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.
Zhu Yuanzhang (1328–1398) was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1368 to 1398. Born into extreme poverty in Zhongli, Haozhou (present-day Fengyang, Anhui Province), his original name was Zhu Chongba (or Xingzong), and his courtesy name was Guorui. After ascending the throne, he adopted the temple name Taizu (“Grand Progenitor”) and…