societies
were formed to achieve their overthrow. Jen-tsung's successors were weak
and incapable rulers, and in the person of Shun-ti (1333-1368) were
summed up the vices and faults of his predecessors. Revolts broke out,
and finally this descendant of Jenghiz Khan was compelled to fly before
Chu Yueen-chang, the son of a Chinese labouring man. Deserted by his
followers, he sought refuge in Ying-chang Fu, and there the last of the
Yueen dynasty died. These Mongol emperors, whatever their faults, had
shown tolerance to Christian missionaries and Papal legates (see _ante_
Sec. _The Medieval Cathay_).

Ming dynasty.

Chu Yueen-chang met with little opposition, more especially as his first
care on becoming possessed of a district was to suppress lawlessness and
to establish a settled government. In 1355 he captured Nanking, and
proclaimed himself duke of Wu, but carefully avoided adopting any of the
insignia of royalty. Even when master of the empire, thirteen years
later, he still professed to dislike the idea of assuming the imperial
title. His scruples were overcome, and he declared himself emperor in
1368. He carried his arms into Tatary, where he subdued the last
semblance of Mongol power in that direction, and then bent his steps
towards Liao-tung. Here the Mongols defended themselves with the bravery
of despair, but unavailingly, and the conquest of this province left
Hung-wu, as the founder of the new or Ming ("Bright") dynasty styled
himself, without a foe in the empire.

All intercourse with Europe seems now to have ceased until the
Portuguese arrived in the 16th century, but Hung-wu cultivated
friendly relations with the neighbouring states. As a quondam Buddhist
priest he lent his countenance to that religion to the exclusion of
Taoism, whose priests had for centuries earned the contempt of all but
the most ignorant by their pretended magical arts and their search
after the philosopher's stone. Hung-wu died in 1398 and was succeeded
by his grandson Kien-Wen. Aware that the appointment of this
youth--his father was dead--would give offence to the young emperor's
uncles, Hung-wu had dismissed them to their respective governments.
However, the prince of Yen, his eldest surviving son, rose in revolt
as soon as the news reached him of his nephew's accession, and after
gaining several victories over the armies of Kien-wen he presented
himself before the gates of Nanking, the capital.