The Mongol nation in the golden years of the empire
"The suffering of the common people during the reign of the Yuan Dynasty has lasted for a long time", this sentence seems to accurately describe the social reality of the late Yuan Dynasty. In its heyday, this once huge empire had an incomparably vast territory, including East and Central Asia, as well as Siberia and Southeast Asia, and it can be called the true "empire on which the sun never sets" in the history of the world!
In this glorious empire, the Mongolian people, as the founders of the empire, are undoubtedly the most distinctive and favored group of people.
When Kublai Khan personally founded the Yuan Dynasty, he gave great preferential treatment to the Mongolian people. According to the strict hierarchy of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongol people were revered as the supreme race and enjoyed countless privileges.
Not only did they receive a lot of fertile land and endless wealth, but they could even go beyond the limits of the law - in the Yuan Dynasty, if the Mongols unfortunately killed their Han compatriots, they only had to accept the punishment of 47 strokes of the board and pay a certain amount of compensation.
However, even in the heyday of the Yuan Dynasty, life for the Mongol people was not all smooth sailing. Kublai Khan did not have sincere trust in them, but relied more heavily on the Han army.
In the process of consolidating his position, he implemented a series of policies that displeased the Mongol people, the most important of which was the military household system.
As a nomadic people who rose from the vast steppes, the Mongols were naturally good at fighting, but Kublai Khan incorporated them into military households and forced them to fight on distant frontiers.
This is undoubtedly a heavy burden for the Mongolian people. In the steppe, a single horse was enough for all the needs of a cavalryman, but once migrated to the Central Plains, the situation changed drastically.
At the same time, the Yuan government also required the Mongol soldiers to pay for equipment and travel expenses out of their own pockets, which was undoubtedly worse for them who had just transitioned from herders to farmers.
According to historical records, the cost of an expedition was as high as a staggering 1,000 yuan, which is almost equivalent to the salary of a county magistrate for an entire year. In order to raise this huge amount of money, many Mongolian people had to sell their property, even selling their children.
In the face of such a severe predicament, many Mongolian compatriots deeply realized that their faith in the Yuan Dynasty was gradually being lost, and began to seriously think about their own environment.
They began to realize that even as the ruling class of the Yuan Dynasty, their ethnic group could not withstand the harsh and exorbitant taxes imposed by the Yuan rulers, and this situation undoubtedly laid the groundwork for the subsequent uprising.
Mongolians under the military household system!
As the founders of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongol people held supremacy in the hierarchy created by Kublai Khan. However, it is deeply disappointing that Kublai Khan did not really give them enough trust, and instead relied more heavily on the Han army.
In order to consolidate his rule, Kublai Khan adopted a series of measures during the reign of the Yuan Dynasty that deeply resented the Mongol people, the most decisive of which was the military household system.
This system made it mandatory for all Mongolian people to serve in the army, which was a heavy burden for the Mongolian people, who had long been accustomed to a nomadic life.
In the vast grasslands, a single horse was enough for all the needs of a cavalryman, but once they moved to the Central Plains, the situation was quite different.
First, let's talk about equipment and rations. The Yuan government stipulated that these Mongol soldiers who went to the frontier had to bring their own equipment and travel expenses, which was undoubtedly worse for them who had just transformed from herders to farmers.
According to historical records, the cost of an expedition was as high as a staggering 1,000 yuan, which is almost equivalent to a county commander's salary for a whole year, which is undoubtedly an unaffordable huge expense for the vast majority of poor Mongolian people.
Second, let's look at the hardships of the expedition. The frontier battlefields of the Yuan Dynasty were located in the far northwest, and it was necessary to cross thousands of mountains and rivers to get there from the Central Plains. For those Mongolian warriors who once galloped on the battlefield, such a long journey was undoubtedly a great test of body and mind.
To make matters worse, the Yuan government had moved away from an aggressive offensive strategy and had gone on the defensive, leaving the Mongol soldiers unable to secure the spoils of war and struggling to sustain the long expeditions.
Finally, we cannot ignore the exploitation of officers. During the journey, due to the restrictions of transportation conditions, many corrupt officials and profiteers took the opportunity to raise prices and brutally exploit these Mongol soldiers.
After they arrived at the barracks, they could not escape the oppression and bullying of the officers.
A series of usury and ruthless exploitation raged like a raging storm, and many people who originally lived in Mongolia eventually became abject proletariat.
In the face of such a severe predicament, many Mongolian people finally completely lost their trust and expectations for the Yuan Dynasty. They began to reflect deeply on the extremely difficult and difficult circumstances in which they lived, and gradually realized that even as members of the Yuan ruling class, they could not afford the increasingly harsh taxes imposed by the Yuan rulers.
This undoubtedly laid a hidden fuse for the large-scale uprising that broke out in the ensuing period. In the face of the increasingly brutal oppression and exploitation of the Yuan rulers, more and more Mongol people began to look for a way to resist oppression.
More crucially, the grievances of these Mongolian people have also aroused sympathy and sympathy among the general public. In the later peasant uprising at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, they became a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Whenever there was any opportunity for revolt, these Mongol people were clearly more inclined to join the Ming army and made a crucial contribution to overthrowing the tyrannical rule of the Yuan dynasty.
It is no exaggeration to say that it was the corruption and tyranny of the Yuan rulers that ultimately led to hundreds of thousands of Mongol people choosing to support the Ming Dynasty and oppose the historic transformation of the Yuan Dynasty.
The Mongol people who supported the Ming Dynasty and rebelled against the Yuan Dynasty
In the magnificent historical process of the peasant uprising at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongolian people have always been an important participant in it, although their reputation is far less prominent than that of the leaders of the peasant uprising.
However, if we delve into the historical sources, we will find that these Mongol people actually made great efforts and sacrifices to overthrow the brutal rule of the Yuan Dynasty.
For example, in the key battle of Xu Da's attack on Beijing, as many as 40,000 to 50,000 Mongol people chose to defect to the Ming army. These people may not have been motivated by political considerations, but simply could not tolerate the corruption of the Yuan rulers, and seized the opportunity to revolt.
They had long hated the rule of the Yuan Dynasty, and under the heavy oppression of the military household system, life had fallen into the abyss of despair. When they saw the arrival of the Ming Dynasty army, they did not hesitate to choose to surrender.
For another example, when Emperor Yuan Shun fled the steppe in a hurry, there were still as many as 400,000 Mongol households near Dadu. Surprisingly, however, only one in ten of the upper-middle class were willing to follow Emperor Yuan Shun into exile, and the rest chose to surrender to the Ming army.
This phenomenon is confusing to many, but if we dig deeper, it is not difficult to draw conclusions.
First of all, it is undeniable that these Mongols have developed a deep anger against the oppression and exorbitant taxes imposed by the Yuan rulers. Under the rotten military household system, they were burdened with all kinds of deep exploitation and oppression, which made them lose confidence in the future of the Yuan Dynasty.
On the other hand, however, they are also deeply aware that there is a huge difference in the interests of themselves and those of the scholarly class. Although these scholars and doctors were ostensibly martyred, in fact they were only trying to maintain their privileges and status.
However, for these people living at the bottom of society, as long as they can escape the torment of poverty, they no longer care who they serve.
Because of this, the active participation of these Mongols allowed the Ming army to successfully overthrow the brutal rule of the Yuan Dynasty. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang also knew the value of these Mongols.
Instead of simply excluding or persecuting these Mongols, he adopted a series of enlightened policies to achieve their assimilation.
For example, the Ming Dynasty continued to follow the military household system of the Yuan Dynasty, including the Mongols, while strictly prohibiting them from intermarrying with their own ethnic group, forcing them to intermarry with the Han Chinese, learn Chinese, change to Hanfu, and so on.
Although these measures seemed quite severe, they did effectively promote the process of sinicization of the Mongols.
Many of the Mongol generals who had joined the Ming army eventually received awards and became important military forces in the Ming Dynasty. Among them, such as Hu Dawei, Man Gui and others are even more famous generals.
They not only served the Ming Dynasty with great loyalty, but also showed unwavering loyalty at critical moments.
Even in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, when corruption and darkness gradually consumed the entire dynasty, there were still many Mongols who dedicated their lives to the Ming Dynasty.
However, not all Mongols were able to fully embrace this policy of sinicization. During the Wanli period, there was a Mongol rebellion such as the Bibai Rebellion.
This incident once again proves that the corruption and oppression of the rulers are the main culprits that cause the unrest in the hearts of the people.
Despite the assimilation policies of the Ming Dynasty, the Mongols' loyalty to the Ming Dynasty still had certain limitations. Their fundamental desire is simply to get rid of poverty and regain their freedom.
If the rulers of the Ming Dynasty once again made the mistake of corruption and oppression, it will be difficult for those Mongols who once took it as their duty to support the Ming Dynasty against the Yuan Dynasty to choose to rebel against traditional rule again! This repeated phenomenon of history just reveals that public opinion is the fundamental driving force that determines the fate of the dynasty!
After an in-depth analysis of the magnificent history of the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, it is not difficult to find that the corruption and brutality of the rulers were the main culprits that led to social unrest.
As a vast empire spanning the Eurasian continent, the Yuan Dynasty certainly possessed unparalleled power in its heyday, but its internal injustice and methods of rule eventually aroused strong dissatisfaction among the people of all ethnic groups, including the Mongols.
Even the Mongols, who were the ruling class of the Yuan Dynasty, could no longer endure the harsh rule of the Yuan rulers.
In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, although Zhu Yuanzhang resorted to a series of iron-fisted attempts to assimilate the Mongols, they were clearly more inclined to be loyal to the nascent Ming regime as long as they could get rid of their suffering.
It is no exaggeration to say that it was the corruption and tyranny of the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty that eventually prompted many Mongols to choose the path of supporting the Ming and opposing the Yuan.
The wheels of history are always strikingly similar. Whether it is the Yuan Dynasty or other feudal dynasties, as long as the ruler ignores the will of the people and embezzles and takes bribes, it will eventually arouse strong indignation and resistance from the people.
As the famous saying goes, "He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world." Only by sincerely respecting the will of the people and actively responding to the concerns of the people's livelihood can the ruler sit firmly in the country and control the ministers.
In the turbulent era of the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, the feat of hundreds of thousands of Mongolians supporting the Ming and opposing the Yuan Dynasty undoubtedly demonstrated this truth. Although their choices are driven by the instinct of survival, they have become a key force in the course of history.
All this reminds us that only by sincerely serving the people can the ruler win the hearts and minds of the people and achieve long-term peace and stability in the country.
The assimilation policy of the Ming Dynasty towards the Mongols
After the establishment of the Ming regime, Zhu Yuanzhang was well aware of the crucial role of the Mongols in overthrowing the Yuan dynasty. Therefore, instead of simply excluding or persecuting these Mongols, he adopted a series of policies to try to assimilate them and gradually integrate them into Han Chinese society.
When the Ming Dynasty was first established, it drew on and inherited the excellent experience of the previous Yuan Dynasty and decisively incorporated a large number of Mongolian warriors into the military household system, making it an important part of the Ming Dynasty's armed forces.
However, in order to prevent these Mongol warriors from relaunching rebellions and even revolutionary activities, Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor, adopted more severe policy measures. For example, they were strictly forbidden to marry their own ethnic group and were forced to enter into marriage relations with the Han people, and they had to learn to master the Chinese language, change Han Chinese costumes, adopt Han names, and so on.
Although these measures seem to be quite harsh, they do effectively promote the process of sinicization of the Mongolian people. Many Mongolian generals who had originally joined the Ming army were eventually rewarded and promoted to become an important military force in the Ming Dynasty.
Among them, outstanding figures such as Hu Dawei and Man Gui are among the best.
They not only contributed their own strength to the prosperity and stability of the Ming Dynasty, but also showed great loyalty at critical moments. Even in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, when corruption and darkness gradually loomed over the empire, many Mongol warriors remained at their posts until the very end of their lives.
Although their fundamental desire may simply be to escape poverty and regain their freedom, they ultimately chose to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty.
However, not all Mongolian people have fully embraced this policy of sinicization. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, there were uprisings of the Mongolian people such as the Bibai Rebellion.
This proves once again that despite the assimilation of the Ming Dynasty, the loyalty of the Mongolian people to the Ming Dynasty still has certain limitations.
As long as the rulers of the Ming Dynasty revert to the old path of corruption and oppression, those Mongol people who once supported the Ming Dynasty and opposed the Yuan Dynasty are likely to choose to rebel again. This repeated cycle of history just reveals that public opinion is the fundamental driving force that determines the fate of the dynasty.
To sum up, the Ming Dynasty, although it took quite drastic measures against the Mongol people, also gave full play to their key role in overthrowing the rule of the Yuan Dynasty.
Through a series of assimilation policies, Emperor Hongwu successfully incorporated a large number of Mongol people into the Ming Dynasty's ruling system, and cultivated many Mongolian generals with outstanding talents, which undoubtedly greatly enhanced the fighting strength of the Ming Dynasty and laid a solid foundation for its future prosperity.
Through an in-depth analysis of the magnificent historical process of the late Yuan Dynasty and the early Ming Dynasty, it is not difficult for us to come to the conclusion that the corruption and tyranny of the rulers are the main culprits of social unrest!
As a vast empire that once dominated the world, the Yuan Dynasty undoubtedly possessed immense power in its heyday. However, its internal system of serious inequality and ruthless methods of governance eventually aroused great indignation and disgust among the Mongolian and other ethnic groups.
Even the Mongol aristocracy, who were at the center of the Yuan dynasty's power, could not tolerate the harsh oppression inflicted on them by their rulers.
In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, although Emperor Hongwu (i.e., Zhu Yuanzhang) implemented a series of iron-fisted policies to assimilate these Mongols into Ming subjects, they were clearly more inclined to show loyalty to the Ming Dynasty as long as they could escape the misery of life.
There is no doubt that it was the corruption and tyranny of the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty that made countless Mongols resolutely choose to defect to the Ming Dynasty and fight against the Yuan Dynasty together.
The wheels of history are always strikingly similar. Whether it is the Yuan Dynasty or any other feudal dynasty, as long as the rulers ignore the will of the people, take bribes, and violate laws and disciplines, they will inevitably arouse strong dissatisfaction and resistance among the broad masses of the people in the end.
As the famous saying goes, "those who win the hearts of the people win the world" Only by truly respecting the will of the people and paying attention to the people's livelihood can the ruler sit firmly in the country and control the ministers.
Against the backdrop of the turbulent times of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, hundreds of thousands of Mongols chose to support the Ming Dynasty and oppose the Yuan Dynasty.
Although their choices are based on the most basic needs for survival, they have become a key force in the development of history, all of which reminds us that only by serving the people with sincerity and sincerity can rulers win the hearts and minds of the people and achieve long-term stability of the country.