This book focuses on the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty's military. It uses time as a clue to systematically describe the key wars and military wisdom in the past three hundred years, and connects the historical context of the Ming Dynasty from its founding to its fall.
The book begins with the heroes vying for the throne at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, details the founding battles of Zhu Yuanzhang and the Northern Expedition to destroy Chen Youliang at Poyang Lake, and reproduces the iron-blooded journey of establishing the Ming Dynasty. It then covers the battles that consolidated imperial power and frontiers, such as the Battle of Jingnan and the Yongle Five Conquests in Mobei; it focuses on depicting the Tumubao Incident and Yu Qian's life-and-death struggle in the defense of Beijing; he writes in thick ink about the legendary achievements of Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou in pacifying the Japanese pirates in the southeast; It also describes the battles to stabilize the frontier in the three major campaigns of Wanli (the Battle of Ningxia, the Battle of Korea, and the Battle of Bozhou). Finally, it presents the Battle of Saarhu, the Battle of Songjin and the Peasant Uprising War in the late Ming Dynasty and the Later Jin Dynasty (Qing Dynasty), revealing the military causes of the collapse of the dynasty.
The language of the work is popular and vivid, and the plot is ups and downs. It not only restores the grand scenes and tactical details of the war, but also depicts the legendary lives of Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Qi Jiguang, Yuan Chonghuan and other famous generals. It is both informative and readable, helping readers understand the political changes, ethnic conflicts and military civilization of the Ming Dynasty through war, and feel the eternal charm of ancient war strategies and heroic spirit.
