In the tumultuous late Yuan Dynasty, amidst widespread peasant uprisings, a charismatic leader emerged in southwestern China to establish a short-lived yet significant regime: the Great Xia. Its founder, Ming Yuzhen (1331–1366), holds a unique place in history as the only emperor to ever establish his capital in the mountainous city of Chongqing.
The Rise of a Warlord
Ming Yuzhen originally had the surname “Min” (旻). Later, because he followed the Ming Cult (Manichaeism, 明教), he changed his surname to “Ming” (明). His original given name was Rui (瑞), and his courtesy name was Yuzhen (玉珍).
Born into a farming family in modern-day Hubei province, Ming Yuzhen was known for his intelligence, integrity, and martial skills. As the corrupt Yuan government crumbled under the weight of famine and rebellion, local communities were forced to fend for themselves. Ming gathered over a thousand able-bodied villagers to build a fortified stockade on Qingling Mountain for self-defense.
During this era, religious sects played a crucial role in mobilizing the masses. The most prominent rebel force was the Red Turban Army, named for the red headscarves worn by its soldiers. They were closely associated with the White Lotus Society, a secret religious organization that blended Buddhist teachings with prophecies about the coming of Maitreya (the Future Buddha) to save the world from darkness. In 1351, when the Red Turban leader Xu Shouhui established the “Tianwan” state in Hubei, he recruited Ming Yuzhen, appointing him as a grand marshal. During a fierce battle against Yuan forces, Ming was struck in the right eye by a stray arrow, resulting in permanent blindness. Despite this injury, he earned the affectionate nickname “The One-Eyed Marshal” from his troops due to his bravery and leadership.
Establishing the Great Xia in Chongqing
In 1357, leading a fleet westward along the Yangtze River, Ming conquered Chongqing and gradually pacified the Sichuan region. A pivotal moment came in 1360 when the ambitious warlord Chen Youliang assassinated Ming’s former lord, Xu Shouhui, to seize power. Outraged by this betrayal, Ming publicly severed ties with Chen, declared himself the Prince of Longshu, and built a temple in Chongqing to honor the memory of Xu Shouhui.
In early 1363, Ming Yuzhen formally ascended the throne in Chongqing, establishing the Great Xia dynasty. His rule was marked by benevolence and cultural promotion. He abolished oppressive taxes to allow the war-torn populace to recover, established an imperial academy to promote Confucian learning, and made Maitreya Buddhism the state religion.
Ming’s rise attracted the attention of another rising power in the east, Zhu Yuanzhang (who would later found the Ming Dynasty). To avoid conflict on two fronts, Zhu sent envoys to forge an alliance. In a famous private letter, Zhu metaphorically compared himself to Sun Quan (the lord of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period) and Ming Yuzhen to Liu Bei (the ruler of Shu Han). This allusion referenced the historic alliance between Sun and Liu, who united their smaller states to resist larger threats. Zhu expressed his desire for a similar peaceful coexistence, acknowledging Ming’s legitimacy as the ruler of the Sichuan basin.
️ Legacy of a Benevolent Ruler
Ming Yuzhen’s reign was cut short by illness; he died in 1366 at the young age of 38 and was buried in the Ruiling Mausoleum in Chongqing. He was succeeded by his young son, Ming Sheng. Although the Great Xia was eventually annexed by Zhu Yuanzhang’s Ming army in 1371, Ming Yuzhen left behind a legacy of good governance.
The renowned Ming scholar Fang Xiaoru praised him in historical records, noting that while other regions suffered greatly from the cruelty of rival warlords, the people under Ming Yuzhen enjoyed peace and relative prosperity. Fang highlighted Ming’s personal frugality—he was buried with only a single gold cup and small silver ingots, gifts he had received years earlier and never spent—and his dedication to education and protecting his people. Though his dynasty was brief, Ming Yuzhen is remembered as a rare example of a benevolent ruler in a chaotic era.
Note
Ming Yuzhen
Founder of the Great Xia regime and the only emperor to establish a capital in Chongqing.
Great Xia
A short-lived dynasty (1363–1371) established during the late Yuan peasant rebellions.
Red Turban Army
A major rebel force fighting against the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty, known for wearing red headscarves.
White Lotus Society
A clandestine religious movement blending Buddhism and millenarian beliefs, which inspired many peasant uprisings.
Xu Shouhui
Leader of the southern Red Turbans and founder of the Tianwan regime; Ming Yuzhen’s original lord.
Chen Youliang
A rival warlord who assassinated Xu Shouhui, prompting Ming Yuzhen to declare independence.
Zhu Yuanzhang
The founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty; initially an ally of Ming Yuzhen.
Sun Quan and Liu Bei
Historical figures from the Three Kingdoms period. Zhu Yuanzhang used them as metaphors to propose a diplomatic alliance with Ming Yuzhen.
Maitreya Buddhism
A sect believing in the arrival of the Future Buddha (Maitreya) to bring light and justice, adopted as the state religion of Great Xia.
Fang Xiaoru
A famous Confucian scholar of the early Ming Dynasty who documented Ming Yuzhen’s benevolent rule.
Ming Sheng (明升)
The son of Ming Yuzhen and the last ruler of the Great Xia.
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