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.