104
625. This year (1388-1389), Korea, Champa, Liu-ch'iu, Siam,
Cambodia, Samarkand, and Annam all sent tribute. T'ai-tsu ordered Annam to send tribute once every three years. Elephants
and rhinoceroses were not to be sent. In Annam, Li Chi-wei assassinated his ruler (Ch'en) Wei.
626. On the twelfth of February, T'ai-tsu renamed the Imperial
Clan Directorate as the Imperial Clan Court. He appointed Chu
Shuang, prince of Ch'in, to be director and Chu Kang, prince of
Chin, and Chu Ti, prince of Yen, to be the first and second vice
directors, and Chu Su, prince of Chou, and Chu Chen, prince of
Ch'u, to be first and second associate directors.
627. On the thirteenth of February, T'ai-tsu performed the
Great Sacrifice to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
628. On the twenty-first of February, Fu Yu-te defeated A-tzu
at P'u-an.
629. On the seventeenth of March, Tai-tsu ordered Lan Yii to
train troops in Ssu-ch'uan.
630. On the twentieth of March, T'ai-tsu forbade military officers to meddle in civilian matters.
631. On the twenty-first of March, the Hu-kuang chiliad commander, Hsia Te-chung, joined with the Chiu-hsi Man and rebelled.
Yen Sheng, marquis of Ching-ning, attacked and pacified them.
Hsia Te-chung was ambushed and killed.
632. This month (February-March) A-tsu surrendered.
633. On the twenty-eighth of March, Fu Yu-te was ordered to
lead other generals in establishing several military-agricultural colonies in Ssu-ch'uan and Hu-kuang in order to guard against the
Man tribes of the Southwest.
634. On the twenty-sixth of April, T'ai-tsu moved people from
Chiang-nan to farm in Huai-nan. He ordered them provided with
paper money and agricultural implements and granted them three
years' tax exemption.
635. On the tenth of May, T'ai-tsu ordered HsU YUn-kung,
State Duke of Wei, and Ch'ang Sheng, State Founding Duke, and
others to train troops in Hu-kuang.
636. On the eleventh of May, T'ai-tsu transferred the surren-
105
dered Mongol princes to Tan-lo.
637. This month (April-May), T'ai-tsu sent censors to investigate
Shan-tung officials who had concealed disasters and failed to submit reports.
638. On the seventeenth of June, T'ai-tsu established the T'aining, To-yen, and Fu-yii^ guards in Wu-liang-ha.
639. In the seventh month (July-August), Fu Yu-te and others
were summoned back to the capital.
640. On the ninth of September, T'ai-tsu ordered everyone to
bring forward men of advanced years who were experienced in
practical affairs.
641. This month (August-September), T'ai-tsu revised and determined the Laws of the Great Ming Dynasty.
642. On the twentieth of September, there was a solar eclipse.
643. On the nineteenth of November, T'ai-tsu ordered Chin
Chen, marquis of Hsuan-te, and others to train troops in Hu-kuang.
644. On the second of December, Ssu-lun-fa presented tribute
and confessed his guilt. Lu-ch'uan was now pacified.
645. On the twenty-seventh of December, Chu Su, prince of
Chou, was found guilty and was banished to YUn-nan. Subsequently, T'ai-tsu rescinded his banishment and caused him to reside in the capital.
646. T'ai-tsu ordered Wang Pi, the marquis of Ting-yiian, and
others to train troops in Shan-hsi,a Ho-nan, and Shan-hsi.
647. This year (1389-1390), Korea, Annam, Champa, Siam, and
Cambodia presented tribute. (YUan) Yeh-su T'ieh-mu-erh assassinated his ruler, T'o-ku-ssu T'ieh-mu-erh, and enthroned K'un T'iehmu-erh. Korea deposed its ruler, Wang Yii, and then deposed his
successor, Wang Ch'ang. Li 'Chi-wei of Annam assassinated his
ruler, Ch'en Jih-hun.
648. On the nineteenth of January, Chu Kang, the prince of
Chin, and Chu Ti, the prince of Yen, led an army against Yiian
Prime Minister Yao-chu and Grand Guardian Nai-erh-pu-hua.
The General of the Expedition against the Enemy Slaves, Fu Yu-te,
the State Duke of Ying, and others were all under the prince of
106
Chin's command.
649. On the thirty-first of January, T'ai-tsu performed the Great
Sacrifice to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
650. On the first of February, the Kuei-chou Man rebelled.
T'ang Sheng-tsung, marquis of Yen-an, attacked and pacified them.
651. On the sixth of February, Chu Fu, the prince of Ch'i,
served at the head of an army under Chu Ti, the prince of Yen, in
the Northern Campaign. The Kan-choua bandits created a disturbance. Hu Hai, marquis of Tung-ch'uan, was appointed Regional
Commander. Ch'en Huan, marquis of P'u-ting, and Yeh Sheng,
marquis of Ching-ning, were his assistants. They attacked and
pacified the bandits.
652. T'ai-tsu ordered T'ang Sheng-tsung, marquis of Yen-an, to
take charge of the agricultural colonies of the several guards of
Kuei-chou.
653. On the first of March, Lan Yii attacked and pacified the
rebellious Man of Hsi-fan.
654. On the ninth of March, T'ai-tsu plowed the Imperial Field.
655. On the sixteenth of March, the Yellow River burst its dikes
at Kuei-te. T'ai-tsu sent civilian workers and several military units
to repair them.
656. On the fifteenth of April, Chu Ti, prince of Yen, stopped
with his army at I-tu. Yao-chu and others surrendered.
657. In the fourth month (April-May), Lu Chung-heng, marquis
of Chi-an, and others were tried for their parts in the Hu Wei-yung
conspiracy and imprisoned.
658. On the eighteenth of April, Chu Tzu, prince of T'an, committed suicide by fire.
659. On the twenty-eighth of May, Lan Yii pacified the rebellious Man of Shih-nan and Chung-chien.
660. On the fifteenth of June, T'ai-tsu ordered a number of
dukes and marquises back to their places and bestowed gifts of
gold and silk in appropriate degree.
661. On the sixth of July, T'ai-tsu granted the privilege of suicide
to the Grand Preceptor and State Duke of Han Li Shan-ch'ang. Lu
107
Chung-heng and others all were retried and executed. He then
composed the Record of Evil Conspiracy Brought to Light and
published it everywhere.
662. On the sixteenth of July, Lan YU sent Chang Lung, the
marquis of Feng-hsiang, to pacify the Man tribes of Tu-ytin and
San-mao.
663. On the tenth of August, T'ai-tsu ordered the selection and
appointment of elderly commoners possessing talent and virtue
and having knowledge of the law and antiquity.
664. On the twelfth of August, the Yellow River burst its dikes
at K'ai-feng. T'ai-tsu provided relief.
665. On the thirteenth of August, Ch'ung-ming and Hai-men
suffered wind and rain and high tides. T'ai-tsu sent officials to
provide relief and mobilized two hundred fifty thousand civilian
workers to repair the sea-walls.
666. On the twenty-first of September, T'ai-tsu ordered that
recruitment of clerks and other petty functionaries for government office be forbidden.
667. Lan Yii returned.
668. This month (September-October), T'ai-tsu provided flood
relief to Ho-nan, Pei-p'ing, and Shan-tung.
669. On the ninth of October, there was a solar eclipse.
670. On the twenty-seventh of November, T'ai-tsu provided
famine relief for Hu-kuang.
671. On the thirty-first of December, T'ai-tsu remitted agricultural taxes due on farmlands in Shan-tung that had been affected
by natural disasters.
672. On the tenth of January, T'ai-tsu ordered that persons
convicted of less-than-capital crimes (and some capital crimes)
transport grain to the northern frontiers in order to redeem themselves.
673. On the nineteenth of January, T'ai-tsu abolished everywhere the annual production quotas of figured silks.
674. This year (1390-1391), Mo-la, Ha-mei-li, Korea, Champa,
Cambodia, Liu-ch'iu, and Siam presented tribute.
108
675. On the nineteenth of February, T'ai-tsu performed the
Great Sacrifice to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
676. On the twenty-fourth of February, Fu Yu-te, State Duke of
Ying, became General of the Expedition Against the Enemy Slaves.
Wang Pi, marquis of Ting-yUan, and Kuo Ying, marquis of Wu-ting,
were his assistants. They were to prepare the border defenses near
Pei-p'ing.
677. On the fifth of March, T'ai-tsu remitted the agricultural
taxes of Shan-tung.
678. On the twentieth of March, T'ai-tsu plowed the Imperial
Field.
679. On the fifth of April, there was a solar eclipse.
680. HsU Hui-tsu, State Duke of Wei, Li Ching-Iung, State Duke
of Ts'ao, Lan YU, State Duke of Liang, and others were to prepare
defenses in Shan-hsi.D
681. On the twelfth of April, T'ai-tsu ordered Yeh Sheng,
marquis of Ching-ning, to train troops in Kansu.
682. On April fourteenth, T'ai-tsu made awards to HsU Kuan
and other Ranked and Presented Doctors.
683. On the eighteenth of May, T'ai-tsu invested his imperial
sons, Chu Chan as Prince of Ch'ing, Chu Ch'Uan as Prince of Ning,
Chu Pien as Prince of Min, Chu Hui as Prince of Ku, Chu Sung as
Prince of Han, Chu Mu as Prince of Shen, Chu Ying as Prince of
An, Chu Ching as Prince of T'ang, Chu Tung as Prince of Ying, and
Chu I as Prince of I.
684. On the thirtieth of May, Chu Ti, prince of Yen, led Fu Yute and other generals out of the passes, defeated the enemy, and
returned.
685. On the fourteenth of June,* the six princes of Han, Wei,
Ku, Ch'ing, Ning, and Min trained troops in Lin-ch'ing.
686. On the fifth of July, T'ai-tsu ordered the court officials to
investigate the ceremonial regulations of the successive dynasties
and to make the final revision of the regulations pertaining to caps,
*MingHistory has/Jc B.but the Shih-lu has /£$, which is evidently correct.
109
robes, dwellings, and utensils.
687. On the tenth of July, because there had been a long
drought, T'ai-tsu ordered a reexamination of judicial decisions.
688. On the fifteenth of August, T'ai-tsu transferred wealthy
families to the capital.
689. On the sixteenth of August, T'ai-tsu remitted half the office-land taxes of the Metropolitan Area.
690. On the thirtieth of August, Chu Shuang, prince of Ch'in,
was found guilty and recalled to the capital.
691. On the ninth of September, T'ai-tsu ordered the heir apparent to make a pacification tour of Shan-hsi.
692. On the nineteenth of September, the assistant chief military commissioners, Liu Chen and Sung Sheng, attacked Ha-mei-li
and defeated the enemy there.
693. On the twenty-ninth of September, T'ai-tsu sent an emissary to convey instructions to the western borders (Hsi-yil).
694. This month, the Japanese raided Lei-chou. The centurion,
Li Yli, and the adjutant, T'ai Ting, were killed in battle.
695. On the thirty-first of October, T'ai-tsu remitted taxes on
the flooded fields of Pei-p'ing and Ho-chien.
696. On the seventh of December, the Wu-k'ai Man rebelled.
Assistant Military Commissioner Mao Ting suppressed and pacified
them.
697. On the twenty-third of December, the heir apparent returned to the capital.
698. Chu Kang, prince of Chin, came to court.
699. On the twenty-fourth of December, T'ai-tsu provided flood
relief to Ho-nan.
700. On the twelfth of January, Chu Su, prince of Chou, was
sent back to his state.
701. On the twenty-third of January, A-tzu rebelled again.
Assistant Chief Military Commissioner Ho Fu suppressed him and
obtained his surrender.
702. This year (1391-1392), the Yellow Register for tax and
110
corvee was completed. The number of households was calculated
to be 10,684,435 and the number of persons, 56,774,561.
703. Liu-ch'iu, Siam, Bishbalik, and Samarkand presented tribute. Champa underwent a rebellion and tribute from that country
was refused.
704. On the thirtieth of January, Chu Su, prince of Chou, came
to court.
705. On the first of February, the Yellow River burst its dikes
at Yang-wu. ,T'ai-tsu sent soldiers and civilians to repair them and
forgave taxes on the flooded fields.
706. On the sixth of February, T'ai-tsu performed the Great
Sacrifice to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
707. Ho Fu attacked the Tu-yu'n and Pi-chieh Man and pacified
them.
708. On the twelfth of February, T'ai-tsu ordered prisoners who
had been condemned to death to transport grain beyond the passes.
709. On the thirteenth of February, Chu Kang, prince of Chin,
Chu Ti, prince of Yen, Chu Chen, prince of Ch'u, and Chu Po,
prince of Hsiang, came to court.
710. On the twenty-ninth of February, T'ai-tsu summoned Li
Ching-lung, State Duke of Ts'ao, and others, back to the capital.
He sent Yeh Sheng, marquis of Ching-ning, and others to train
troops in Ho-nan and in Lin-t'ao, Kung-ch'ang, Kan, Liang, Yenan, and Ch'ing-yang.
711. Chief Military Commissioner Mao Ting pacified the Wuk'ai Man.
712. On the eighth of March, T'ai-tsu plowed the Imperial Field.
713. On the twenty-second of March, T'ai-tsu ordered the soldiers of the guards and battalions everywhere to be employed in
military agriculture in the proportion of seven-tenths.
714. On the twenty-fifth of March, T'ai-tsu ordered Feng Sheng
and others, fourteen in all, severally to put right the affairs of the
guard units in Shan-hsi, Shan-hsi,a and Ho-nan.
715. On the first of April, T'ai-tsu reinvested Chu Kuei, prince
of Yii, as Prince of Tai; Chu Ying, prince of Han, as Prince of Su;
111
and Chu Chih, prince of Wei, as Prince of Liao.
716. On the twenty-third of April, Lan YU, State Duke of Liang,
campaigned in Han-tung.
717. On the twenty-fourth of April, Yueh-lu T'ieh-mu-erh.,
commander of the Chien-ch'ang Guard, rebelled. The guard commander, Lu I, defeated him.
718. On the seventeenth of May, Chu Piao, the heir apparent,
died.
719. On the nineteenth of May, T'ai-tsu ordered the chief military commissioners, Nieh Wei, Hsii Ssu-ma, and Ch'u' Neng to
campaign against Yiieh-lu T'ieh-mu-erh. They were ordered to
wait for Lan Yii to arrive at their encampment and place themselves under his command.
720. On the twenty-second of May, Lan Yii arrived at Han-tung.
The bandits fled and he pursued them to Chien-ch'ang.
721. On the thirtieth of May, T'ai-tsu provided flood relief to
Ch'en-chouc and YUan-wu.
722. On the seventh of July, Mu Ying, the marquis of Hsi-p'ing,
died in Ytin-nan.
723. On the twentieth of July, Chu Shuang, prince of Ch'in,
returned to his estate.
724. On the twenty-third of July, the guard commander, Ch'u
Neng, defeated Yiieh-lu T'ieh-mu-erh at Shuang-lang Fort.
725. On the twenty-eighth of August, Chou Te-hsing, marquis
of Chiang-hsia, was tried for some affair and executed.
726. On the fifth of September, Feng Sheng and Fu Yu-te led
State Founding Duke Ch'ang, and others, severally to inspect
Shan-hsi.a They re-registered (some members of) civilian families
as military, established military agricultural colonies in Ta-t'ung and
Tung-sheng, and set up sixteen guards.
727. On the twelfth of September, T'ai-tsu granted annual stipends to the dukes and marquises. Lands that had been given
them were returned to the public domain.
728. On the fourteenth of September, Yeh Sheng, marquis of
113
112
Ching-ning, was tried for his role in the Hu Wei-yung affair and
executed.
729. On the twenty-eighth of September, Tai-tsu established
the imperial grandson, Yiin-wen, as Heir Apparent.
730. The Korean, Li Ch'eng-kuei, imprisoned his ruler, Wang
Yao, and enthroned himself. He sent a countryman to request the
conferral of the mandate. T'ai-tsu ordered that the request be
complied with. The name of the state was changed to Ch'ao-hsien.
731. On the twelfth of November, Mu Ch'un, as Mu Ying's heir,
was invested with the title Marquis of Hsi-p'ing and was posted in
Yiin-nan.
732. On the first of December, Lan Ytl captured YUeh-lu T'iehmu-erh and killed him. T'ai-tsu then recalled Lan YU.
733. On the tenth of January, Feng Sheng, State Duke of Sung,
Fu Yu-te, State Duke of Ying, and others served as Grand
Preceptors and Grand Guardians of the Heir Apparent.
734. On the third of February, Feng Sheng was appointed Regional Military Commander and Fu Yu-te was appointed to assist
him. They were to train troops in Shan-hsia and Ho-nan and, at
the same time, to direct the affairs of the agricultural colonies and
the guard units.
735. This year (1392-1393), Chung-shan and Shan-nan in Liuch'iu and Korea and Ha-mei-li presented tribute.
736. On the thirteenth of February, T'ai-tsu ordered that elderly
commoners be excused from coming to court.
737. On the twenty-sixth of February, T'ai-tsu performed the
Great Sacrifice to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
738. On the fourteenth of March, T'ai-tsu ordered Chu Kang,
prince of Chin, to take command of the armies of Shan-hsia and
Ho-nan to lead them out through the passes, and recalled Feng
Sheng, Fu Yu-te, Ch'ang Shang, Wang Pi, and others to the capital.
739. On the twenty-second of March, Chu Ch'un, prince of Shu,
came to court.
740. Lan Yii, State Duke of Liang, made plans to rebel. He and
Chang I, marquis of Ho-ch'ing; Ch'en Huan, marquis of P'u-ting;
Ts'ao Chen, marquis of Ching-ch'uan; Chu Shou, marquis of Yulu; Ho Jung, earl of Tung-wan; Minister of Civil Office Chan Hui
and others were tried and executed.
741. On the twenty-sixth of March, T'ai-tsu published the
Record of Rebellious Officials throughout the land.
742. On the twenty-seventh of March, T'ai-tsu plowed the Imperial Field.
743. On the seventeenth of April, Chu Kuei, prince of Tai, led
his own guards out the passes and placed himself under the command of the prince of Chin.
744. T'ai-tsu ordered Keng Ping-wen, marquis of Ch'ang Hsing,
to train troops in Shan-hsi.b
745. On the twenty-second of April, Feng Sheng and Fu Yu-te
made ready the defenses of Shansia and Pei-p'ing. The principal
officers of the guard units in these two areas were to place themselves under the command of the princes of Chin and Yen, respectively. On the twenty-sixth, T'ai-tsu further ordered the two princes to submit reports only on matters of importance.
746. On the twenty-eighth of April, Chang Wen, marquis of Huining, was tried for his part in the Lan YU conspiracy and executed.
747. On the eleventh of May, T'ai-tsu received a report of famine in Hsiao-kan. He sent a messenger riding back with instructions
to open the granaries and issue grain to the hungry. He also made
an edict to the effect that from that time forward, in the event of
famine, the local officials would first distribute grain and only then
send up their reports. This was made law.
748. On the twenty-fourth of May, Chu Su, prince of Chou,
came to court.
749. On the twenty-sixth of May (owing to there having been)
a long drought, T'ai-tsu ordered all officials to make truthful reports of governmental strengths and shortcomings and ordered a
review of criminal decisions.
750. On the first of June, T'ai-tsu considered that Annam, by
regicide, had rendered its throne vacant and ordered that its tribute missions be stopped.
751. On the eighth of August, there was a solar eclipse.
114
752. On the twelfth of August, T'ai-tsu selected the Flourishing
Talent, Chang Tsung-chUn, and others, who then followed the officials of the Supervisorate of Instruction and took their places in
the Hall of Cultural Flowering where they served attendance upon
the grandson heir apparent.
753. During September-October, the five princes of Ch'in, Chin,
Yen, Chou, and Ch'i came to court. On the sixteenth of October,
the five princes of Tai, Su, Liao, Ch'ing, and Ning came to court.
754. Tai-tsu gave an order pertaining to any surviving participants in the Hu Wei-yung and Lan YU conspiracies.
755. On the twenty-eighth of November, T'ai-tsu selected sixtyfour students of the State Academy to.be provincial administration
commissioners and other officials.
756. In the twelfth month (January 1394), T'ai-tsu published
the Record of the Eternal Mirror for the princes.
757. This year (1393-1394), Liu-ch'iu, Java, and Siam presented
tribute.
758. On the fifteenth of February, T'ai-tsu performed the Great
Offering to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
759. On the twenty-first of February, T'ai-tsu ordered Li Chinglung to serve as General of the Ch'iang Pacification with his base
in Kan-su.
760. T'ai-tsu had granaries all over the empire opened to make
distributions to the poor.
761. On the first of April, T'ai-tsu bestowed gifts on the Ranked
and Presented Doctors, Chang Hsin and others, according to their
deserts.
762. On the second of April, Hsii Hui-tsu, State Duke of Wei,
and Wu Chieh, the marquis of An-Iu, prepared defenses in Chechiang against the Japanese.
763. On the eleventh of April, T'ai-tsu gave the people a lesson
in how to plant mulberry, jujube trees, and cotton.
764. On the twenty-fifth of April, considering the entire empire
to have been pacified, T'ai-tsu had armor and weapons collected
and stored in order to show that they were not to be used any
115
longer.
765. On the second of September, Wu Chieh and Chang Ch'Uan,
the marquis of Yung-ting, led retired military officers in preparing
defenses in Kuang-tung against the Japanese.
766. On the third of September, T'ai-tsu sent students of the
State Academy everywhere to direct minor officials and the common people in the improvement of irrigation works.
767. On the fourteenth of September, forces in Chieh and Wen
were in rebellion. T'ai-tsu ordered Chief Military Commander
Ning Cheng to serve as General of the Ch'iang Pacification Expedition and suppress them.
768. In the ninth month (September-October), T'ai-tsu sent Hsii
Hui-tsu to manage the several armies along the Shan-hsib frontier.
769. On the twenty-second of December, Fu Yu-te, State Duke
of Ying, was tried for some crime and executed.
770. A-tzu again rebelled. Mu Ch'un, the marquis of Hsi-p'ing,
attacked and defeated him.
771. On the first of January, Wang Pi, marquis of Ting-yuan,
was tried for some crime and executed.
772. This year (1394-1395), Tibet, Liu-ch'iu, Burma, To-kan,
Java, Samarkand, and Korea presented tribute. Annam offered
tribute and was refused.
773. On the first of February, the Chieh and Wen bandits were
pacified. Ning Cheng was now ordered to go with his troops to
serve under Chu Shuang, prince of Ch'in, against the rebellious Fan
ofT'ao-chou.
774. On the second of February, T'ai-tsu performed the great
Offering to Heaven and Earth of the South Suburban Altars.
775. On the nineteenth of February, Mu Ch'un, the marquis of
Hsi-p'ing, captured and beheaded A-tzu. Yiieh-choua was now
pacified.
776. This month, Chu Su, prince of Chou, and Chu Kang, prince
of Chin, led guard forces of Ho-nan and Shansi3 out of the passes
to build fortifications and establish agricultural colonies. Chu Ti,
prince of Yen, led Chief Military Commissioner Chou Hsing
116
out beyond the Liao-tung frontier.
777. On the twenty-second of February, Feng Sheng, State
Duke of Sung, was tried for some crime and executed.
778. On the sixteenth of March, T'ai-tsu instructed the Ministry
of Revenue to register each hundred civilian families in a //. In the
event of a wedding, a funeral, an illness, or a disaster, the wealthy
families in the // were to contribute from their wealth and the poor
were to contribute from their bodily strength. In spring and autumn plowing and harvest, the families of the // were to join their
strength to accomplish the task. This was to be made known in
order that the people might be taught to be good neighbors.
779. On the twenty-seventh of June, T'ai-tsu ordered the establishment of Confucian schools by all local officials.
780. On the sixth of July, Chou Hsing and others pursued the
enemy from K'ai-yilan to Fu-ta-mi ch'eng without overtaking
them, and then returned.
781. On the fourteenth of July, the Emperor appeared at the
Gate of Service to Heaven to instruct the multitude of officials.
He said, "It has been more than forty years since I embarked on
rebellion. Now I clearly perceive truth and error and correct the
malefactors. If punishments are inflicted other than those prescribed by law, this violates the root principle of rulership. My
imperial heirs shall be guided only by the Laws and by the Ta Kao.
They are forbidden to use mutilating punishment by branding,
tatooing, amputation of feet or nose, and castration. Any officials who dare to recommend the infliction of such punishments
shall themselves be punished severely." The Emperor also said, "I
abolished the office of Chief Councilor and established the Chief
Military Commissions, the Six Ministries, and the Censorate separately to regulate the multifarious business of government while
the power of decision reverts to the Imperial Audience Hall. My
imperial heirs may not reestablish the office of Chief Councilor and
any officials who recommend its reestablishment shall be severely
punished. Members of the imperial family shall be punished without mercy if they have conspired to rebel. When other crimes have
been committed by members of this family, there shall be a family
council which will reach a decision. Judicial officers shall be per-
117
mitted only to memorialize their recommendations. They may not
take action on their own authority. These commands are to be
inscribed in the statutes and forever obeyed."
782. On the twenty-first of August, T'ai-tsu ordered Chief Military Commissioner Yang Wen to serve as General of the Southern
Expedition. Guard Commander Han Kuan and Assistant Chief
Military Commissioner Sung Sheng were to be his lieutenants in
punishing the Lung-choua native official Chao Tsung-shou.
783. On the twenty-second of August, T'ang Ho, Sincere State
Duke, died.
784. On the fourth of September, Chao Tsung-shou confessed
his faults and came to court.
785. T'ai-tsu ordered Yang Wen (to call off his Lung-choua
campaign) and to move his forces to punish the rebellious Nan-tan
Man.
786. On the twentieth of September, T'ai-tsu remitted the autumn grain taxes due from the Metropolitan Area and Shan-tung.
787. On the third of October, T'ai-tsu published in the capital
and in the provinces the articles and sections of the Ancestral
Instructions of the Imperial Ming Dynasty and said that any talk
of altering what had there been laid down would be treated as the
counsel of evil officials.
788. On the twenty-seventh of December, the Man of Feng-i
and Nan-tan had been entirely pacified.
789. On the thirteenth of January, T'ai-tsu ordered remission
of the Shan-tung and Ho-nan taxes on mulberry and jujube lands
and on lands that had been brought under cultivation after 1394.
790. This year (1395-1396), Korea, Liu-ch'iu, and Siam presented tribute.
791. On the twenty-second of February, T'ai-tsu performed the
Great Offering on the South Suburban Altars.
792. On the twenty-fourth of March, General of the Barbarian Expedition Hu Mien attacked the Man of Ch'en-chou1' and
Kuei-lin and pacified them.
793. On the first of April, T'ai-tsu ordered Chu Ti, prince of
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Yen, to lead his army on a tour through Ta-ning. He also sent the
eldest son of the prince of Chou, Yu-tun, to lead an army on a
patrol of strategic points near Pei-p'ing.
794. On the eleventh of April, T'ai-tsu summoned Chu Chen,
prince of Ch'u, and Chu Po, prince of Hsiang, to court.
795. On the fourteenth of April, the prince of Yen defeated the
enemy at Ch'e-ch'e-erh Mountain and pursued them to Wu-liangha t'u ch 'eng where he defeated them again, before returning home.
796. On the twenty-fourth of September, T'ai-tsu remitted
taxes from Ying-t'ien, T'ai-p'ing, and other prefectures, five in all.
797. On the twenty-second of October, T'ai-tsu summoned more
than twenty-five hundred retired military officers to the court
and generously rewarded them. He also advanced each one of
them one degree in rank.
798. This year (1396-1397), Liu-ch'iu, Annam, Korea, and Tibet
presented tribute.
799. On the thirty-first of January [text has February 18th],
T'ai-tsu ordered Keng Ping-wen to be General of the Western Expedition and Kuo Ying to be his lieutenant. They were to make a
tour of the northwest frontier.
800. On the tenth of February, T'ai-tsu performed the Great
Offering to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
801. On the eleventh of February, T'ai-tsu established branch
offices of the Court of the Imperial Stud in Shansi,3 Pei-p'ing,
Shansi, Kansu, and Liao-tung to control the administration of
the horse pasturages.
802. On the thirteenth of February, T'ai-tsu ordered Chief
Military Commissioner of the Left Yang Wen to take charge of the
military agricultural colonies in Liao-tung.
803. This month (January-February), bandits appeared in MienHsien.3 T'ai-tsu ordered Keng Ping-wen to suppress them.
804. On the sixth of March, the Shui-hsi Man rebelled. T'ai-tsu
ordered Assistant Chief Military Commissioner Ku Ch'eng to
be General of the Southern Expedition to attack and pacify them.
805. On the twenty-ninth of March, T'ai-tsu rewarded Ch'en An
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and other Ranked and Presented Doctors in appropriate amounts.
806. On the twenty-fifth of April, the Ku-chou Man rebelled.
Wu Te, the Lung-li chiliad commander, and the military constable,
Ching Fu, were killed in the battle. On the fourteenth of May,
T'ai-tsu ordered the guard commander, Ch'i Jang, to serve as
Ch'iang Pacifying General and suppress them.
807. On the seventeenth of May, the Shui-hsi Man were pacified.
808. On the twenty-seventh of May, there was a solar eclipse.
809. On the thirtieth of May, Chu Chen, prince of Ch'u, and
Chu Po, prince of Hsiang, led an army to suppress the Ku-chou
Man.
810. On the twenty-f ;f th of June, T'ai-tsu gave rewards in proper measure to Han K'o-chung and other Ranked and Presented
Doctors who had been examined by the Ministry of Rites after
having passed the provincial examinations.
811. On the twenty-third of July, Senior Consort Ou-yangLun
was found guilty and permitted to commit suicide.
812. On the thirtieth of August, the Yellow River burst its dikes
at K'ai-feng.
813. On the sixth of September, T'ai-tsu ordered Li Ching-lung
to serve as General of the Expedition Against the Enemy Slaves
and train troops in Ho-nan.
814. On the twenty-second of September, the Han-chung and
Mien3 bandits were pacified.
815. On the tenth of October, the Lu-ch'uan P'ing-mien local
chief tain, Tao-kan-meng, expelled Pacification Commissioner Ssulun-fa and rebelled.
816. On the seventeenth of October, T'ai-tsu ordered Chief
Military Commissioner Yang Wen to be General of the Expedition
Against the Enemy Slaves, replacing Ch'i Jang.
817. On the thirtieth of October, T'ai-tsu ordered the suspension
of the Liao-tung sea transport.
818. On the second of November, T'ai-tsu ordered Keng Pingwen to train troops in Shan-hsi.
819. On the sixth of November, rebuilding of the State
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Academy's First Teacher Temple was completed.
820. On the fourteenth of December, T'ai-tsu ordered Mu Ch'un
to serve as Forward General of the Expedition Against the Enemy
Slaves and Chief Military Commissioner Ho Fu and others to
serve as his lieutenants. They were to suppress Tao-kan-meng.
821. This year (1397-1398), Liu-ch'iu, Champa, Korea, Siam,
Tibet, and Nepal presented tribute.
822. On the first of February, T'ai-tsu performed the Great
Offering to Heaven and Earth on the South Suburban Altars.
823. On the fourth of February, T'ai-tsu sent officials to Shantung and Ho-nan to offer lessons in agriculture.
824. On the twenty-fourth of February, Japanese raided Ninghai. The guard commander, T'ao To, attacked and defeated them.
825. On the twelfth of March, the Ku-chou Man were pacified
and T'ai-tsu recalled Yang Wen.
826. On the fifteenth of March, Assistant Military Commissioner Hsu" K'ai attacked and pacified the Mo-hsieh Man.
827. On the twentieth of April, palace officials, considering
Korea to have frequently given grounds for enmity, requested a
punitive expedition. The request was not granted.
828. On the seventeenth of May, Mu Ch'un attacked Tao Kanmeng and badly defeated him.
829. On the twenty-fourth of May, T'ai-tsu was ill.
830. On the twenty-eighth of May, T'ai-tsu ordered Military
Chief Commissioner Yang Wen to follow Chu Ti, prince of Yen,
and Kuo Ying, marquis of Wu-ting, to follow Chu Chih, prince of
Liao, and prepare the defenses of K'ai-p'ing. All were to place
themselves under the command of the prince of Yen.*
831. On the twenty-second of June, the Emperor's illness worsened greatly. On the twenty-fourth of June, T'ai-tsu died in the
Western Palace. He was seventy-one years (mi) of age. His posthumous edict said, "I have borne the Mandate of Heaven these thirtyone years. Ever anxious about possible perils and benefits, daily
*See Introduction note, page 15 above.
I labored without rest to bring prosperity to the people. Unavoidably as one risen from poverty and obscurity, I lack the wisdom
of the ancients, but I love what is good and despise what is evil and
this is not far Removed from that wisdom. Now, I am about to
submit to the natural law of all living things and why, in this,
should there be any cause for sadness? Imperial Grandson
Heir Apparent YUn-wen is benevolent, intelligent, a good son to
his father, and a good friend to his friends. He has won the hearts
of all mankind and may fittingly ascend the throne. Civil and
military officials of central and local government will join their
hearts and minds in assisting his rule and so bring peace to my
people. Let no gold or precious stones be used in my funeral rites.
The hills and streams around my tomb should remain as they are; do
not change them. Let the officials and commoners weep for three
days and then take off their mourning clothes. Let there (then) be
no hindrance to the rites of marriage. The princes shall all remain
in the vicinity of their estates and not come to the capital city.
Whatever has not been touched on in my decrees, let it be determined in the spirit of this decree."
832. On the thirty-first of June, T'ai-tsu was buried in the Tomb
of Filiality with the posthumous title Exalted Emperor and the
ancestral temple name Great Ancestor. In the first year of the
Yung-lo reign (1403), he was posthumously designated Holy and
Worthy, Cultivated and Martial, Revered and Brilliant, Refined and
Virtuous, Successful and Accomplished, One-With-Heaven, the
Great Filial Exalted Emperor. In the seventeenth year of the Chiaching reign (1538), the additional title was bestowed, Great Ancestor, the Heaven-Opening, Way Implementing, Dynasty-Founding,
Pinnacle-Standing, Most Holy, Benevolent, Cultivated, Righteous,
Martial, Reifned, Virtuous, and Successful Exalted Emperor.
EPILOGUE
The Emperor was by nature sagacious and brave. His drawing
together the cords of empire with arms as the woof and learning
the warp was an achievement unmatched by the rulers of Han,
T'ang, and Sung. In the beginning of his work as dynastic founder,
he was able to plumb the most obscure depths and discern the
changes that were taking place. Gradually, he took the empire in