the Founder (太祖) | 24 Histories

Overview

the Founder was a ruler and Strategist.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1366 to AD 1367 徐達等下淮東、西
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 135, passage 298
AD 1369 洪武二年四月
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 310
AD 1356 渡江以來
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 135, passage 313
AD 1363 to AD 1367 當是時，江左兵勢日盛
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 271
AD 1363 陳友諒既滅
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 135, passages 263-264

Family

Kinship Role sons · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 310

Career and standing

rose from common cloth 起布衣
Rose from commoner
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 312

Places and affiliations

Polity Ming 明 · Relation Ruled
Strongly inferred · History of Ming 135, passages 263, 310
At east of the Yangzi 江左 · Relation Held
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passages 271, 296
At Jiangnan 江南 · Relation Held
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 278

Works and attributed material

Book of Han 漢書
Relation Reader
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 282
Speech · Speaker · With Kong Keren (孔克仁) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passages 264-269, 271-272, 274-280, 292, 298-308
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passages 283, 285, 287-291, 294-297

Events and relationships

Crossed the Yangzi and set about winning the realm
Political · Ruler
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passages 312-313
Discussed strategy and dynastic rise and fall
Discussion · Speaker · With Kong Keren (孔克仁)
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 263
Ordered classics instruction for princes and meritorious ministers sons
AD 1369 洪武二年四月 · Education · Authority
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 310
Planned west from Xiang Fan and east beyond Huai Si
Military planning · Commander
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 306
Sighed at length
Personal · Speaker
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 273
Turned ambitions to Central Plains
Political · Ruler
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 264

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Relation Compared himself to · Person Emperor Gaozu of Han (漢高祖)
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 271

Assessments and attributes

Assessment heaven's gift aided by talented ministers · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 314
Assessment heroic stratagems and great designs fully preserved in Kong Keren's affairs · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 317

Source notes

Value historical
Directly stated · History of Ming 135, passage 263

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

History of Ming, Chapter 135Volume 135 Biographies 23: Chen Yu, Ye Dui, Fan Chang, Song Siyan, Guo Jingxiang, Yang Yuangao, Ruan Hongdao, Kong Keren · 11 passages

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嘗偕宋濂侍太祖，太祖數與論天下形勢及前代興亡事。 He once attended the Founder together with Song Lian, and the Founder often discussed with them the strategic situation of the realm and the rise and fall of earlier dynasties.

陳友諒既滅，太祖志圖中原，謂克仁曰：「元運既隳，豪傑互爭，其釁可乘。 After Chen Youliang was destroyed, the Founder turned his ambitions toward the Central Plains and said to Kong, "The Yuan mandate is already broken and rival lords contend with one another; the opening can be seized.

當是時，江左兵勢日盛，太祖以漢高自期，嘗謂克仁曰：「秦政暴虐，漢高帝起布衣，以寬大馭群雄，遂為天下主。 At that time military strength east of the Yangzi grew daily; the Founder measured himself against Emperor Gaozu of Han and once said to Kong, "Qin rule was cruel and tyrannical; Emperor Gaozu rose from common cloth, governed the rival lords with magnanimity, and thus became ruler of the realm.

克仁頓首曰：「主上神武，當定天下於一矣。」 Kong bowed and said, "My lord is divinely martial; you will surely unify the realm."

太祖曰：「漢治道不純者何？」 The Founder said, "Why was Han governance not pure?"

太祖曰：「誰執其咎？」 The Founder said, "Who bears the blame?"

太祖曰：「高祖創業，遭秦滅學，民憔悴甫蘇，禮樂之事固所未講。 The Founder said, "Gaozu founded the enterprise at a time when Qin had destroyed learning, the people were worn out and only just reviving, and matters of ritual and music had naturally not yet been addressed.

太祖曰：「項羽南面稱孤，仁義不施，而自矜功伐。 The Founder said, "Xiang Yu faced south and styled himself a lone ruler, showed no benevolence or righteousness, yet prided himself on merit and boasted of his victories.

克仁侍帷幄最久，故獲聞太祖謀略居多。 Kong Keren attended in the command tent longer than anyone else, and so heard more of the Founder's stratagems than the others.

贊曰：太祖起布衣，經營天下。 The commentator says: The Founder rose from common cloth and set about winning the realm.

孔克仁無可稱述，以太祖之雄謀大略具其事中，故敘列於篇。 Kong Keren has nothing especially worth recounting in his own right; because the Founder's heroic stratagems and great designs are fully preserved in the affairs in which he appears, he is therefore included in this chapter.