Jia Lu

  • The Rise of Ming and the Flight of the Yuan

    Introduction: This article traces the fall of the Yuan Dynasty and the rise of the Ming. Plagued by court infighting, moral decay, and massive peasant uprisings, the Yuan collapsed amid chaos. Zhu Yuanzhang, a former peasant and monk, rose through strategic patience, unified southern China, and defeated rival rebels. In 1368, he founded the…

  • The Last Reform: Toghon Temür and the Rise and Fall of Toghto

    Introduction: This article covers the final reform of the Yuan Dynasty. Emperor Toghon Temür and Prime Minister Toghto overthrew tyranny, revived exams, and fixed the Yellow River. But court intrigue and a seduction plot turned the emperor corrupt. Toghto was framed and killed; the army collapsed. The last hope for Yuan was gone.