Historical themes. In the late Northern Song Dynasty, there was an imbalance between the rich and the poor, flowers and stones disturbed the people, and the people were in dire straits. The people believed in Manichaeism in order to seek spiritual sustenance and get rid of their predicament. Fang La used Manichaeism to lead a group of heroes to revolt, capture the important southeastern town of Hangzhou, and establish the Yongle Dynasty. The rulers of the Song Dynasty were so panicked that they sent heavy troops to suppress the uprising army before it gained a firm foothold. However, the uprising army lacked training and experience, and ultimately failed, leaving behind profound lessons.