Zhu Yuanzhang proposed fifteen countries that would not be conquered in the "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions".
Let’s first take a look at the original text of "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions":
Now we will not collect the names of the barbarian countries, but they are listed below:
Northeast:? Korea (i.e. Goryeo. Its Li Renren and his son Li Chenggui, now named Dan, from the sixth year of Hongwu to the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu, all four kings of the Wang family were killed, so they were treated accordingly)
Zhengdong To the north:?Japan (Although the government was deceitful, it secretly conspired with the treacherous minister Hu Weiyong and had evil intentions, so it was eliminated)
Due south and east:?Daliuqiu Kingdom (paying tribute from time to time, the son of the prince and his accompanying ministers, They all studied in Taixue, and were treated with great courtesy), Xiaoliuqiu Kingdom (no communication, no tribute)
Southwest: Annan Kingdom (one tribute every three years), Zhenla Kingdom (paying tribute as usual, their countries Binhai), Siam Kingdom (paying tribute as usual, its country is coastal), Champa Kingdom (when the countries below Champa City came to pay tribute, they brought in merchants and engaged in treachery and deceit, so they were suppressed. From the eighth year of Hongwu to the tenth year of Hongwu In the second year, Fang Nai was able to stop. His country is located on the coast), Sumatra (its country is on the coast), Xiyang Kingdom (its country is on the coast), Java Kingdom (its country is located in the sea), and Huanheng Kingdom (its country is located on the sea). in the middle of the sea), the White Flower Kingdom (the country lives in the sea), the Sanfuqi Kingdom (the country lives in the sea), and the Bo Ni Kingdom (the country lives in the sea).
Why did Zhu Yuanzhang list these fifteen countries as unconquerable countries and use them as ancestral precepts to warn future generations? I think there are the following reasons:
1. The center of Ming Dynasty’s rule was the mainland, and remote overseas places were not included in the “kingdom”
The establishment of the Ming Dynasty cut off the heroes and unified the war It lasted for a long time, such as conquering Yunnan in the 16th year of Hongwu, conquering the Northern Yuan Dynasty in the 21st year of Hongwu, capturing Hami in the 24th year of Hongwu, etc.
Mainland is what the Ming Dynasty attaches most importance to.
Almost all the countries listed are governed overseas and have always been regarded as barbarian lands by rulers of all generations.
For example, Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude towards North Korea was that "Korea is a remote place in the east and is not governed by China."
Everywhere the sun and moon shine, and wherever rivers reach, are all Han lands!
The rulers of later generations did not have the same courage as the Han Dynasty people.
2. Zhu Yuanzhang’s pragmatic attitude
Zhu Yuanzhang was born as a farmer. After years of war at home, after the country was basically stable, Zhu Yuanzhang did not want to provoke war overseas, and the people needed recovery.
Moreover, these countries are all overseas countries, and there will be many difficulties in the expedition.
For example, Japan was rude to the special envoy of the Ming Dynasty, which made Zhu Yuanzhang furious and wanted to send troops to conquer, but after thinking about it, he calmed down and let him go.
This is a reflection of Zhu Yuanzhang’s pragmatism.
On the one hand, Zhu Yuanzhang’s background as a farmer is an inspirational story, but on the other hand, it also restricted Ming’s vision.
In his eyes, overseas countries are other people’s business, and I can just manage my own affairs.
And among the fifteen countries he listed personally, he used the words "extremely" and "juzhi" to Japan and Champa, which means that the Ming Dynasty does not want you as a tributary country, so it doesn't matter.
3. Lessons from the Yuan Dynasty
It was the Yuan Dynasty that Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew. The Yuan Dynasty used force overseas and suffered mostly disastrous defeats. Zhu Yuanzhang had to learn lessons.
For example, during the Yuan Dynasty's expedition to Japan, they were killed by the "divine wind" and their soldiers were destroyed in the sea.
For example, the expedition to Burma, Java, etc., used troops many times, wasting people and money. For Zhu Yuanzhang, who was well aware of the suffering of the people, he must avoid learning from past mistakes.
Zhu Yuanzhang listed fifteen countries that should not be conquered and set them as ancestral precepts to warn his descendants. This was also a reflection of his arrogance.
His refusal to conquer was based on the relatively peaceful situation of various countries at that time. Why should the Ming Dynasty care about these small countries?
But he did not expect that some countries would take the initiative to provoke Ming Dynasty.
For example, after Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di violated the ancestral precepts and used Annan to use troops.
In fact, Ming Chengzu’s conquest of Annan was essentially a continuation of the Ming Dynasty’s unification war.