The Yuan Dynasty, as a foreign power ruling the Central Plains, brought many influences to China. Not only did it make significant political, economic, and cultural contributions, but more importantly, it consolidated China's unification and prevented China from being divided into princely divisions like Europe. Without the reunification of the Yuan Dynasty, what fate would China have headed? This is a historical question worth pondering.
The expansion of the Yuan Dynasty reunified most of the old frontiers of the Han and Tang dynasties
It is said that since ancient times, there has been a cycle of division and unification in the land of China. Whenever a strong dynasty is established, it will bring most of its territory into its territory and achieve domination, but as the dynasty declines, local separatist forces will take advantage of the situation and cause the country to fall apart.
In the last years of the Song Dynasty, the Central Plains once again fell into this turbulent situation. The Liao, Western Xia, Jin and other minority regimes in the north had already divided most of the territory of the Song Dynasty, and the Southern Song Dynasty was left with only a corner of the south of the Yangtze River. Just as the people of the world were living in the misery of war, a Mongolian iron cavalry from the desert began their westward expedition.
In 1206, Temujin convened a general meeting of the Mongol tribes in the dry and barren waters and grasses of Kipchak near the Agalisu Sea in present-day Mongolia, and was elected "Genghis Khan". Since then, the Mongols have begun to expand abroad.
In 1211, the Mongol army captured the Western Xia capital of Shazhou (present-day Yinchuan, Ningxia), and the Western Xia kingdom ceased to exist. In 1218, the Mongol army captured Dali, the capital of Dali, and the Dali Kingdom also perished. In 1234, the Mongol army captured the capital of the Jin Dynasty, Zhongdu (present-day Beijing), and the Jin Dynasty ceased to exist.
In this way, in just a few decades, the Mongol army defeated the separatist regimes in northern China one by one, and reunified most of China's territory. This was the first time since the Tang Dynasty that a foreign power had unified such a vast territory.
However, the ambitions of the Mongols went far beyond that. In 1274, the Mongol army began an expedition against Japan, which ended in failure, but it already demonstrated the ambition of the Mongols to take the initiative and expand their territory.
In 1258, the Mongol army captured the Arab city of Baghdad, ending more than 700 years of Arab rule in the Middle East. In 1279, the Mongol army moved south again and captured most of Vietnam. Although it ultimately failed to completely conquer Vietnam, it laid the groundwork for the Ming Dynasty's later expansion into the south.
In this way, in just a few decades, the Mongols not only unified northern China, but also expanded their territory to most of Asia, establishing a large empire across Asia and Europe. This was an unprecedented situation in Chinese history, and it also laid a solid foundation for the later Yuan dynasty's rule in the Central Plains.
The policy of ethnic integration of the Yuan Dynasty laid the foundation for the integration of multiple ethnic groups
Since ancient times, the land of China has been a place inhabited by many ethnic groups. With the migration and integration of people of various ethnic groups, the Central Plains region has gradually formed a pattern with the Han nationality as the main ethnic group. However, before the Yuan Dynasty, the estrangement between various ethnic groups still existed, and ethnic contradictions occurred from time to time.
It wasn't until the Mongols unified China that they set out to solve this historical legacy. As nomadic Mongols, they themselves are a large people formed by the fusion of many tribes. Therefore, they have unique views and practices on national integration.
In 1271, after Kublai Khan succeeded to the throne, he promulgated an important policy: canonization of the tribes. The core content of this policy is to divide the people of all ethnic groups in China into different "color people" according to their population size, distribution range, and other factors.
The so-called "color eye people" are to distinguish different ethnic groups according to their skin color and eye color. For example, the Mongols and the Semu are classified as "white", and the Han Chinese are classified as "black".
In the process of canonizing the tribes, Kublai Khan not only determined the names and identities of the tribes, but more importantly, gave them the corresponding political status and rights. For example, the Mongols are called "national people" and have the highest political status, while the Han Chinese, although called "black people", have also been given certain rights, much higher than other ethnic minorities.
The implementation of this policy marks the first time that China has established a multi-ethnic integration pattern at the institutional level, and has laid the foundation for ethnic integration in future generations.
In addition to canonizing the clans, the Yuan dynasty also made significant contributions to strengthening the centralization of power. In 1286, the Yuan Dynasty implemented the provincial system nationwide, dividing the country into four levels: provinces, roads, prefectures, and counties. This has not only facilitated the central government's management of the localities, but more importantly, it has broken the previous pattern of mixed living among various ethnic groups, and redistributed and resettled the people of various ethnic groups according to administrative divisions.
For example, in today's Xinjiang region, the Yuan Dynasty set up the "Xinjiang Province and Other Provinces" to unify the local Uygurs, Kazakhs and other ethnic groups under the jurisdiction of the central government. In the interior, Mongols and Han Chinese were placed in different provinces to strengthen management.
On the one hand, this practice of administrative division consolidated the rule of the Yuan Dynasty throughout the country, and on the other hand, it also created conditions for the exchange and integration of various ethnic groups. With the passage of time, people of all ethnic groups have more and more contacts in production and life, and the estrangement between ethnic groups has gradually been eliminated.
In addition to the provincial system, the Yuan Dynasty also vigorously pursued the policy of "harmony and proximity" to promote the integration of ethnic groups. The so-called "harmony" is to connect the princes and nobles of different nationalities through marriage, so as to deepen the feelings between each other.
For example, Kublai Khan intermarried with Han Chinese families many times, and his sons also married Han wives. At the local level, the Mongol aristocracy was also encouraged to intermarry with powerful local families. This practice undoubtedly accelerated the process of integration between the Mongols and the Han Chinese.
It is precisely because of the various policies and practices of the Yuan Dynasty in terms of ethnic integration that China presented an unprecedented situation of ethnic integration during this period. Under the iron-fisted rule of the Yuan Dynasty, the people of all ethnic groups gradually put aside their prejudices and communicated with each other, learned from each other, and tolerated each other. This laid a solid foundation for the formation of the Chinese nation in later generations.
The Yuan Dynasty made great achievements in the economy
After the unification of China, the Yuan Dynasty also made outstanding contributions to economic construction. They inherited and developed some of the excellent traditions of the Song Dynasty, and at the same time created a new economic system, leaving a valuable legacy for future generations.
Among them, the most famous is the repair and dredging of the Grand Canal by the Yuan Dynasty. The Grand Canal is an inland shipping artery that runs through the north and south, connecting the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. Its excavation can be traced back to the Qin and Han dynasties. However, due to the long-term lack of maintenance, it was interrupted several times by the Song Dynasty, which seriously affected the transportation of grain.
After the founding of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan attached great importance to this issue. In 1289, he ordered a massive dredging of the Grand Canal throughout the country. The project took a lot of manpower and material resources and took several years to complete. But the hard work paid off, and once the Grand Canal was unimpeded, grain could be transported smoothly from the south to the Yuan capital and other parts of the north.
At that time, the capital of Yuan (now Beijing) was located in the North China Plain and the climate was arid, so agricultural production had been difficult. Without the Grand Canal to transport grain, the Yuan capital would not have been able to sustain its huge population. Therefore, the restoration of the Grand Canal not only solved the problem of grain transportation, but also maintained the foundation of the Yuan Dynasty's rule.
In addition to the Grand Canal, the Yuan Dynasty also vigorously developed overseas trade, continuing the prosperity of the Song Dynasty. At that time, the Yuan Dynasty had already expanded its territory to Southeast Asia. In order to facilitate management, the Yuan Dynasty set up "provinces" in Quanzhou, present-day Fujian, and other places to be responsible for overseas trade affairs.
Quanzhou was the largest seaport city in China at the time, and merchant ships from all over the world gathered here. Precious commodities from Arabia, India, Southeast Asia and other places are continuously imported into China by sea. At the same time, China's silk and porcelain are also exported overseas, driving the development of domestic related industries.
In addition to overseas trade, the Yuan Dynasty also made great achievements in agricultural production. As a nomadic people, the Mongols have always paid little attention to agricultural production. But after the unification of China, they realized the importance of agriculture in the country's economy. Therefore, the government of the Yuan Dynasty vigorously encouraged people to reclaim wasteland and gave certain preferential policies.
At the same time, the Yuan Dynasty also introduced some new crops and agricultural technologies from Central Asia, such as cotton and flax, which greatly enriched China's agricultural varieties. Under the impetus of the Yuan Dynasty, China's agricultural production developed by leaps and bounds, laying the foundation for economic prosperity in later generations.
In general, the achievements of the Yuan Dynasty in economic construction are obvious to all. They not only inherited the excellent traditions of their predecessors, but also had the courage to innovate, so that China's economy achieved all-round development during this period. In particular, the restoration of the Grand Canal and the flourishing of overseas trade are of great historical significance for maintaining the unity and prosperity of the country.
The influence of the cultural heritage of the Yuan Dynasty on later generations
As a foreign power, the Yuan Dynasty not only left a profound influence on politics and economy during its rule in China, but also made a unique distinction in cultural construction, leaving a valuable cultural heritage for future generations.
Among them, the most well-known is the Yuan Dynasty's practice of heavy military suppression. As a nomadic people, the Mongols have admired force since ancient times, and regarded force as the foundation of system governance. Therefore, after the unification of China, the Yuan Dynasty regime vigorously promoted the idea of heavy military suppression of science.
The so-called "science" refers to the Song and Ming Dynasty science, that is, Cheng Zhu science. This academic thought was very popular in the Song Dynasty, which advocated "preserving heavenly principles and destroying human desires", emphasizing personal moral cultivation and opposing all worldly pursuits. But in the eyes of the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty, this idea undoubtedly affected their rule, so it had to be curtailed.
As a result, the Yuan Dynasty vigorously pursued a policy of heavy military force and suppression of science throughout the country. They not only suppressed the development of science, but also vigorously advocated the idea of the supremacy of force. Under the impetus of the Yuan Dynasty, there was a strong martial wind throughout the country.
This kind of martial arts is not only reflected in the ideological level, but also in practical life. In the Yuan Dynasty at that time, scenes of martial arts training such as equestrianism and bows and arrows could be seen everywhere. Even some literati and scholars were required to master a certain amount of martial arts in case they were needed.
Under the influence of this environment, a large number of military generals and military strategists appeared during the Yuan Dynasty, such as Yue Fei and Wen Tianxiang, who were not only strong in martial arts, but also known for their loyalty and bravery. At the same time, a large number of military theorists emerged in the Yuan Dynasty, such as Hao Jing and Guo Shoujing, whose writings had a profound impact on the military development of later generations.
In addition to the heavy martial arts and the suppression of science, the Yuan Dynasty also had outstanding achievements in the art of architecture. As the capital of the Mongols in the Central Plains, Yuan Dadu was undoubtedly a representative work of architectural art at that time.
Located in the urban area of present-day Beijing, the Yuan capital covers an area of about 36 square kilometers and was one of the largest capitals in the world at the time. The planning and layout of the whole city strictly follows the Mongolian tradition, and the architectural styles such as city walls, palaces, and temples all integrate the characteristics of Mongolia and the Central Plains, which is very distinctive.
Today, although most of the buildings in the capital of Yuan are gone, we can still get a glimpse of the glory of the past through the unearthed cultural relics and relics. Among them, the most famous is today's Yuan Dadu Ruins Park, which preserves important relics such as the palace city and the imperial tomb, and is known as the "Roman of the East".
In addition to the art of architecture, the Yuan Dynasty also witnessed the spread and integration of Mongolian culture in the Central Plains. As rulers, the Mongols naturally brought their own culture into China. Their way of life, language, religious beliefs, etc., have all influenced and integrated into the Central Plains culture to a certain extent.
Among them, the most representative is the spread of the Mongolian language. The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty not only promoted the use of Mongolian throughout the country, but also used it as one of the official languages, alongside Chinese. Although the influence of Mongolian in the Central Plains gradually weakened, its existence laid the foundation for cultural exchanges in later generations.
Overall, the cultural impact of the Yuan dynasty on China was profound and long-lasting. It not only promoted the development of traditional Chinese culture, but also integrated foreign culture into the Central Plains, making a significant contribution to the cultural exchange and integration of later generations. It was precisely because of the mutual cultural learning during this period of the Yuan Dynasty that the Chinese culture radiated new vitality in the later development.