In the wake of the Hongwu Emperor's death, his grandson - Zhu Yunwen - will assume command. He's been brought up and trained in the highest of Confucian ethics and morals, and will seek to curb the excesses of his dear grandfather's... more bloodthirsty policies. But not everyone is thrilled at the new leaf being turned in the book of the regime... especially those who stand to lose much more than they could possibly gain.

Time Period Covered:

1398-1399 CE

Major Historical Figures:

The Jianwen Emperor (Zhu Yunwen) [r. 1398-1402]

Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan [1360-1424]

Minister Huang Zicheng [1350-1402]

Minister Qi Tai [d. 1402]

Minister Fang Xiaoru [1357-1402]

General Geng Bingwen [1334-1403]

General Li Jinglong [1369-1424]

Major Works Cited:

Andrade, Tonio. “How Yongle learned to stop worrying and love the gun” in The Ming World.

Chan, Hok-lam. “The Chien-wen, Yung-lo, Hung-hsi, and Hsüan-te Reigns, 1399-1435” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1633, Part I.

Ditmanson, Peter. “Venerating the Martyrs of the 1402 Usurpation: History and Memory in the Mid and late Ming Dynasty” in T’oung Pao, Second Series, Vol. 93.

Ditmanson, Peter. “Fang Xiaoru: Moralistic Politics in the Early Ming” in The Human Tradition in Premodern China.

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