The founding of the Ming Dynasty was a famous event in the long history. What is surprising is that hundreds of thousands of Mongols actually supported the Ming Dynasty and opposed their own Yuan Dynasty! Why did the Mongols, who were the founders and core force of the Yuan Dynasty, choose such a position in the early days of the Ming Dynasty? Was it because of the new favor and the abandonment of the old, or because of economic factors? Let us explore the background and unveil the mystery of history.
Speaking of the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, you may think of a magnificent picture of fierce battles between the north and the south. Indeed, this war is unique in Chinese history, as it was the only successful war of unification from the south to the north. And behind this seemingly simple war of unification, there is a little-known secret: thousands of Mongols turned out to be supporters of the Ming Dynasty!
You heard it right, why did the Mongols, who had been high in power during the Yuan Dynasty, choose to support a new Han Chinese dynasty? It all starts with the social structure of the Yuan Dynasty. The social structure of the Yuan dynasty was strictly divided into four classes: the Mongols, the Semu, the Northerners, and the Southerners. Under this system, the Mongols undoubtedly stood at the top of the food chain and enjoyed all kinds of privileged treatment.
But is this really the case? The Mongols, who appear to be beautiful on the surface, actually have their own sufferings. In the later years of the Yuan Dynasty, due to political corruption and economic decay, even the Mongols themselves lived in hardship and even had to go out to beg. To make matters worse, the Yuan Dynasty's military household system made it mandatory for all Mongols to join the army, which would have been their advantage, as the Mongols were widely recognized for their horse archery skills.
During the time of Kublai Khan, a large number of Mongols were forced to change from herders to farmers, and this transition was undoubtedly painful for them. Herders, who used to roam freely on the grasslands, now have to settle down to a plot of land to cultivate. And those war horses that were originally used to fight in all directions can now only be shelved.
What's more, they also have to take on the heavy responsibility of guarding the frontier, and often need to travel thousands of miles to fight. But unlike under Genghis Khan, these battles were more defensive in nature, making it difficult for the Mongol soldiers to obtain material compensation through the war. This state of affairs directly led to the low morale of the Mongol soldiers and a significant decrease in the quality of life.
When Zhu Yuanzhang founded the Ming Dynasty, he very wisely absorbed a large number of the remnants of the Mongol army. Not only did he reuse the Mongol generals, but he also retained the Mongol military system so that the Mongol soldiers could continue to fight in the way they were good at. This policy gave many Mongols new hope, and they came to believe that supporting the Ming might have a better future.
Don't underestimate the choices of these Mongols, whose accession greatly enhanced the military power of the Ming Dynasty. This part of the force has played an indispensable role in many battles. More importantly, this combination of ethnic groups also laid the foundation for the Ming Dynasty's pluralistic policy.
The Mongols themselves would have chosen to support the Ming Dynasty, which was not unrelated to the infighting in the last years of the Yuan Dynasty. In the late Yuan Dynasty, there were frequent changes of imperial power and fierce struggles among various factions, which made the national policy change frequently and the people were struggling to make a living. In this situation, the Mongols also felt a strong sense of unease and powerlessness.
In contrast, the rise of the Ming Dynasty provided a new and stable environment. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Ming Taizu took a series of measures to improve people's livelihood. He knew that if he wanted to rule this multi-ethnic country for a long time, he had to be inclusive enough. He not only used the force of the Mongols, but more importantly, gave them new hope in life and social status.
That is why, when the banner of the Ming Dynasty was gradually raised on the land of China, many Mongols chose to stand under this banner. They hoped to find their place under the new regime, and to restore the glory and freedom they had enjoyed in the early Yuan Dynasty.
History always surprises people, and the Mongols' support for the Ming Dynasty is a wonderful chapter in it. From the golden age of the Yuan Dynasty to the rise of the Ming Dynasty, the fate of the Mongols experienced great twists and turns. Their choice is not only a choice for their personal future, but also a wisdom to find survival in turbulent times. Every choice is the beginning of a new era, and the history of the Mongols and the Ming Dynasty tells us not only about power and war, but also about how to find ourselves in the midst of change and adapt to the development of the times.