Ming Xia
The Ming Xia, officially the Great Xia, was a short-lived rebel state in China during the Red Turban Rebellion, which occurred in the final phase of the Yuan dynasty. It was established in Sichuan in 1362 by Ming Yuzhen, who had been ruling there since 1357 on behalf of the rebel state of Tianwan. In 1360, Ming Yuzhen declared himself King of Longshu and ruled independently. The state of Xia was conquered by the Ming dynasty in 1371.
Founding
In 1357, Min Rui, the commander of the state of Tianwan, which emerged from the Red Turban Rebellion, led an army of 10,000 men up the Yangtze River and successfully conquered Sichuan. This conquest greatly increased the strength and influence of Tianwan. One of the main motivations for Ming's expedition to Sichuan was the issue of feeding his army in Hubei, where food shortages were prevalent. Despite remaining loyal to the Tianwan emperor Xu Shouhui, Ming effectively governed Sichuan on his own.In 1360, Chen Youliang overthrew the state of Tianwan and killed Xu Shouhui. Min Rui refused to recognize the new ruler and changed his name to Ming Yuzhen. He declared himself "Master of Light" and took on the title of King of Longshu. Two years later, in 1362, he became emperor of the Great Xia with its capital in Chongqing. Ming Yuzhen ruled successfully and prudently, using a combination of symbolism from the popular millenarianism spread by the White Lotus, such as the worship of the Buddha Maitreya, changing his name, and using the title "Master of Light" to refer to the belief in the coming of the messiah, the "King of Light." He also suppressed Taoism and Buddhism and promoted Confucianism, gaining the trust of the people and the support of the gentry. His administration was heavily influenced by the Confucian scholar Liu Zhen, who dominated his rule for the next few years. Ming Yuzhen organized his administration using traditional methods and terminology from the ancient Zhou dynasty. Despite his successes, he failed in his attempts at expansion. He tried to conquer Yuan province of Yunnan, but the attack was poorly planned and carried out by a small force, resulting in failure. As a result, he abandoned any further conquests.
In 1366, Ming Yuzhen died at the relatively young age of 35 due to illness. His nine-year-old son, Ming Sheng, succeeded him as the "Lesser Master of Light". With a child emperor at the helm, the Xia government lacked strong unified leadership and merely passively awaited the conquest of the Ming.
Fall
After a series of successful campaigns from 1367 to 1370, the Ming dynasty had established control over the majority of China. However, there were still pockets of resistance from the Mongols in the northwest and Yunnan, as well as the state of Xia in Sichuan. As a result, the Ming government shifted its focus towards conquering Sichuan. The state of Xia had previously maintained positive diplomatic relations with the Ming dynasty, dating back to Zhu Yuanzhang's triumph over Chen Youliang at the Battle of Lake Poyang in 1363.In 1370, the Xia court was faced with a difficult decision: whether to reject or accept the Ming's demands for submission. Despite attempts at diplomatic negotiations, peace could not be achieved and in early 1371, the Ming army was mobilized. General Fu Youde was given the order to attack Sichuan from the north, with Deng Yu responsible for providing supplies for his troops. At the same time, Tang He's land forces and Liao Yongzhong's fleet advanced from the east up the Yangtze River.
Tang He and Liao Yongzhong were halted by defenders at Qutang Gorge, located on the border of Sichuan and Hubei. In May 1371, Fu Youte took control of Wenzhou and then proceeded to capture Mianzhou in a night battle. After several weeks of preparation, Fu Youte and his troops crossed the Luo River, the final barrier before reaching Chengdu. In an effort to fortify the defense of Chengdu, the defenders relocated an army from the border with Hubei to the Yangtze and Luo rivers, but this army was ultimately defeated in July 1371.
Withdrawing some of their troops from Qutang Gorge and utilizing their artillery superiority, Tang He and Liao Yongzhong were able to advance along the Yangtze River without encountering any major obstacles. By August, they had reached Chongqing, and the fifteen-year-old emperor Ming Sheng and his mother surrendered. In September, the defenders of Chengdu also surrendered.
After the conquest of Sichuan, the young emperor was given an honorary title and taken to Nanjing. In 1372, he was sent to Korea. During his time there, he lived a comfortable life and his descendants were exempt from taxes until the mid-17th century. The Ming government's fear of keeping Ming Sheng in China was justified, as evidenced by the 1475 Miao rebellion in Guizhou, where the leader claimed to be a descendant of Ming Yuzhen.
Works cited
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Category:History of Sichuan
Category:Transition from Yuan to Ming
Category:1362 establishments
Category:States and territories established in the 1360s
Category:1371 disestablishments
Category:States and territories disestablished in the 1370s