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Who were the leaders of the Yuan dynasty?
Yuan Dynasty
- Definition. The Yuan Dynasty was established by the Mongols and ruled China from 1271 to 1368 CE. Their first emperor was Kublai Khan (r. ...
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What are facts about Yuan dynasty?
Yuan Dynasty | 10 Facts On The Mongol Dynasty of China
- #1 The Yuan Dynasty was the first foreign dynasty to rule all of China. ...
- #2 It was founded in 1271 AD by Kublai Khan. ...
- #3 The greatest emperor of Yuan Dynasty was its founder Kublai Khan. ...
- #6 Reign of Yuan Dynasty is the shortest among major dynasties of China. ...
- #7 A four-class system was established by the Yuan Dynasty. ...
Who ruled China at Yuan dynasty?
Yuan Dynasty The Yuan Dynasty was a time when the Mongols ruled over China and unified China with its territory. Khublai Khan was the great emperor who ruled China during the Yuan Dynasty from 1271 to 1368. Khublai is the grandson of the famous Genghis Khan who was the ruler of the Mongol Empire.
How did the Yuan dynasty change life in China?
Yuan was the first dynasty to make Beijing (called Dadu by the Yuan) its capital, moving it there from Karakorum (now in Mongolia) in 1267. The Yuan rebuilt the Grand Canal and put the roads and postal stations in good order, and their rule coincided with new cultural achievements including the development of the novel as a literary form.
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Who was the ruler of the Yuan Dynasty?
Kublai KhanIn official Chinese histories, the Yuan dynasty bore the Mandate of Heaven. The dynasty was established by Kublai Khan, yet he placed his grandfather Genghis Khan on the imperial records as the official founder of the dynasty and accorded him the temple name Taizu.
Who was the last emperor of Yuan Dynasty?
Togon-temürTogon-temür, posthumous name (shi) (Yuan) Shundi, Wade-Giles romanization Shun-ti, (born 1320, China—died 1370, China), last emperor (reigned 1333–68) of the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368) in China, under whom the population was provoked into rebellion.
What were the 4 classes of Yuan Dynasty?
Specifically, the four classes of people by the descending order were Mongolian people, Semu people, Han people (in the northern areas of China) and Southerners (people of the former Northern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279)).
Was the Yuan Dynasty the largest?
The Yuan Empire (1279–1368), as part of the Mongol Empire, was China's biggest.
Who ended the Yuan Dynasty?
In 1367, Zhu Yuanzhang officially launched a deadly attack on the Yuan regime which was riddled with corruption and intrigue. Within a year, Zhu's army captured Dadu (currently Beijing), the capital of Yuan. Soon after, a new dynasty - the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) displaced the Yuan Dynasty.
Who founded the Yuan Dynasty?
The Yuan Dynasty was established by the Mongols and ruled China from 1271 to 1368 CE. Their first emperor was Kublai Khan (r. 1260-1279 CE) who finally defeated the Song Dynasty which had reigned in China since 960 CE.
How long did Yuan Dynasty last?
Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368)
What did the Yuan Dynasty invent?
Scientific discoveries like the advent of a highly accurate calendar to match our own modern day version, as well as the devastating use of gunpowder in long range missiles were also developed under the Yuan.
Who came before the Yuan Dynasty?
Song Dynasty (960-1279) The Song dynasty saw the reunification of China under the Emperor Taizu. Major inventions included gunpowder, printing, paper money and the compass. Plagued with political factions, the Song court eventually fell to the challenge of the Mongol invasion and was replaced by the Yuan dynasty.
Who overthrew the Mongols?
Decline in the 14th Century and After The Yuan Dynasty fell in 1368, overthrown by the Chinese rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang, who established the Ming Dynasty and became known as the Hongwu emperor. The most enduring part of the Mongol Empire proved to be the Golden Horde.
How do you pronounce the Chinese name Yuan?
The correct pronunciation is something like “you-en.” But that's just to get started. That first “you” part is pronounced with the mouth forward, like the German letter ü. The second “-en” part is really somewhere between “en” and “an”.
How did the Mongols lose power in China?
Ultimately, though, the failure of their military campaigns became a key factor leading to the weakening and eventual demise of the Mongol empire in China. Among the failed campaigns were two naval campaigns against Japan — one in 1274 and one in 1281 — both of which turned into complete fiascos.
When did the Yuan dynasty end?
1368Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368)
Who was the last Mongolian Khan?
The last Mongol emperor, Togon-temür (reigned 1333–68), had become emperor at the age of 13. He had received the rudiments of a Chinese education and was, like some of his predecessors, a pious Buddhist and a benevolent though weak ruler.
When did the Khan dynasty end?
Kublai Khan's Death and Legacy He died on February 18, 1294, at the age of 79 and was buried in the khans' secret burial site in Mongolia. Uprisings against Mongol rule would begin in earnest some 30 years later, and by 1368 the Yuan Dynasty was overthrown.
Who are Mongols now?
Present-day Mongol peoples include the Khalkha, who constitute almost four-fifths of the population of independent Mongolia; the descendants of the Oirat, or western Mongols, who include the Dorbet (or Derbet), Olöt, Torgut, and Buzawa (see Kalmyk; Oirat) and live in southwestern Russia, western China, and independent ...
What was the Yuan Dynasty?from britannica.com
Yuan dynasty, Wade-Giles romanization Yüan, also called Mongol dynasty, dynasty established by Mongol nomads that ruled portions and eventually all of China from the early 13th century to 1368. Mongol suzerainty eventually also stretched throughout most of Asia and eastern Europe, though the Yuan emperors were rarely able to exercise much control ...
What was Kublai Khan's system of government?from en.wikipedia.org
Politically, the system of government created by Kublai Khan was the product of a compromise between Mongolian patrimonial feudalism and the traditional Chinese autocratic - bureaucratic system. Nevertheless, socially the educated Chinese elite were in general not given the degree of esteem that they had been accorded previously under native Chinese dynasties. Although the traditional Chinese elite were not given their share of power, the Mongols and the Semu people (various allied groups from Central Asia and the western end of the empire) largely remained strangers to the mainstream Chinese culture, and this dichotomy gave the Yuan regime a somewhat strong " colonial " coloration. The unequal treatment is possibly due to the fear of transferring power to the ethnic Chinese under their rule. The Mongols and Semuren were given certain advantages in the dynasty, and this would last even after the restoration of the imperial examination in the early 14th century. In general there were very few North Chinese or Southerners reaching the highest-post in the government compared with the possibility that Persians did so in the Ilkhanate. Later the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty also mentioned the discrimination that existed during the Yuan dynasty. In response to an objection against the use of "barbarians" in his government, the Yongle Emperor answered: "... Discrimination was used by the Mongols during the Yuan dynasty, who employed only "Mongols and Tartars" and discarded northern and southern Chinese and this was precisely the cause that brought disaster upon them".
What did the Mongols do to the printing industry?from en.wikipedia.org
The Mongol rulers patronized the Yuan printing industry. Chinese printing technology was transferred to the Mongols through Kingdom of Qocho and Tibetan intermediaries. Some Yuan documents such as Wang Zhen 's Nong Shu were printed with earthenware movable type, a technology invented in the 12th century. However, most published works were still produced through traditional block printing techniques. The publication of a Taoist text inscribed with the name of Töregene Khatun, Ögedei's wife, is one of the first printed works sponsored by the Mongols. In 1273, the Mongols created the Imperial Library Directorate, a government-sponsored printing office. The Yuan government established centers for printing throughout China. Local schools and government agencies were funded to support the publishing of books.
What were the physicians of the Yuan court called?from en.wikipedia.org
The physicians of the Yuan court came from diverse cultures. Healers were divided into non-Mongol physicians called otachi and traditional Mongol shamans. The Mongols characterized otachi doctors by their use of herbal remedies, which was distinguished from the spiritual cures of Mongol shamanism. Physicians received official support from the Yuan government and were given special legal privileges. Kublai created the Imperial Academy of Medicine to manage medical treatises and the education of new doctors. Confucian scholars were attracted to the medical profession because it ensured a high income and medical ethics were compatible with Confucian virtues.
What were the problems of Kublai Khan?from en.wikipedia.org
Instability troubled the early years of Kublai Khan's reign. Ögedei's grandson Kaidu refused to submit to Kublai and threatened the western frontier of Kublai's domain. The hostile but weakened Song dynasty remained an obstacle in the south. Kublai secured the northeast border in 1259 by installing the hostage prince Wonjong as the ruler of the Kingdom of Goryeo (Korea), making it a Mongol tributary state. Kublai was also threatened by domestic unrest. Li Tan, the son-in-law of a powerful official, instigated a revolt against Mongol rule in 1262. After successfully suppressing the revolt, Kublai curbed the influence of the Han advisers in his court. He feared that his dependence on Chinese officials left him vulnerable to future revolts and defections to the Song.
How did Kublai Khan help the Silk Road?from en.wikipedia.org
He supported the merchants of the Silk Road trade network by protecting the Mongol postal system, constructing infrastructure, providing loans that financed trade caravans, and encouraging the circulation of paper banknotes ( 鈔; Jiaochao ). During the beginning of the Yuan dynasty, the Mongols continued issuing coins; however, under Külüg Khan coins were completely replaced by paper money. It wasn't until the reign of Toghon Temür that the government of the Yuan dynasty would attempt to reintroduce copper coinage for circulation. The Pax Mongolica, Mongol peace, enabled the spread of technologies, commodities, and culture between China and the West. Kublai expanded the Grand Canal from southern China to Daidu in the north. Mongol rule was cosmopolitan under Kublai Khan. He welcomed foreign visitors to his court, such as the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, who wrote the most influential European account of Yuan China. Marco Polo's travels would later inspire many others like Christopher Columbus to chart a passage to the Far East in search of its legendary wealth.
How did Kublai ensure that Mongols always gained an advantage in China?from worldhistory.org
Kublai ensured that Mongols always gained an advantage in China by officially classing them as superior in rank to Chinese. The four official Yuan ranks, based on perceived loyalty to the Yuan rulers, were: Mongols. Semu - people from Central Asia and/or speakers of Turkic languages.
What is the Yuan Dynasty?
The Yuan dynasty is also known by westerners as the "Mongol dynasty" or "Mongol Dynasty of China", similar to the names "Manchu dynasty" or "Manchu Dynasty of China" which were used by westerners for the Qing dynasty.
What language did the Yuan emperors speak?
Some of the Yuan emperors mastered the Chinese language, while others only used their native Mongolian language and the 'Phags-pa script. After the division of the Mongol Empire, the Yuan dynasty was the khanate ruled by the successors of Möngke Khan.
How did Kublai Khan help the Silk Road?
He supported the merchants of the Silk Road trade network by protecting the Mongol postal system, constructing infrastructure, providing loans that financed trade caravans, and encouraging the circulation of paper banknotes ( 鈔; Jiaochao ). During the beginning of the Yuan dynasty, the Mongols continued issuing coins; however, under Külüg Khan coins were completely replaced by paper money. It wasn't until the reign of Toghon Temür that the government of the Yuan dynasty would attempt to reintroduce copper coinage for circulation. The Pax Mongolica, Mongol peace, enabled the spread of technologies, commodities, and culture between China and the West. Kublai expanded the Grand Canal from southern China to Daidu in the north. Mongol rule was cosmopolitan under Kublai Khan. He welcomed foreign visitors to his court, such as the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, who wrote the most influential European account of Yuan China. Marco Polo's travels would later inspire many others like Christopher Columbus to chart a passage to the Far East in search of its legendary wealth.
What is the Mongolian counterpart?
The counterpart in the Mongolian language was Dai Ön Ulus, also rendered as Ikh Yuan Üls or Yekhe Yuan Ulus. In Mongolian, Dai Ön (Middle Mongol transliteration of Chinese "Dà Yuán") was often used in conjunction with the "Yeke Mongghul Ulus" (lit. "Great Mongol State"), which resulted in the form ᠳᠠᠢ. ᠥᠨ.
Which countries recognized Mongol hegemony?
Annam, Burma, and Champa recognized Mongol hegemony and established tributary relations with the Yuan dynasty. Internal strife threatened Kublai within his empire. Kublai Khan suppressed rebellions challenging his rule in Tibet and the northeast. His favorite wife died in 1281 and so did his chosen heir in 1285.
Why did Chinese doctors oppose Western medicine?
Huihui doctors staffed at two imperial hospitals were responsible for treating the imperial family and members of the court. Chinese physicians opposed Western medicine because its humoral system contradicted the yin-yang and wuxing philosophy underlying traditional Chinese medicine. No Chinese translation of Western medical works is known, but it is possible that the Chinese had access to Avicenna 's The Canon of Medicine.
When did the Yuan government end?
While some changes took place such as the functions of certain institutions, the essential components of the government bureaucracy remained intact from the beginning to the end of the dynasty in 1368.
Who were the four masters of the Yuan Dynasty?
Artists such as Zhao Mengfu and the Four Masters of the Yuan dynasty ( Huang Gongwang, Ni Zan, Wang Meng, and Wu Zhen) thus firmly fixed the ideal of “literati painting” ( wenrenhua ), which valued erudition and personal expression above elegant surface or mere representation.
What was the shortest-lived dynasty in China?
They continued to maintain their separateness from the native population and utilized foreigners, such as the European traveler Marco Polo, to staff the government bureaucracy. Revolts in the mid-14th century led to the final overthrow of the Yuan in 1368, making it the shortest-lived major dynasty of China.
What was the Mongol Dynasty's style of government?
The Mongol dynasty, which had been renamed the Yuan in 1271, proceeded to set up a Chinese-style administration that featured a centralized bureaucracy, political subdivisions, and a rationalized taxation system.
When did the Mongols start?
History. The emergence of the Mongol dynasty dates to 1206, when Genghis Khan was able to unify under his leadership all Mongols in the vast steppe lands north of China. Genghis began encroaching on the Jin dynasty in northern China in 1211 and finally took the Jin capital of Yanjing (or Daxing; present-day Beijing) in 1215.
What dynasties encouraged art?
In the previous ages of the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties, art had been encouraged by the state. During the Yuan, however, artists—especially those native Chinese who steadfastly refused to serve their conquerors—had to seek inspiration within themselves and their traditions.
Who was the leader of the Mongols in 1206?
Genghis Khan rose to supremacy over the Mongol tribes in the steppe in 1206, and within a few years he attempted to conquer northern China. By securing in 1209 the allegiance of the Tangut state of…. education: The Mongol period (1206–1368) The Mongols were ferocious fighters but inept administrators.
Who was Toghto in China?
Later,…. Toghto. Toghto, High government official during the later years of China’s Yuan dynasty (1206–1368). He followed his uncle as minister of the right (1340–44) and favoured a centralized approach to government. Under him, positions that had been closed to the Chinese were reopened, many literati returned to….
Who was the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty?
Metropolitan Museum of Art (Copyright) The Yuan Dynasty was established by the Mongols and ruled China from 1271 to 1368 CE. Their first emperor was Kublai Khan (r. 1260-1279 CE) who finally defeated the Song Dynasty which had reigned in China since 960 CE. Stability and peace within China brought ...
Who was the last Yuan emperor?
Zhu was left the most powerful leader in China, and, after taking Beijing, the last Yuan emperor of a unified China, Toghon Temur (r. 1333-1368 CE), fled to Mongolia and the old, now largely abandoned capital Karakorum. The Yuan would, thus, continue to rule in Mongolia under the new name of the Northern Yuan Dynasty (1368-1635 CE).
What were the four Yuan ranks based on?
The four official Yuan ranks, based on perceived loyalty to the Yuan rulers, were: Mongols. Semu - people from Central Asia and/or speakers of Turkic languages.
What religions did the Mongols practice?
At least traditional religions were permitted to continue as long as they did not threaten the state, although Buddhism was generally favoured over the traditional Chinese Confucianism. The Mongols' own preference for shamanism showed no signs of change, although Kublai himself converted to Tibetan (Lamaist) Buddhism. Further, despite the obvious discrimination, southerners kept their classical Chinese culture very much alive through private meetings and the arts, often producing paintings, poetry and plays which conveyed within them subtle protests against the Yuan regime. The latter art form, which included puppet theatre as well as live actors, boomed under the Yuan because of its visual appeal and striking stories; the Mongols, unable to speak Chinese, had little time for prose and poetry.
How did the Mongols influence China?
Beginning with Kublai, Mongol rulers made some superficial attempts to appeal to their new Chinese subjects by adopting such traditions as emperor's robes, travelling in a sedan chair and surrounding themselves with Confucian advisors. The real power, though, remained in Mongol hands as key administrative positions in the newly created 12 semi-autonomous provinces that China and northern Korea (annexed in 1270 CE) was now divided into largely went to Mongols, especially to members of the very large Mongol imperial bodyguard. The traditional six Chinese ministries, in place since the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), continued as before, but there were Mongol institutions, too, like the Shumi Yuan or Ministry of War.
How did the Yuan influence the Mongols?
Of more concrete benefit to the Mongols and Chinese than world fame, the Yuan did promote international trade, too. Artisans and craftworkers were given a more elevated status than previously and given tax exemptions. Merchants, not being producers but 'exchangers,' had been discriminated against under the Song, and these, too, now benefitted from more favourable tax measures, low-cost loans and the end of sumptuary regulations. Merchants were encouraged to use paper money, currency exchanges were better regulated, and more roads, canals (including the Grand Canal connecting southern and northern China), and use of ocean-going ships aided the transport of goods. The effect of these policies was to create a boom in crafts and trade, especially of silk and fine porcelain, the latter product now being supervised by a specific government agency, paving the way for the later Ming potters to gain worldwide fame of their own. Trade also brought a greater exchange of ideas and technologies such as Persian expertise in astronomical observations, maps, luxury textile weaving, and irrigation coming to China, and gunpowder weapons, printing, the mariner's compass, and paper money to the west. Islam also spread further to the east as merchants crisscrossed Asia.
What caused the Yuan Dynasty to become hyper-inflation?
By the mid-14th century CE, the Yuan rulers had been beset by a devastating combination of unusually cold winters, famines, plagues, and flooding of the Yellow River which all combined to bring hyper-inflation when the government tried to solve the problems of a damaged infrastructure by printing too much paper money. There followed widespread banditry and uprisings by an overtaxed peasantry. Worse, some of the local elites and provincial administrators in southern China were colluding with the bandits, smugglers and even religious leaders to take over entire towns. Yuan China was disintegrating from within.
Who was the leader of the Yuan Dynasty?
Like any imperial dynasty, the history of the Yuan Dynasty is complex and intricate. Therefore, we're going to break it into three periods, starting with the foundational years. The Yuan Dynasty was founded by a Mongol ruler named Kublai Khan. His grandfather, Genghis Khan, had unified the Mongol factions into a single empire, but it was Kublai who finally toppled the Chinese Song Dynasty and achieved his grandfather's dream.
What was the first dynasty to rule China?
The official start of the Yuan Dynasty is traditionally marked at 1271 CE, the year that Kublai Khan claimed the Mandate of Heaven, which is the divine right to rule in Chinese tradition. The Song emperor had been forced to flee to southern China, and Kublai moved his capital into the city of Dadu (today Beijing). This was the first dynasty to rule from the city. Kublai Khan now controlled a vast empire that stretched from the Pacific to the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and he immediately opened trade across the entire thing. Goods, money, ideas, and people flowed across Asia in a massive network of exchange known as the Silk Roads. This trade began impacting Europe too; the famed Venetian Marco Polo was just one of many merchants to make the journey. He arrived in Kublai's court in 1275, and lived there for 17 years.
Who was the last Song emperor to rule China?
Kublai Khan died in 1294, having created a massive empire, opened huge trade networks, and consolidated southern China into the Yuan Dynasty with the death of the last Song emperor in 1279. When Kublai died, the throne passed to his grandson, Temur Khan (r. 1294-1307). Temur Khan was an effective and able emperor, although the Mongol Empire divided into distinct khanates after the death of Kublai, so Temur really only ruled over China. Nevertheless, he instituted economic and political reforms, and his reign is seen as being successful.
What was the largest land based empire in the world?
In the entire history of imperial China, there was only one period of time in which China was not actually ruled by the Chinese. This was the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), during which China was actually part of the greater Mongol Empire, the largest land-based empire the world has ever known. The Yuan Dynasty was a unique period in Chinese history, when this ancient civilization was caught between Mongolian and Chinese ambitions.
Who took over after Kublai Khan?
Temür, also called Öljeitü, (born 1265, China—died 1307, China), grandson and successor of the great Kublai Khan; he ruled (1295–1307) as emperor of the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368) of China and as great khan of the Mongol Empire.
Who was the leader that established the Yuan Dynasty?
Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in 13th-century China. He was the first Mongol to rule over China when he conquered the Song Dynasty of southern China in 1279.
Who overthrew the Yuan Dynasty?
Peasant uprisings rumbled throughout the 14th century CE until one, led by the Red Turban Movement, toppled the Yuan and brought in a new regime, the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE).
Who was the last great Khan?
He proclaimed the empire’s dynastic name “Great Yuan” in 1271, and ruled Yuan China until his death in 1294. … Kublai Khan.
Who was the last emperor of Yuan Dynasty?
Shundi , Togon-temür , posthumous name (shi) (Yuan) Shundi, Wade-Giles romanization Shun-ti, (born 1320, China—died 1370, China), last emperor (reigned 1333–68) of the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368) in China, under whom the population was provoked into rebellion.
What happened to son of Kublai Khan?
Jingim (1243-5 January 1286) was Crown Prince of the Yuan dynasty under his father Kublai Khan. He died eight years before his father, but his son Temur Khan went on to become Emperor on Kublai’s death in 1294 .
Did Kublai Khan meet the Pope?
As soon as he was elected in 1271, Pope Gregory X received a letter from the Mongol Great Khan Kublai, remitted by Niccolò and Maffeo Polo following their travels to his court in Mongolia. Kublai was asking for the dispatch of a hundred missionaries, and some oil from the lamp of the Holy Sepulcher.
Who was the Yuan Dynasty?
The Yuan Dynasty was created by the Mongols who ruled parts, then eventually, the whole of China. They reigned from the 13th century until 1368, and their sovereignty expanded throughout most of Asia and Eastern Europe. However, the Yuan rulers rarely exercised much control over the distant lands they ruled over.
Who was the first emperor of the Yuan Empire?
Kublai Khan was the 5th great Khan of the Mongols and was sometimes referred to as Emperor Shizu of Yuan. He ruled from 1260 to 1294 and was the founder of the Yuan Dynasty. Hence, Kublai was the very first emperor of the Yuan Empire.
What was Kublai Khan's empire called?
Eventually, Kublai Khan established his own empire, which he then called the Yuan Dynasty. Yet after his death, the empire started to weaken. The heir of Kublai Khan fought overpower while the government became corrupt, which led to its downfall.
What did the Mongols do during the Yuan Dynasty?
During the Yuan Dynasty, parts of the Chinese culture still flourished. Here, the rulers during the period encouraged the people to do art like painting, ceramics, drama, and more. With that, it can be said that the Mongols somehow became similar to the Chinese as time passed.
What was the name of the new empire that ended the Yuan Dynasty?
The Yuan’s demise was what brought about a new empire, the Ming Dynasty.
Who ruled over the Mongols?
With that, the Mongols and Chinese continued battling for years until Kublai Khan reigned over the Mongols.
Who was Genghis Khan's son?
Tolui Khan was Genghis Khan and Borte’s 4th son. He grew up while his father expanded his rule in Mongolia. Tolui never bothered using the reigning Khagan title, and neither did his father nor his immediate successors.

Overview
The Yuan dynasty (Chinese: 元朝; pinyin: Yuán Cháo), officially the Great Yuan (Chinese: 大元; pinyin: Dà Yuán; Middle Mongolian: ᠶᠡᠭᠡ ᠶᠤᠸᠠᠨ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ, Yeke Yuwan Ulus, literally "Great Yuan State" ), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai (Emperor Shizu), leader of the Borjigin clan, and lasted from 1271 to 136…
Name
In 1271, Kublai Khan imposed the name Great Yuan (Chinese: 大元; pinyin: Dà Yuán; Wade–Giles: Ta-Yüan), establishing the Yuan dynasty. "Dà Yuán" (大元) is from the clause "大哉乾元" (pinyin: dà zāi Qián Yuán; lit. 'Great is Qián, the Primal') in the Commentaries on the Classic of Changes section regarding the first hexagram Qián (乾). The counterpart in the Mongolian language was Dai Ön Ulus, also rendered as Ikh Yuan Üls or Yekhe Yuan Ulus. In Mongolian, Dai Ön (Middle Mon…
History
Genghis Khan united the Mongol tribes of the steppes and became Great Khan in 1206. He and his successors expanded the Mongol empire across Asia. Under the reign of Genghis' third son, Ögedei Khan, the Mongols destroyed the weakened Jin dynasty in 1234, conquering most of northern China. Ögedei offered his nephew Kublai a position in Xingzhou, Hebei. Kublai was unable to r…
Impact
A rich cultural diversity developed during the Yuan dynasty. The major cultural achievements were the development of drama and the novel and the increased use of the written vernacular. The political unity of China and much of central Asia promoted trade between East and West. The Mongols' extensive West Asian and European contacts produced a fair amount of cultural exchange. Th…
Government
The structure of the Yuan government took shape during the reign of Kublai Khan (1260–1294). While some changes took place such as the functions of certain institutions, the essential components of the government bureaucracy remained intact from the beginning to the end of the dynasty in 1368.
The system of bureaucracy created by Kublai Khan reflected various cultures i…
Science and technology
Advances in polynomial algebra were made by mathematicians during the Yuan era. The mathematician Zhu Shijie (1249–1314) solved simultaneous equations with up to four unknowns using a rectangular array of coefficients, equivalent to modern matrices. Zhu used a method of elimination to reduce the simultaneous equations to a single equation with only one unknown. His method is describe…
Society
Since its invention in 1269, the 'Phags-pa script, a unified script for spelling Mongolian, Tibetan, and Chinese languages, was preserved in the court until the end of the dynasty. Most of the Emperors could not master written Chinese, but they could generally converse well in the language. The Mongol custom of long standing quda/marriage alliance with Mongol clans, the Onggirat, and the Ikere…
Administrative divisions
The territory of the Yuan dynasty was divided into the Central Region (腹裏) governed by the Central Secretariat and places under control of various provinces (行省) or Branch Secretariats (行中書省), as well as the region under the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs.
The Central Region, consisting of present-day Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, the so…