Zhu Yuanzhang's Iron-Fisted War on Corruption

Born into a farming family, Zhu Chongba was left without money to bury his parents when famine struck. Zhu Liujiu’s father, a fellow villager, paid for the land and helped build a grave and erect a headstone for them. To survive, Zhu Chongba became a monk. Later, he joined Guo Zixing’s forces, became a soldier, and fought against the Yuan dynasty. Gradually, he rose to become a regional warlord and eventually united the country. In the early Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor who had risen from the lowest rung of society, understood the rise and fall of empires and the hardships faced by farmers. After ascending the throne, he launched sweeping reforms to clean up officialdom, ruling with severity and keeping his ministers in check through harsh laws. He punished corrupt officials and lawless nobles without mercy. Whether they were imperial relatives, officials, fierce generals, or meritorious nobles, anyone involved in bribery and corruption was dealt with by his iron hand. He was decisive and showed no regard for personal ties, caring only about the law. He handled cases including the murder committed by an imperial nephew implicated in bribery, a corruption case involving a vice minister of the Ministry of Works, a major prison case in the capital, the Flower Boat case, a corruption case involving an imperial envoy, bribery by a prince consort, and bribery by a meritorious general. Whenever he found someone guilty, he killed them. “I will wipe out every corrupt official under heaven.” He was determined to establish a new dynasty, one more honest and upright than any the world had ever seen.