Historical map of the Chinese Yuan Dynasty (to the first year 1330 AD)
发布时间 ：2016-10-24 11:29:00 UTCI. Political Landscape and Power Struggles
The first year of the Zhishun era (1330) marked the third year of Yuan Wenzong (Tugh Temür)'s second reign. El Temür dominated the court and monopolized the power of the chancellor. In May, Emperor Wenzong issued an edict conferring upon El Temür titles including Kaifu Yitong Sansi and Grand Preceptor, and stipulated that "all decrees, penal judgments, selection methods, finances, and construction – essentially all administrative affairs of the Central Secretariat (Zhongshu Sheng) – shall be subject to his overall supervision." The position of Left Chancellor in the Central Secretariat was no longer filled, solidifying El Temür's autocratic control. In the same year, the Prince of Yunnan, Toghon, rebelled and proclaimed himself "King of Yunnan," prompting the Yuan court to dispatch troops for suppression. Furthermore, Emperor Wenzong confiscated over 160,000 Qing of land and bestowed it upon the Great Cheng Tianhu Sheng Temple, strengthening the support of religious forces for the regime.
II. Economic and Social Conditions
In the first year of Zhishun, the Jiangnan region suffered severe floods. Farmland in prefectures and counties such as Runzhou (present-day Zhenjiang), Changzhou, Suzhou, and Hangzhou was inundated, causing great hardship for the people. The Yuan court provided relief multiple times: in February, it aided famine victims in Kaiyuan Route (present-day Yilan, Heilongjiang), and added further grain relief in May. In July, Kaiyuan Route experienced a severe drought, and Zhao Prefecture (present-day Zhaoyuan, Heilongjiang) was also affected. In November, in Shuidadi Route, Liaoyang Province, summer rainstorms caused the Heilong and Songhua rivers to flood, damaging the livelihoods of local fishermen. These disasters exposed the fragility of local governance during the mid-Yuan period.
III. Cultural Policies and Scholarly Development
Emperor Wenzong promoted Han culture. In the first year of Zhishun, he elevated Mencius to the title of "Duke of Yasheng," establishing his status as second only to Confucius. In the same year, Dong Zhongshu was added to the Confucian Temple for accompanying sacrifices, positioned below the "Seventy Disciples," reflecting the court's emphasis on Confucian orthodoxy. Additionally, Zhong Sicheng's Register of Ghosts was completed, recording Yuan dynasty playwrights and their works, becoming an important text for the study of Yuan drama.
IV. Adjustments in Administrative Divisions
In the first year of Zhishun, Jiankang Route (present-day Nanjing) in Jiangzhe Province was renamed Jiqing Route. This is a typical case of administrative adjustment in Jiangnan during the mid-Yuan period. After the name change, the area continued its original administrative functions with an unchanged jurisdiction, but the renaming reflected Emperor Wenzong's intent to strengthen the legitimacy of his rule through toponymic changes.
V. Frontier and Ethnic Relations
The situation in Yunnan was volatile. Although the rebellion of Prince Toghon was suppressed, it revealed the weakening control of the Yuan dynasty over the southwestern frontier. Concurrently, the Yuan court continued its Jimi (loose-rein) policy towards regions like Goryeo and the Jurchens, but social crises emerged in the Northeast due to floods and famine.
Summary
The first year of Zhishun was a juncture where political, economic, and cultural contradictions intertwined during the mid-Yuan period: El Temür's autocracy exacerbated imbalances within the bureaucratic system; floods in Jiangnan and frontier rebellions highlighted governance crises; while adjustments in cultural policy attempted to consolidate regime legitimacy through Confucian orthodoxy. These events foreshadowed the decline of the late Yuan dynasty.
Key Topics
Map Source
Maps are sourced from Tan Qixiang's The Historical Atlas of China.