"OF YORE, when our sovereigns ruled our nation, all countries, near
and far, where the sun and the moon shone, enjoyed their benevo-
lent rule. Our Middle Nation was thus the center of peace and
prosperity as well as of admiration and devotion. All the barbarian
nations, north, south, east, and west, paid reverence and made
ready submission and obeisance. However, the Yuan [Mongols] in-
truded upon and debased our nation. Subsequently, they lost their
fighting power, and our nation entered upon a period of military
struggle and chaos. Especially in the past seventeen years, national
undertakings and procedures have been completely disrupted, and
intercourse and relations with outside nations have been discon-
tinued. Prompted by the suffering of the people, we have started
the work of national reorganization at Kiang-Tso. We have con-
quered and subjugated all the unruly and disorderly military chiefs
and their followers, and our nation has thereby been pacified and
united. We have responded to the earnest appeals and entreaties
of our subjects and people and have made ourselves masters of the
nation. 'Tai-Ming' has been adopted as the name of our empire,
and 'Hung-Wu' as the name of our era. Having conquered the
Yuan and having completely occupied their national capital, the
domain of our empire now includes the entire Middle Kingdom
and we are recognized by Heaven as successors to the sovereigns of
the former dynasty. All nations, both far and near, have gained
tranquillity and their people are enjoying prosperity and happi-
ness under our benevolent administration. You, the chiefs of the
four barbarian nations [ Annam, Cochin China, Korea, and Japan],
because of your geographical distance from us, have perhaps not
heard of our heavenly mission. Therefore, we are issuing this im-
perial edict in order to let you know that reverence is due from
you to our throne." ²

The Emperor Tai-Tsu, the founder of the Ming dynasty, believed
that the founding of his empire in China would automatically es-

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