Hongwu Emperor, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Ming (明太祖), personal name Zhu Yuanzhang, courtesy name Guorui, was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1368 to 1398.
A Seated Portrait of Ming Emperor Taizu, c. 1377 by an unknown artist from the Ming dynasty. Now located in the National Palace Museum, Taipei
Changmen Gate in Suzhou. The ten-month conquest of Suzhou, the seat of Zhang Shicheng, was one of the most fierce battles fought by Zhu's troops.
The Hongwu Emperor in his old age, c. 1397
View of the Great Wall at Juyong Pass, reconstructed by the Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, the majority ethnic group in China. Although the primary capital of Beijing fell in 1644 to a rebellion led by Li Zicheng, numerous rump regimes ruled by remnants of the Ming imperial family—collectively called the Southern Ming—survived until 1662.
Portrait of the Hongwu Emperor (r. 1368–98)
The Great Wall of China: Although the rammed earth walls of the ancient Warring States were combined into a unified wall under the Qin and Han dynasties, the vast majority of the brick and stone Great Wall seen today is a product of the Ming dynasty.
A 17th-century Tibetan thangka of Guhyasamaja Akshobhyavajra; the Ming dynasty court gathered various tribute items that were native products of Tibet (such as thangkas), and in return granted gifts to Tibetan tribute-bearers.
Portrait of the Yongle Emperor (r. 1402–24)
