Within 50 years after Kublai Khan died in 1294, the Mongol Empire had been weakened by revolts, natural disasters, and fighting among those who wanted to rule.
The Chinese people saw the weakness of the Mongols, and rebelled. One rebellion was led by a poor peasant and former Buddhist monk named Hong Wu. He took over China in 1368 and declared himself emperor of a new dynasty, the Ming dynasty. Under Hong Wu, China began to recover from the period of rebellion. Farms, canals, and roads were repaired. The economy improved, and China’s population grew. Later in his rule, however, Hong Wu became a cruel leader. He had thousands of people imprisoned or killed.
