Answer:
In order to establish the Ming dynasty in China, Hongwu first had to drive out the Yuan dynasty.
Explanation:
The Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), established after the Mongol invasion led by Kublai Khan, preceded the founding of the Ming dynasty. In addition to institutional discrimination against the Han that generated great resentment, the expulsion of the Yuan was due to high taxes in the regions, high inflation and severe flooding of the Yellow River, due to the abandonment of irrigation projects.
Emperor Hongwu, who reigned between 1368 and 1398, tried to create a society of self-sufficient rural communities in a rigid and immobile system that did not need to be involved in the commercial life of urban centers. Its reconstruction of the Chinese agricultural base and the improvement of communication channels through a system of militarized roads had the unexpected effect of generating a large agricultural surplus that could be sold in flourishing markets close to the roads. The rural and commercial culture was influenced by urban fashions. The highest echelons of society, equated to the lower nobility, were equally affected by this new culture centered on consumption. Moving away from the traditions, the merchant families began to integrate themselves within the administration and the bureaucracy and adopted the cultural traits and practices of the nobility. Parallel to this evolution of society and commerce, there were changes in philosophical thought, government institutions and in the arts and literature.
