Ming Taizu (太祖) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Ming Taizu as a ruler. This record brings together 52 passages from 3 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Ming Taizu	太祖	Taizu
Title	emperor	帝
Title	Emperor	帝
Title	founding emperor	太祖
Title	Founding Emperor	太祖
Temple name	Founding Emperor	太祖
Title	Prince of Wu	吳王
Temple name	Taizu	太祖	Taizu
Temple	Taizu	太祖	Tàizǔ

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · mingshi:057:s0070, mingshi:127:s0004
Sex: male
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0247, mingshi:140:s0304, mingshi:140:s0308

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 太祖即帝位 · Western Year: AD 1368
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:127:s0042
Source Date: Text: 太祖略地滁陽 · Western Interval: Start: AD 1353 · End: AD 1355
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:127:s0004
Source Date: Text: 明初（與常遇春、徐達等同時之洪武朝事） · Western Interval: Start: AD 1368 · End: AD 1398
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:140:s0304, mingshi:140:s0308, mingshi:140:s0310
Source Date: Text: 洪武三年 · Western Year: AD 1370
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:057:s0212, mingshi:057:s0247
Source Date: Text: 洪武三年 · Western Year: AD 1370
Explicit · mingshi:127:s0049
Source Date: Text: 洪武三年六月 · Western Year: AD 1370
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0111
Source Date: Text: 洪武元年 · Western Year: AD 1368
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:057:s0269
Source Date: Text: 洪武四年七月 · Western Year: AD 1371
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0070

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Parent of Crown Prince (皇太子)
Kinship Term: crown prince / 皇太子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Spouse of Empress (中宮)
Kinship Term: empress / 中宮 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Subject Role: empress · Object Role: emperor
Parent of Princess of Lin'an (臨安公主)
Kinship Term: princess / 公主 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: daughter · Object Role: father

Career and standing

Label: emperor / 太祖
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0247
Action: refused · Label: captive-presentation rite / 獻俘禮
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0112, mingshi:057:s0113

Places and affiliations

Label: Ming / 明 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0070, mingshi:140:s0308

Works and attributed material

Work: Three Records Exposing the Traitorous Party / 昭示奸黨三錄 · Relation: authored
Explicit · mingshi:127:s0097
Kind: judgment · Role: speaker · Provenance: Mode: historian-summary · Speaker Person Id: Ming Taizu (太祖)
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0247
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Li Shanchang (李善長)
Explicit · mingshi:127:s0006
Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0115

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: honored-and-promoted-Guo-Botai-and-Lu-Yi · Other Person Id: Guo Botai (郭伯泰)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0311
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: honored-and-promoted-Guo-Botai-and-Lu-Yi · Other Person Id: Lu Yi (陸鎰)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0311
Kind: ritual · Role: receiving-sovereign · Action: modified-surrender-rite · Other Person Id: Ming Sheng (明升) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 洪武四年七月 · Western Year: AD 1371
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0070, mingshi:057:s0079
Kind: ritual · Role: issuer · Action: ordered National University and prefectural and county students to practice archery and promulgated the archery protocol throughout the realm · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 洪武三年 · Western Year: AD 1370
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:057:s0247, mingshi:057:s0248, mingshi:057:s0249, mingshi:057:s0250, mingshi:057:s0251
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: praised-Hu-Mengtong-Guo-Bogao-Li-Sijin · Other Person Id: Guo Bogao (郭伯高)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0312, mingshi:140:s0313
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: praised-Hu-Mengtong-Guo-Bogao-Li-Sijin · Other Person Id: Li Sijin (李思進)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0312, mingshi:140:s0313
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: praised-Hu-Mengtong-Guo-Bogao-Li-Sijin · Other Person Id: Hu Mengtong (胡夢通)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0312, mingshi:140:s0313
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: promoted-junior-officials-out-of-turn · Other Person Id: Wang Shangxian (王尚賢)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0316
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: promoted-junior-officials-out-of-turn · Other Person Id: Li Xingsu (李行素)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0316
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: promoted-junior-officials-out-of-turn · Other Person Id: Yuan Shan (元善)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0316
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: promoted-junior-officials-out-of-turn · Other Person Id: Zou Jun (鄒俊)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0316
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: promoted-Shen-Chang-and-others · Other Person Id: Shen Chang (沈昌)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0315
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: reduced-Longyang-tax-after-Qing-Wensheng-suicide · Other Person Id: Qing Wensheng (青文勝)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0304
Kind: ritual · Role: sovereign · Action: refused-captive-presentation · Other Person Id: Maidibali (買的裏八剌) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 洪武三年六月 · Western Year: AD 1370
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0111, mingshi:057:s0113
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: restored-imprisoned-officials-including-Yu-Yancheng-Zheng-Min · Other Person Id: Zheng Min (鄭敏)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0314
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: restored-imprisoned-officials-including-Yu-Yancheng-Zheng-Min · Other Person Id: Yu Yancheng (余彥誠)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0314
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: rewarded-Zhang-Chu · Other Person Id: Zhang Chu (張礎)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0310
Kind: legal · Role: ruler · Action: severely-punished-Chen-Xiwen-and-Wang-Fuchun · Other Person Id: Chen Xiwen (陳希文)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0317
Kind: legal · Role: ruler · Action: severely-punished-Chen-Xiwen-and-Wang-Fuchun · Other Person Id: Wang Fuchun (王復春)
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0317

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: archery rites of former kings long abandoned; bow skills practiced only by military men while most literati did not understand them · Provenance: Mode: historian-summary · Speaker Person Id: Ming Taizu (太祖)
Explicit · mingshi:057:s0247
Assessment: knew-corrupt-clerks-harmed-people-and-used-both-punishment-and-rewards · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · mingshi:140:s0308, mingshi:140:s0309

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

History of Ming, Chapter 57Volume 57 Treatises 33: Rites 11 · 7 passages

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洪武四年七月，蜀夏明升降表至京師，太祖命中書集議受降禮。 In the seventh month of the fourth year of Hongwu, Ming Sheng of Shu-Xia presented a surrender memorial at the capital; the founding emperor ordered the Secretariat to convene deliberation on the rite of receiving surrender.

省部請如宋太祖受蜀主孟昶降故事，擬明升朝見日，皇帝御奉天門，升等於午門外跪進待罪表。 The ministries requested following the precedent of Song Taizu receiving the surrender of the Shu ruler Meng Chang: on the day of Ming Sheng's audience, the emperor would preside at the Gate of Supreme Harmony, and Ming Sheng would kneel outside the Meridian Gate to present a memorial awaiting judgment.

帝以昶專治國政，所爲奢縱，升年幼，事由臣下，免其叩頭伏地上表請罪禮，惟命升及其官屬朝見，百官朝賀。 The emperor held that Meng Chang had personally governed state affairs and acted with extravagance and license, while Ming Sheng was young and affairs were decided by his ministers; he exempted them from the rite of knocking the head and prostrating to present a memorial pleading guilt, ordering only that Ming Sheng and his officials attend audience while the officials offered congratulation.

帝不許，事詳《本紀》。 The emperor did not consent; details are given in the Basic Annals.

十一月，大將軍徐達及文忠等師還，車駕出勞於江上。 In the eleventh month, Grand General Xu Da, Wenzhong, and the others returned with their armies; the imperial carriage went out to welcome them on the river.

帝御奉天殿，皇太子親王侍，百官朝服陪列，達、文忠奉表賀。 The emperor presided in the Hall of Supreme Harmony; the crown prince and imperial princes attended; officials in court dress stood in attendance as Xu Da and Wenzhong presented the memorial of congratulation.

太祖又以先王射禮久廢，弧矢之事專習於武夫，而文士多未解，乃詔國學及郡縣生員皆令習射，頒儀式於天下。 The founding emperor further held that the archery rites of former kings had long been abandoned, bow and arrow skills were practiced only by military men while most literati did not understand them; he therefore ordered students of the National University and prefectural and county schools all to practice archery and promulgated the protocol throughout the realm.

History of Ming, Chapter 127Volume 127 Biographies 15: Li Shanzhang, Wang Guangyang · 42 passages

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太祖略地滁陽，善長迎謁。 When the Founding Emperor was expanding his hold around Chuyang on the Chu frontier, Shanzhang came forward to greet him.

知其為里中長者，禮之，留掌書記。 Recognizing him as a leading man of the locality, the Emperor honored him, retained him, and appointed him to manage written records.

嘗從容問曰：「四方戰鬥，何時定乎？」 On one occasion the Emperor asked him casually, "Fighting rages in every quarter—when will the realm be settled?"

對曰：「秦亂，漢高起布衣，豁達大度，知人善任，不嗜殺人，五載成帝業。 Shanzhang answered, "When the Qin order collapsed, Liu Bang rose from the ranks of commoners—open-handed, magnanimous, skilled at knowing men and putting them to use, sparing of bloodshed—and within five years he had won the empire.

公濠產，距沛不遠。 Your Lordship is a son of the Huai country, and Pei lies not far away.

太祖稱善。 The Founding Emperor approved his words.

太祖威名日盛，諸將來歸者，善長察其材，言之太祖。 As the Founding Emperor's fame spread, every commander who came to join him was assessed by Shanzhang for ability and recommended to the throne.

復為太祖布款誠，使皆得自安。 He also spoke reassuringly on the Emperor's behalf so that each man might feel himself secure.

郭子興中流言，疑太祖，稍奪其兵柄。 Guo Zixing, hearing malicious talk, came to doubt the Founding Emperor and little by little withdrew his command.

太祖深倚之。 The Founding Emperor leaned on him all the more.

太祖軍和陽，自將擊雞籠山寨，少留兵佐善長居守。 While the army was encamped at Heyang, the Founding Emperor led the assault on Jilong Mountain himself, leaving Shanzhang behind with a modest garrison.

元將諜知來襲，設伏敗之，太祖以為能。 Yuan scouts discovered the weakness and struck; Shanzhang laid an ambush and routed them, and the Founding Emperor judged him capable.

太祖得巢湖水師，善長力贊渡江。 After the Chaohu flotilla came over, Shanzhang pressed hard for a crossing of the Yangzi.

太祖為太平興國翼大元帥，以為帥府都事。 Made Grand Marshal of the Pacifying State and Flourishing Wings, the Founding Emperor named Shanzhang director of the marshal's headquarters.

將取鎮江，太祖慮諸將不戢下，乃佯怒欲置諸法，善長力救得解。 Before the assault on Zhenjiang the Founding Emperor worried that his commanders would not keep their men in hand; he pretended to rage and threatened legal punishment, until Shanzhang's earnest intercession won them pardon.

太祖為江南行中書省平章，以為參議。 When the Founding Emperor became Pacification Commissioner of the Jiangnan Branch Secretariat, Shanzhang was appointed deliberator.

太祖為吳王，拜右相國。 When the Founding Emperor took the title Prince of Wu, Shanzhang was named Right Chancellor of State.

太祖有所招納，輒令為書。 Whenever the Founding Emperor sought to win someone over, he had Shanzhang write the message.

前後自將征討，皆命居守，將吏帖服，居民安堵，轉調兵餉無乏。 On every campaign the Emperor left him to hold the rear: subordinates obeyed, townsfolk lived undisturbed, and troops and grain moved without fail.

太祖初渡江，頗用重典，一日，謂善長：「法有連坐三條，不已甚乎？」 In his early days south of the river the Founding Emperor relied on harsh law; one day he told Shanzhang, "The code provides three kinds of kin punishment for a single crime—is that not too severe?"

善長因請自大逆而外皆除之，遂命與中丞劉基等裁定律令，頒示中外。 Shanzhang asked that every offense save grand treason be struck from collective punishment; the Emperor then ordered him, Vice Censor-in-Chief Liu Ji, and others to revise the code and publish it throughout the realm.

太祖即帝位，追帝祖考及冊立後妃太子諸王，皆以善長充大禮使。 At his accession, whenever the throne honored imperial ancestors or invested empress, heir, and princes, Shanzhang served as chief ritual commissioner.

帝幸汴梁，善長留守，一切聽便宜行事。 While the Emperor was at Bianliang, Shanzhang stayed behind with full authority to act as he saw fit.

帝謂：「善長雖無汗馬勞，然事朕久，給軍食，功甚大，宜進封大國。」 The Emperor said, "Shanzhang never rode in the van, yet he has served Us long, fed the armies, and his service is surpassing; he deserves enfeoffment as duke of a great state."

太祖所任張昶、楊憲、汪廣洋、胡惟庸皆獲罪，善長事寄如故。 Zhang Chang, Yang Xian, Wang Guangyang, and Hu Weiyong, whom the throne had raised, all fell for crime, yet Shanzhang's trust held.

貴富極，意稍驕，帝始微厭之。 Flush with wealth and rank, he grew somewhat arrogant, and the Emperor's favor cooled.

祺尚主後一月，御史大夫汪廣洋、陳寧疏言：「善長狎寵自恣，陛下病不視朝幾及旬，不問候。 A month after Qi's marriage, Censor-in-Chief Wang Guangyang and Chen Ning reported, "Shanzhang, emboldened by favor, had failed to attend the Emperor during a ten-day illness.

善長不謝，帝銜之。 Shanzhang offered no thanks, and the Emperor took offense.

帝怒按斌，斌故給事惟庸家，因言存義等往時交通惟庸狀。 The Emperor had Bin interrogated; Bin, once a servant in Hu's house, described Cunyi's earlier contacts with Hu.

帝手詔條列其罪，傅著獄辭，為《昭示奸黨三錄》，佈告天下。 The Emperor penned an edict itemizing their crimes, attached it to the trial record, and published the 《Three Records Exposing the Traitorous Party》 throughout the empire.

善長死之明年，虞部郎中王國用上言：「善長與陛下同心，出萬死以取天下，勳臣第一，生封公，死封王，男尚公主，親戚拜官，人臣之分極矣。 In the year after Shanzhang died, Wang Guoyong, director in the Yu Bureau, submitted a memorial: "Shanzhang stood with Your Majesty in one purpose, risked death again and again to win the empire, and stood first among the founding ministers—duke in life, king in death, a son married to a princess, kinsmen raised to office. No subject could ask for more.

善長與惟庸，猶子之親耳，于陛下則親子女也。 Shanzhang's tie to Hu Weiyong was no closer than that of sons-in-law; toward Your Majesty he was bound by a daughter of the imperial house.

今善長之子祺備陛下骨肉親，無纖芥嫌，何苦而忽為此。 Shanzhang's son Qi is Your Majesty's own kin by marriage, without the smallest quarrel—what reason would drive him to such a deed.

今善長已死，言之無益，所願陛下作戒將來耳。」 Shanzhang is dead and words cannot help him; I ask only that Your Majesty guard against such acts hereafter."

太祖得書，竟亦不罪也。 The Founding Emperor received the memorial and in the end did not punish him.

太祖渡江，召為元帥府令史，江南行省提控。 After the Founding Emperor crossed the Yangzi he was called to serve as clerk of the marshal's headquarters and controller of the Jiangnan Branch Secretariat.

帝切責，放還鄉。 The Emperor rebuked him sharply and sent him home.

廣洋無所建白，久之，左遷廣東行省參政，而帝心終善廣洋，復召為左御史大夫。 He put forward little policy; eventually he was demoted to Guangdong, yet the Emperor still thought well of him and recalled him as Left Censor-in-Chief.

帝數誡諭之。 The Emperor admonished him repeatedly.

帝問之，對曰：「無有。」 Questioned by the Emperor, he answered, "There was none."

帝怒，責廣洋朋欺，貶廣南。 The Emperor raged, charged him with collusive deceit, and banished him to Guangnan.

舟次太平，帝追怒其在江西曲庇文正，在中書不發楊憲奸，賜敕誅之。 At Taiping the Emperor's anger flared anew over his shielding of Wen Zheng in Jiangxi and his failure to expose Yang Xian at the Secretariat, and an edict ordered his death.

History of Ming, Chapter 140Volume 140 Biographies 28: Wei Guan, Tao Houzhong, Liu Shihuan, Wang Zongxian, Lu Wensui, Wang Guan, Dao Tong, Lu Xi, Qing Wensheng · 3 passages

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帝聞大驚，憫其為民殺身，詔寬龍陽租二萬四千余石，定為額。 The Emperor was deeply shaken and pitied him for dying on the people's behalf. He ordered Longyang's grain levy reduced by more than twenty-four thousand shi and fixed that as the permanent quota.

贊曰：太祖起閭右，稔墨吏為民害，嘗以極刑處之。 The eulogist writes: The Founding Emperor rose from humble origins and knew well how corrupt clerks preyed on the people; he sometimes punished them with the harshest penalties.

帝並賜內尊，降敕褒勞。 The Emperor rewarded them all with imperial wine and issued edicts of praise.