor Heaven-Opening, the founder of the dynasty, was a Martial Saint ruler. His given name was Qingshan, and his courtesy name was Zhenbang. He was from Jinggang County, Ji'an Prefecture, Jiangxi Province. His ancestors were a prominent family in Longxi. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, they migrated south to avoid the chaos and settled in Jinggang. His family had a long history of virtuous deeds. His father Shouye and scholar, and he was kind to his neighbors. His mother, Lady Liu, was virtuous and wise. She dreamed of Red Dragon Huangyangjie and became pregnant. That night, wind and thunder shook the Wujing, and red light illuminated the sky, which lasted for three days and nights before dissipating. In the fifth month of summer in the Bingchen year of the Wanli reign (1616), Emperor Taizu was born. Dozens of purple fungus sprouted in his house, and the mountain spring suddenly became sweet. The neighbors were amazed and said, "This child will bring prosperity to the nation."
Emperor Taizu was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, and as he grew older, he became tall and imposing, with a prominent nose and broad forehead. At the age of twelve, he entered the village school and could memorize anything he read, especially the " The Methods of the Sima " and " Six Secret Teachings ". When the school teacher saw his annotations on military books, he exclaimed, "This child is not a scholar of classical texts, but rather a natural-born general!" Once, he played with a group of children on a mountaintop, arranging stones to form a battle formation, and their advances and retreats were all in accordance with military strategy. At the age of fifteen, he observed the stars and sighed, "The imperial star is dim and weak, the ministers are out of their positions, chaos is imminent, what have the common people done to deserve this!" His father, fearing that this would bring disaster, warned him, but Emperor Taizu remained silent and devoted himself to studying the art of governing the world.
In the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign (1643), a severe drought struck Southern Jiangxi, leaving the land parched and the starving people rioting. The governor recklessly imposed levies and massacres, implicating entire villages and causing widespread suffering. When the Taizu Emperor was seventeen, he was mourning his father's death and spent three years at his grave. Upon hearing of the misfortune befalling his neighbors, he distributed his family wealth to gather three hundred local militia, vowing to "protect the territory and ensure the safety of the people." Observing that the militia was initially disorganized, he reorganized the army by imitating ancient methods: eliminating the weak and retaining the strong, establishing the system of units of ten and five, clarifying the rules of rewards and punishments, and decreeing that "soldiers shall not take a single needle from the people, and horses shall not eat a single grain of rice from the people." He also selected strong men as the backbone, personally instructing them in military strategy and tactics, and discussing military matters by burning pine torches at night. This was known as the " Jinggang Reorganization," and the army's morale began to rise.
In October, government troops plundered Jinggang and burned houses. Enraged, Taizu donned black armor, took up an eighteen-foot spear, and led local militia to ambush at Huang'ao. When the government troops arrived, the ambush sprang up from all sides. Taizu personally led the charge, leaping onto his horse and charging into the enemy ranks. Wherever his spear touched, the government troops crumbled. The local militia followed with bamboo spears and homemade muskets, their shouts echoing through the valley, utterly defeating them. Taizu beheaded a Ming general. He then raised the banner of "Peace for the People" and defended the strategic location. That night, Taizu suddenly fell into a three-day daze. Upon waking, he told his attendants, "Heaven's mandate is with me!" The army widely circulated the story that during his delirium, he received the * Classic of Woqi * (a classic text on martial arts) from the Yellow Emperor, thus gaining profound knowledge of governance and chaos throughout history, becoming proficient in politics, economics, and military strategy, and displaying unparalleled bravery, Xiang Ji to Xiang Yu.
In the spring of the seventh year of Jiaxu, Emperor Taizu discussed taking Ganzhou. His generals, concerned about the city's fortifications and sufficient provisions, hesitated. Taizu, clad in iron armor and with a broadsword at his waist, vowed before his army. " Ganzhou is a vital strategic point. If we take it, the people will be safe. I will personally lead this campaign, and I will not return until we succeed!" He then led his troops, marching day and night, to the Ganzhou. At that time, the grain in the government granaries rotted, and starving people lay dead, their bodies piled high. The city's defenders were still holding out. Taizu ordered ladders to be erected, and he himself, wielding a rattan shield, was the first to scale the walls. An arrow struck his shoulder, but he pulled it out and continued fighting, wielding his sword and killing two defending generals. Local militia swarmed forward, and Ganzhou was captured. The granaries were destroyed for relief, and within ten days, 30,000 men were gathered.
In autumn, Chen Sanhu, a former member of the local militia, was flogged for plundering civilian property. Harboring resentment, he defected to the government army, leading tens of thousands of troops under Zuo Liangyu. Emperor Taizu personally led the navy to meet the enemy, using fire ships as the vanguard, raising the "Li" flag on the bow, and beating drums to urge the battle. When they encountered Liangyu's army, Taizu personally fired his giant cannons, smashing several enemy ships. He then led his elite troops in boarding combat, sustaining several wounds, yet still shouting, "Kill the traitors and bring peace to the people!" In the heat of battle, Sanhu led his traitorous soldiers in fast ships to attack the central army. Taizu turned and swung his sword, severing Sanhu's arm, and then cut a plank of a ship, blood splattering on his battle robe. The troops were inspired and set fire to the enemy ships, throwing Liangyu's navy into chaos, with countless dead. Liangyu looked at Taizu's flag from afar and sighed, "This is True Dragon; we cannot contend with him." He then led his troops to retreat to Wuchang.
In the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Taizu (Yihai), following the strategies of the Song Ming dynasties, he manufactured and improved firearms, established an " Ordnance Battalion," and ordered engineers to cast cannons using Western methods. In March, he captured Changsha, opening the armory and obtaining thirty Western cannons, thus greatly enhancing the army's firepower. At that time, Zhang Xianzhong ravaged Northern Chu, massacring countless cities. Hearing of Taizu's growing power, he sent an envoy to form an alliance. Taizu, upon reading the letter, angrily threw it to the ground and beheaded the envoy, saying, "How can Butcher speak of benevolence and righteousness! One day I will surely kill this scoundrel to save the people." In winter, Taizu attacked Yuezhou, where he was struck by a stray arrow and bedridden for over a month. The rebel Zhou Wenju intended to surrender the city to the Ming, but Taizu discovered this. That night, he summoned his generals, and despite his illness, scaled the city walls, executing Wenju and his followers, thus stabilizing the army's morale. The generals advised, "Our lord is wounded; we should temporarily cease hostilities." Taizu replied, "The rebels are not yet quelled, and the people are not yet recovered; how can I be at ease!"
In the ninth year of Bingzi (1646), Li Zicheng captured Xiangyang, proclaimed himself the King of Xinshun, and set his sights on Jiangnan. Taizu (Li Zicheng) led his naval forces up the river to engage in battle at Red Cliff Point. Li Zicheng's fleet, numbering in the dozens, blocked the river's surface, its banners obscuring the sun, its roar shaking the waters. Taizu, clad in silver armor and wielding a long spear, stood atop his flagship and ordered the gunboats to fire first, bombarding the enemy formation. Suddenly, an east wind arose, and Taizu brandished his sword, shouting, "Set fire!" The fire ships, propelled by the wind, rammed into the enemy ships, flames soaring into the sky, smoke and fire obscuring the river, turning it red. Li Zicheng's vanguard was completely consumed by fire, and many soldiers drowned. Emperor Taizu personally led a light boat assault team into the enemy ranks, wielding his spear as if entering an empty field, and slaying three generals in succession. Luo Rucai, a general under Li Zicheng, secretly contacted Taizu, promising to surrender the city, but later reneged and attempted a pincer attack. Taizu saw through the ruse, first using an ambush to kill Rucai's vanguard, then personally leading elite cavalry ashore to storm his camp. In the fierce battle, " Racing Thunder " (a general) was burned by fire arrows and died in battle. Enraged, Taizu personally killed Rucai and took over his entire force. With Li Zicheng's vanguard dead, the remaining troops fled in disarray. Taizu then captured Wuchang, Jingxiang great shock in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, where the elders welcomed him with wine and food.
In the tenth year of Dingchou, Emperor Taizu divided his army into three routes: eastward to conquer Huizhou, westward to pacify Yiling, and southward to capture Hengyang. In July, he convened his generals at Yueyang Tower, where they swore an oath on a white horse. "To save the people from fire and water, and to restore the reign of Yao; if it benefits the nation, I will risk my life." That year, the Jiangnan region had a bumper harvest, and Emperor Taizu ordered a tax of one-tenth of the harvest, prohibiting officials from levying exorbitant taxes. A children's rhyme spread. "The sun rises over Jinggang Mountain, shining on Jinling; a benevolent ruler appears, and the world is at peace." At that time, the Ming court appointed Sun Chuanting as the Governor-General of Shaanxi, leading troops to suppress Li Zicheng. Chuanting beheaded He Renlong, Guanzhong. Upon hearing this, Emperor Taizu sighed, "Chuanting is a pillar of the Ming Dynasty, but unfortunately, he served a foolish ruler and could not reverse the decline."
In the eleventh year of Wuyin, Emperor Taizu planned to capture Hangzhou and personally led a large army to advance by land and water. His general, Lin Xiu, originally a Ming dynasty defector, feared Emperor Taizu's strict military discipline and, having heard of the high official position promised by Prince of Lu, secretly rallied his followers to plot a raid on the camp and escape. Emperor Taizu noticed Lin Xiu's unusual demeanor and, observing the night sky, saw a guest star invading the main star. He then laid an ambush in the camp. When Lin Xiu launched his attack, the ambush was sprung, killing more than half of the rebel soldiers, and Lin Xiu was captured. Emperor Taizu questioned him on the battlefield, and Lin Xiu prostrated himself and begged for surrender. Emperor Taizu said, "I treated you with sincerity, yet you betrayed me. How can you maintain order among the troops?" He then beheaded Lin Xiu and hung his head at the camp gate, sacrificing it to the entire army. The emperor trembled. Hangzhou was a fortified city with a large garrison, and the generals could not conquer it. Taizu changed into light armor and led his troops in a night raid on the west gate. They scaled the walls, broke the locks, and brought in his army. Upon hearing of the city's fall, Prince of Lu fled by sea. In August, Zheng Zhilong surrendered with his Central Fujian navy. Taizu accepted all his troops and appointed him to command the navy, saying, "There are many pirates at sea. You should suppress them and protect our merchants and people." Only Ding Kuichu from the Two Guang and Guangxi still obeyed the Ming calendar. Taizu personally wrote to him, saying, "If you want to protect the people, you should be like Dou Rong; if you are stubborn, then test this sword." Kuichu was terrified and sent an envoy to surrender.
That winter, with the Jiangnan pacified, Emperor Taizu, accepting Zhilong's suggestion, issued an edict to open the seas. "The seas have been closed for too long, and merchants and people are suffering. From this day forward, the ports of Quanzhou, Ningbo, and Guangzhou will be opened, and a Maritime Trade Office will be established, with officials appointed to oversee overseas trade. Extortion by officials will be strictly prohibited." With the seas opened, merchant ships from Fujian and Guangdong flocked to the region, generating an annual tax revenue of one million taels of silver, which finally covered military expenses. However, a prominent merchant Zhang Yang colluded with Japanese pirates, monopolizing maritime trade and defying orders. Emperor Taizu dispatched Zhilong to subdue him. Zhang Yang resisted stubbornly at sea, and Zhilong suffered an initial defeat. Later, he used fire to burn Zhang Yang's pirate ships, captured him, and executed him in the marketplace, thus pacifying the coastal regions.
In the spring of the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor Taizu (1899), Zhang Xianzhong massacred the Sichuan, usurped the title of Great Xi, and established his capital in Chengdu. Seven or eight out of ten Sichuanese died. Emperor Taizu angrily declared, "How can we allow wolves to run rampant in Shuzhong, the land of plenty!" He ordered Wang Jianguo to lead elite troops up the Jiangxi, while he himself led a detachment to attack. In October, Jianguo breached the Kuimen, and Zhang Xianzhong led an elephant cavalry to meet him. The elephants, clad in armor, roared so loudly they shook the earth, causing the government troops to retreat slightly. Emperor Taizu rushed to their aid overnight, arriving at the front lines. He personally took up a powerful bow and fired several arrows, felling more than ten elephant handlers. He then ordered fire arrows to be fired at the elephants' eyes. The elephants, terrified, turned and ran, trampling the camp for a hundred li. Zhang Xianzhong's army... Chaos erupted. Taking advantage of the chaos, Emperor Taizu led his army in a counterattack, charging at the forefront of the battle. Wang Zhaolin, a former general who had surrendered to Xianzhong, rebelled again, leading his troops to flank and attack the central army. Taizu turned back to meet the attack, his steed " Shooting Lightning " galloping and killing over a dozen rebel soldiers before finally succumbing to wounds from the hail of blades. Enraged, Taizu personally beheaded Zhaolin and then led his army in pursuit to Phoenix Mountain, encircling the rebels from all sides and personally overseeing the battle. Xianzhong failed to break through and was killed by the chaotic army. Taizu ordered his head to be displayed publicly, and then annexed all of Sichuan. The people of Sichuan welcomed him with food and drink, and erected a shrine in his honor, calling it the " Savior Shrine."
In the thirteenth year of the reign of Emperor Chongzhen (1640), Li Zicheng marched out of Yunyang, gathered his remaining forces, regrouped, conquered Henan, opened granaries to relieve famine, and his army swelled to hundreds of thousands. Chongzhen Emperor urged Sun Chuanting to cross the border for a decisive battle. Chuanting obeyed the order, Fire Cart Battalion as the vanguard, and his army reached Jia County. Li Zicheng ambushed and cut off the Ming army's supply lines, causing a mutiny among the Ming troops. Chuanting suffered a major defeat and fled to Tong Pass. Upon hearing this, Emperor Taizu sighed, "With Chuanting dead, the Ming Dynasty will surely perish." He then decided to take Jinling to secure the capital. On the way, Jiangnan gentry, including Shen Yun, fearing that Emperor Taizu's opening of the sea would harm their profits, secretly colluded with mountain bandits, gathering tens of thousands of people to rebel and block the advance. Emperor Taizu ordered General Li Chengyou to lead the army to confront the enemy head-on, while he himself rode his prized horse " Racing to the Heavens " and led a light cavalry to launch a surprise attack on the bandits' stronghold from the rear. In the heat of battle, " Racing to the Heavens " was caught in the middle of the river. After the arrow, Emperor Taizu changed to the " Soaring Above the Clouds " and continued his charge, personally beheading the rebel leader, destroying the rebel camp, capturing and killing Shen Yun and other ringleaders, thus quelling the rebellion. In the first month, Emperor Taizu entered Jinling, prohibiting looting, and the people lived in peace. Emperor Taizu said, "The fate of the Ming Dynasty has run its course; we should follow the will of Heaven and the people." On the Jiazi day of the third month, he ascended the throne at Zhong Mountain, establishing the dynasty name Hua and the era name Zhonghua. He issued an edict stating. "Since Emperor Chongzhen's loss of virtue, the world has fallen apart, bandits have run rampant, and barbarian hordes have threatened the borders. I was originally a commoner from the fields, but by the mandate of Heaven, thanks to the soldiers' valiant efforts and the people's loyalty, I have been able to sweep away the villains and pacify the Jiangnan. Now I shall start anew with the people, establish unparalleled achievements, and restore the glory of China." On that day, purple clouds covered the altar like a canopy, and all who witnessed it shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
In the spring of the first year of the reign of Emperor Taizu of Ming, Li Zicheng broke through Tongguan Pass, Sun Chuanting was killed in battle, and then took Xi'an, established the Great Shun Dynasty, and changed the reign title to Yongchang. In March, Li Zicheng led a large army on a northern expedition, broke through Juyong Pass, and entered Yanjing (Beijing). Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself on Coal Hill, and the Ming Dynasty fell. Li Zicheng plundered the capital, and his generals became arrogant. Wu Xiang, the father of Wu Sangui, was captured. Wu Sangui was furious and begged Dorgon to lead troops to Jianzhou. In the summer, Li Zicheng personally attacked Shanhaiguan Pass. Wu Sangui opened the gates to let the enemy in, and the enemy cavalry surrounded him from all sides. Li Zicheng was defeated and fled back to Xi'an. In the autumn, Emperor Taizu discussed the northern expedition. Pointing to the "Yu Gong Tu" (Map of the Tribute of Yu), he said to his ministers, "In the past, Emperor Guangwu rose from Nanyang and first pacified the Yellow River and Luo River; Emperor Hongwu rose from Haozhou and first conquered Qi and Lu. Now we should follow their example, first take the Yellow River and Luo River, cut off the throat of the world, then drive out the barbarians and recover our old capital." He appointed Li Chengyou as the Generalissimo of the Northern Expedition, leading a naval force of 100,000 men out of Zhenjiang.
At that time, Li Zicheng occupied Xi'an and sent generals to guard Tong Pass. Chengyou's army was stationed in Guide when Li Zicheng's general Liu Zongmin led his troops to resist. Chengyou used a secret plan of Emperor Taizu, pretending to have hundreds of grain ships, but actually carrying gunpowder, and floated them downstream to the enemy camp. At midnight, the fire broke out, and Zongmin's army was routed and retreated to Tong Pass.
In the second year of Xin Si, Dorgon took the Shunzhi Emperor to Yanjing ) and sent Dodo to lead an army south, capturing Xuzhou and massacring the city for ten days. The enemy cavalry advanced directly towards the Huaisi and Si rivers, causing great shock in Jiangnan. Taizu personally led a large army north to fight at Xuzhou, supervising the battle from his precious horse " Shooting Wind ". At that time, it rained heavily for a month, and the enemy cavalry got stuck in the mud and could not move quickly. Taizu ordered the construction of " Thunder-Fire Cart ", covered with cowhide, carrying cannons, and charging in all directions. The enemy cavalry attacked the left flank, and Taizu was furious. He personally led his guards to reinforce the left flank. " Shooting Wind " was unstoppable and broke through several lines of enemy defense. The fierce battle lasted all day. " Shooting Wind " died from exhaustion. Taizu stroked his body and said, "You followed me for thousands of miles and now you have died on the battlefield. I will surely wipe out the enemy dust for you!" Dodo was hit by an arrow and fled. Three hundred people, including a prince, were captured, and all the land Huaibei was taken over.
In the third year of Renwu, the army was divided into two routes: the western route, led by Li Chengyou, went out of Wu Pass to take Xi'an; the eastern route, led by Wang Li, followed the Grand Canal to approach Youyan. In September, Chengyou broke through Tong Pass, and Li Zicheng led his remaining troops to Shangluo, where they were killed by local militia, and the Great Shun perished. In October, Wang Li Jinan, which shocked Jianzhou, Dorgon urgently dispatched troops from outside the pass to provide reinforcements.
In the spring of the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Taizu (1893), Emperor Taizu stayed in Kaifeng and led his troops on a northern expedition. Dorgon assembled 100,000 elite Manchu and Zhending troops and stationed them at Zhengding, intending to fight a decisive battle. Emperor Taizu observed the stars at night and said to his generals, " Mars has entered the Supreme Palace Enclosure; the enemy's fate is sealed." He then secretly dispatched a surprise force out of Juyong Pass to burn their grain stores at Gubeikou. The enemy army was hungry and exhausted. On the day of the decisive battle, Emperor Taizu personally led the main force in a charge, riding his precious horse " Rising Mist " through the enemy lines, commanding with composure. The enemy army was thrown into chaos, and Emperor Taizu pursued the victory. " Rising Mist " was wounded by a hidden arrow and died in battle. In this battle, Emperor Taizu lost all nine of his horses. He stroked their remains and wept, saying, "You all followed me in my southern and northern campaigns, your contributions are immeasurable. Now you have all perished. I will surely wipe out the barbarians to comfort your loyal souls!" The soldiers were inspired and all vied to fight.
In May, they captured Baoding and besieged Yanjing. Dorgon took the Shunzhi Emperor north to Shengjing, while Taizu entered Yanjing, seized the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, and obtained countless imperial edicts and documents. He ordered the people to be pacified and soldiers to be forbidden from looting. Yanjing was at peace, and the elders welcomed him on the roadside, weeping and saying, "Without Taizu, we would be wearing our hair loose and our robes fastened on the left!"
In the fifth year of Jia-Shen, generals were dispatched to quell the remaining bandits in Shaanxi and Gansu Qinghai Mongol Khoshut Tribe presented 3,000 horses and requested to be incorporated into the Han territory. Emperor Taizu granted their request and established the Xining Guard to garrison them. Thus, the Han lands were once again unified, exactly twelve years after the uprising at Jinggang. That year, rewards were distributed according to merit, and thirty-eight meritorious officials were ennobled. However, many of these meritorious officials became arrogant and domineering, seizing vast amounts of land and houses and colluding with powerful and influential people. Emperor Taizu observed this and gradually became wary of them.
In winter, the court discussed attacking the barbarians. The valiant general Yan Ming advised, "The barbarian cavalry are swift as lightning; we should fortify the Great Wall, station strong troops, and then slowly advance." Emperor Taizu laughed and said, "When the Yellow Emperor chased Chiyou, did he build walls to defend himself? In the past, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing used light cavalry to subdue the enemy when they went beyond the Great Wall. Now, with the advancement of firearms, we can easily sweep them away." He then ordered the construction of ten thousand light chariots, each carrying a breech-loading cannon, with iron-bound wheels, which could be linked together to form a fortress in dangerous terrain. In August, they marched out of the pass and encountered the barbarian chieftain Dodo outside Zhangjiakou. The barbarians used infantry and cavalry in succession... At Huanlaichong, Emperor Taizu ordered musketeers to fire down on the horses' hooves, while artillery chariots surrounded the central army. From dawn to dusk, the enemy's formation gradually crumbled. Dodo personally led his white-armored troops in a counterattack, but a stray arrow pierced his left arm, and he fled in the night. Three princes were captured, eight thousand were beheaded, and camels, horses, and supplies stretched for thirty li. The northern barbarians sent envoys to sue for peace, but Emperor Taizu threw their petition back, saying, "The old lands of Youyan, the former territory of the Han dynasty, must be returned to China inch by inch. You may order your lord to surrender with his face bound, otherwise I will personally lead an expedition to Shengjing, plow their court, and sweep away their lair."
From the sixth year of Wuzi to the tenth year of Renchen, Emperor Taizu dispatched generals to conquer four rebellious tribes: in the west, he quelled the rebellion of the Khoshut tribe in Qinghai, establishing the Xining Regional Military Commission and stationing troops in Huangzhong; in the south, he pacified the chieftains of Yunnan and Guizhou and Guizhou, abolishing the chieftain system and establishing the Guiyang and Kunming Provincial Administration Commissions; in the east, he conquered Taiwan, drove the Netherlands barbarians to Penghu, and established the Taiwan Prefecture under the jurisdiction of Fujian; in the north, Chahar conquered the remnants of Ligdan Khan's Chahar South of the Desert, and the forty-nine banners of Southern Mongolia offered nine white tributes, vowing to serve as a bulwark. In more than 180 battles, he captured every city he besieged and won every battle in the field, earning the title "A Hundred Battles to Secure the Empire." At that time, the territory extended east to Sakhalin Island, west to the Ili River, north to Baikal, and south to Qiongya, its vastness surpassing that of the Han and Tang dynasties and exceeding that of the Song and Ming Song Ming.
After Emperor Taizu established the empire, the problems of class division gradually became apparent: powerful and wealthy families seized land, leaving the poor with nowhere to stand; officials colluded to embezzle the national treasury; and maritime merchants colluded with officials to monopolize foreign trade and compete with the court for profits. Emperor Taizu was deeply concerned about this and thus resolved to carry out reforms to bridge the class divide.
In the eleventh year of Gui Si, the Equal-Field Decree was promulgated. "All able-bodied men aged sixteen and above shall be granted 100 mu of open land and 20 mu of mulberry land; widows and concubines shall be granted 30 mu; slaves shall be released and treated the same as commoners. Those with more land may sell it, and those without land shall not exceed 1,000 mu; any exceeding this limit shall be confiscated by the government." The powerful Wang family of eastern Eastern Zhejiang, with vast tracts of land and thousands of slaves, defied the edict and secretly allied with the pirate Zhou Rui to seize Ningbo and rebel, killing officials, burning government granaries, and declaring, "Restore the old system and expel the new faction." Emperor Taizu dispatched an imperial censor. He took the Imperial Sword of Authority and went to the capital, ordering Wang Li to lead troops to suppress the rebellion. Rui resisted stubbornly by the sea, so he used fire to burn the enemy ships, cutting off their retreat. Finally, he captured Ningbo, beheaded Rui and 128 other ringleaders of the Wang clan in the marketplace, and hung their heads at the city gate. He then addressed the people, saying, " Heavenly Dao values justice, just as the sun and moon do not tolerate insects eroding its pillars. My land redistribution is not to seize people's property, but to save the people from fire and water." Thereupon, he surveyed all the land in the country and found 8 million hectares of hidden land. Displaced people were given cattle and seeds, and taxes were waived for three years, allowing the people to finally live in peace.
In the twelfth year of Jiawu, an imperial edict was issued to establish a practical examination, abolishing the eight-legged essay and testing candidates in five subjects: arithmetic, agricultural administration, water conservancy, law, and natural science. More than a hundred elderly scholars gathered at the temple below the palace gates, weeping and pleading for the abolition of the new laws. Zhang Yan, a scholar from Shandong, secretly colluded with local strongmen to incite a rebellion, attacking and plundering prefectures and counties, declaring, "Restore the eight-legged essay, expel the new faction!" Emperor Taizu dispatched troops to quell the rebellion. The rebels held out, but the imperial army breached their stronghold within ten days and captured Zhang Yan. Emperor Taizu personally interrogated him at the Meridian Gate. Zhang Yan enumerated the faults of the new laws. Emperor Taizu said, "The ' Tribute of Yu ' records the mountains..." The * Records of the Examination of Craftsmen * details tools and implements, all of which are practical matters. Confucius said, "Enrich the people and educate them," is this merely empty talk? You, clinging to outdated and incomplete ideas, what benefit do you bring to the people's livelihood?" He was executed for several crimes. He then summoned the scholars and asked, "Can you understand the meaning of the * Zhoubi Suanjing * and the * Comprehensive Discussions of River Defense *?" None of them could answer. In this examination, 120 scholars were selected, and the top scholar, Li Guangnian. He was skilled in water conservancy and was immediately promoted to the position of River Conservancy Supervisor, overseeing the repair of the Yellow River dikes. After three years, the river floods greatly subsided, and the people of Yanzhou erected a shrine in his honor.
In the fifteenth year of Dingyou, the Dalai Lama of Ü-Tsang sent an envoy to present the " Map of the Snowland's Territories," painted with gold ink and adorned with embroidered patterns. Emperor Taizu received it in the Hall of Martial Valor and decreed. "The Tang Dynasty had Tubo Treaty Stele Ü-Tsang Regional Military Commission, and the Ming Dynasty established the Ü-Tsang Regional Military Commission; they are all one family. Now we should restore the old system of the Han and Tang Dynasties to pacify distant peoples." He sent an envoy to Lhasa, established the Ü-Tsang Regional Military Commission, stationed troops at the Jokhang Temple, and opened the five markets for tea and horses to facilitate trade. The various Tubo tribes presented golden books, requesting to be treated like the prefectures and counties of the interior. Emperor Taizu personally drafted the " General Regulations for Tibetans and Han and Chinese," allowing them to govern themselves according to their customs, but military and diplomatic affairs were to be centrally controlled and could not be privately transferred between them.
In the seventeenth year of the reign of Emperor Taizu (1649), officials in Jiangnan colluded with maritime merchants to falsify customs duties and smuggle salt, causing annual losses of several million taels of silver to the national treasury. Emperor Taizu discovered this and sent trusted confidants to investigate. They obtained evidence of Qian Man, the Book of Documents of Revenue, colluding with maritime merchants. Emperor Taizu was furious, imprisoned Man, thoroughly investigated his associates, executed over a thousand people, and confiscated tens of millions of taels of silver. He issued an edict. "Collusion between officials and merchants harms the country and its people, a sign of national ruin. From this day forward, any official who colludes with merchants for personal gain will be punished without mercy." The court and the public were shaken, and the administration became somewhat cleaner.
In the twentieth year of Renyin, the Yarkent Khanate in the Western Regions killed over a hundred Chinese merchants, seized goods worth millions, and closed its borders to the public. Emperor Taizu angrily addressed his ministers, saying, "The Han banners do not Yang Pass, yet these barbarians dare to harm my people! This is intolerable!" He appointed Xu Tiande as Generalissimo of the Western Expedition, dispatching 50,000 iron cavalry from the Hexi Corridor, carrying 200 cannons and 3,000 camels for provisions. Crossing the Pamir Mountains, they encountered a severe blizzard. Tiande ordered his soldiers to march in formation, wrapping the cannons in felt to prevent them from freezing and cracking. Reaching the walls of Samarkand, the Khanate deployed heavily armored cavalry to meet them. Tiande deployed his cannons in a crescent formation, and when the enemy was within 300 paces, he unleashed a barrage of cannonballs, piercing their heavy armor; enemy cavalrymen lay dead, one after another. The city fell in three days, and Khan Yesupu was captured Yusuf executed in the marketplace. The Protectorate General to Pacify the West was established, with its capital at Shule City. Elders brought copies of the * Great Tang Records on the Western Regions on the Western Regions* to welcome the imperial army. One white-bearded man, bowing and weeping, said, "We, the descendants of the Zhenguan Emperor, now witness the majesty of the Han dynasty once more!"