Emperor Hongwu; 1st ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1368-1398). Personal Name: Zhu Yuanzhang; Zhu Yu醤zhang Posthumous Name: Gaodi; Gaod?Temple Name: Taizu; T鄆zu Reign Name: Ming Hongwu; Ming H髇gwu The Hongwu Emperor was the founder and first emperor (1368-98) of the Ming Dynasty of China. His era name; Hongwu; means 'vastly martial'.

In the middle of the 14th century; with famine; plagues and peasant revolts sweeping across China; Zhu became a leader of an army that conquered China; ending the Yuan Dynasty and forcing the Mongols to retreat to the Mongolian steppes. With his seizure of the Yuan capital (present-day Beijing); he claimed the Mandate of Heaven and established the Ming Dynasty in 1368.

Nanjing dates back to the beginning of the Warring States Period (403-221 BCE). Between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE; Nanjing was the capital of the Southern dynasties at a time when non-Chinese were in command in northern China. After various natural disasters and a peasant rebellion; the new Sui dynasty moved the imperial capital to Xi'an (589 CE) and destroyed Nanjing; along with almost all of its cultural and historical relics.

Nanjing regained national importance at the beginning of the Ming dynasty; when its first emperor; Hongwu (Zhu Yuanzhang); set up the seat of government here in the Southern Capital until it was transferred to Beijing in 1421.