Interview With Emperor Hongwu

Reporter- Hello good morning Emperor Zhu Yuangzhang, or would you prefer Emperor Hongwu? 

Hongwu- You may call me Emperor Hongwu if you dont mind.

Reporter- Sure thats fine Emperor Hongwu. I learned that you came from a peasant background, how was your life before becoming emperor of the Ming Dynasty and did coming from a peasant origin affect your establishment of the Ming Dynasty?

Hongwu- My life before becoming the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was very harsh and difficult, i was the youngest son in my family which meant i had the duty to follow orders from my several older siblings whether i liked it or not. I was born and raised in a small house in a small town in Zhongli. I grew up eating small amounts of food because of the lack of money my family had and the many mouths my parents had to feed. With the result of starvation my parents decided to "give away" some of their kids (some my siblings). After the death of my parents, and many siblings life became very difficult, i was forced to become a novice monk at a Buddhist monastery. Life handed me many problems knowing that i would succeed in everyone of them, i never gave life an option to change my destiny into a bad way and look were i ended up as the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.


Reporter- How did the tragedy with the Yellow River affect your life and did it affect your life in a good or a bad way?


Hongwu- The Yellow River broke its banks and flooded a lot of land including the land that held my house when I was at the age of 16. After all the distruction that the Yellow River caused a plague quickly began, that is when both my parents passed away. My only family left on the planet earth was my brother and I. I then became a novice monk, I was forced to beg for food in  order to survive. The cause with the Yellow River helped in some ways because it taught me to be strong and fight until my body is no longer capable of going on any longer. After a while of surviving with no one to count on I finally rose to the top, as the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. 


Reporter: What is the reason you chose to be called Emperor Hongwu and why?

Hongwu: Well as the ruler and founder of the Ming Dynasty I have the right to pick an emperor name that is not my birth name. Many other emperors from different dynasty's chose their name based on their personality, behavior, and ruling habits I thought hard for a while but finally came to a conclusion. My emperor name should be "Hongwu," The meaning of Hongwu is "Abundantly Martial," Abundantly meaning great quality or well supplied (richly supplied) and Martial meaning characteristic of warrior behavior. Together meaning great  quantity of warrior behavior, which matches my life the way I had to fight to survive after the Yellow River tragedy, I had to learn how to go through life not counting on anyone, I worked my way up to the top where I am today as Emperor of The Ming Dynasty.  

Reporter: How was your time spent with the Confucian Scholars and what did they teach you?

Hongwu: My time with the Confucian Scholars was very good they were very nice and generous, but strict when needed which is good. They accepted me and taught me many things such as Chinese language, Chinese history and the Confucian Classics they helped me receive education when I was alone in the world which helped me a lot with who I am now, I am very grateful with what they did for me.