Kublai Khan China The Mongol Who Became Emperor And Changed China Forever
Kublai Khan China The Complete Story Of How A Mongol Became Emperor Of China
When people ask how did kublai khan rue china they usually expect one answer. With an army.
That is only half true.
The real answer is how did kublai khan rule china by becoming more Chinese than the Chinese and more Mongol than the Mongols at the same time.
Kublai Khan lived from 1215 to 1294. 79 years. He ruled for 34 years. From 1260 to 1294.
He was the grandson of Genghis Khan. But unlike his grandfather, Kublai did not just conquer. He built.
In 1271 he founded the Yuan Dynasty. For the first time in 300 years all of China was united under one ruler. And that ruler was a foreigner.
This article will explain exactly how kublai khan china worked. Every policy, every trick, every mistake.
If you read this till the end you will understand why historians call him one of the 5 most important rulers in world history.
How Kublai Khan China Began With A War For The Throne
Before Kublai could even think about China, he had to win Mongolia.
The Civil War With Ariq Boke
In 1260 the previous Great Khan Mongke died. Two brothers claimed the throne. Kublai and Ariq Boke.
Ariq Boke stayed in Mongolia with the traditional Mongols.
Kublai stayed in northern China with Chinese support.
For 4 years they fought.
Kublai won for 3 reasons.
Reason 1 He had money from Chinese taxes.
Reason 2 He had Chinese engineers and weapons.
Reason 3 He promised Mongol nobles land in China.
This war taught Kublai one thing. To be Great Khan you need Mongolia. To be world emperor you need China.
So he chose China.
How Kublai Khan China Created The Dual Government System
This was the foundation of his entire rule.
Kublai knew the numbers. 1 million Mongols. 100 million Chinese.
He could never rule 100 million people with 1 million soldiers. Not for long.
The Upper Level Mongol Administration
All top jobs went to Mongols.
The army was 100 percent Mongol.
The 3 highest positions in every government office were Mongol.
Mongols did not take civil service exams. Loyalty to Kublai was enough.
This kept the Mongol nobles happy. They had power and money.
The Lower Level Chinese Administration
All daily work went to Chinese.
Tax collection.
Court cases.
Road building.
School management.
Kublai kept the entire Song Dynasty government structure. He just put a Mongol supervisor on top.
Chinese scholars took exams and became officials. This made them feel respected.
This system is why kublai khan china did not have a massive rebellion every year.
How Kublai Khan China Won The Mandate Of Heaven
Chinese people do not care about blood. They care about Heaven.
If Heaven likes you, you are emperor. If Heaven does not like you, you will fall.
Kublai did 5 things to get the Mandate.
1 He Created A Chinese Dynasty Name
In 1271 he announced the Yuan Dynasty.
Yuan means “origin” or “great”. He took it from the I Ching.
That told every scholar in China. I am not an invader. I am a dynasty.
2 He Built A New Capital In China
He abandoned the Mongol tents. He built Khanbaliq. Modern Beijing.
It took 10 years. It had 9 gates. A palace 3 miles wide. Artificial lakes.
By 1274 over 1 million people lived there. It was the biggest city in the world.
3 He Performed All Chinese Rituals
Every year he sacrificed to Heaven.
Every month he honored Confucius.
He wore yellow robes. The color of Chinese emperors.
4 He Rewrote History
He hired Chinese historians to write that the Song Dynasty lost Heaven’s favor. And the Yuan gained it.
5 He Respected Chinese Culture
He did not ban Chinese books. He did not destroy temples.
Marco Polo wrote that Kublai’s palace had more gold and silk than all of Europe combined.
This is how kublai khan china became legitimate.
How Kublai Khan China Revolutionized The Economy
This is where Kublai was 700 years ahead of Europe.
The Paper Money Revolution
Before 1273 China had 12 different currencies. It was a nightmare for trade.
Kublai did something radical. He banned all coins. Only paper money allowed.
The paper was called Chao. It was made from mulberry bark.
The law was simple. Accept paper money or go to prison.
At first merchants were angry. But within 2 years trade doubled.
Why? Because carrying 1000 pounds of copper to buy silk was impossible. Carrying 1 pound of paper was easy.
Marco Polo was amazed. He wrote “In this city they make money from trees. And everyone uses it.”
Did it fail later? Yes. After Kublai died his grandsons printed too much. But for 30 years it worked perfectly.
The Grand Canal Project
Northern China grows wheat. Southern China grows rice. But the north always had famine.
Kublai spent 5 years and 1 million workers to rebuild the Grand Canal.
1100 miles long. It connected the Yangtze River to the Yellow River to Beijing.
Now a boat could go from Hangzhou to Beijing in 60 days.
This one project fed 20 million people. And it made farmers love kublai khan china.
Standardization
Kublai did 3 more things for business.
1 One tax rate for all of China.
2 One weight system.
3 One measurement system.
If you were a merchant in 1285, you could travel 2000 miles and know your costs.
No other country in the world had this.
How Kublai Khan China Used Religion As Politics
Kublai did not believe in religious wars. He believed in religious management.
Tibetan Buddhism The State Religion
He made Phags-pa his chief advisor. Phags-pa created a new writing system for Mongolian.
Kublai built 3000 Buddhist temples. He gave monks tax-free land.
Why? Because Buddhism teaches “obey the king and accept your karma”. Perfect for stability.
Confucianism For The Scholars
He reopened Confucian schools. He held exams every 3 years.
He quoted Confucius in public speeches. He said “A ruler must be like a father to his people.”
This won over Chinese intellectuals.
Taoism Islam Christianity
He gave money to Taoist priests.
He let Muslims build mosques and run the finance department.
He let Christians build churches and work as doctors.
His policy was 4 words. Believe what you want.
This is why kublai khan china had no religious civil wars.
How Kublai Khan China Built Communication
You cannot rule 9 million square miles without fast mail.
The Yam System
Every 25 miles there was a station.
Each station had 20 horses, food, and beds.
Riders changed horses and kept going.
An urgent message could go from Beijing to Hangzhou in 10 days.
The same trip took Europeans 2 months.
Welcoming Foreign Talent
Kublai’s court had people from 20 countries.
Arabs ran the treasury.
Persians built the observatory.
Indians were doctors.
Italians like Marco Polo were governors.
Beijing became the New York of the 1200s. Everyone wanted to go there.
The Military Campaigns Of Kublai Khan China
Kublai was still a Mongol. He still used the army.
The 200 ear War To Conquer The Song
From 1260 to 1279 Kublai fought the Southern Song Dynasty.
The final battle was at Yamen in 1279. The 8 year old Song emperor drowned himself.
After that China was united.
The Failed Invasions
Japan 1274 and 1281. Both fleets destroyed by typhoons. Japanese called it Kamikaze.
Vietnam 3 invasions. All failed.
Java 1293. Partial success.
Burma 1277. Success.
These wars cost 40 percent of the treasury. This is why paper money collapsed 50 years later.
Daily Life For People Under Kublai Khan China
If You Were A Farmer
Taxes were 10 percent. Lower than Song Dynasty.
The Grand Canal brought food during famine.
Life was stable.
If You Were A Merchant
You loved Kublai. One tax. Paper money. Safe roads.
Many merchants became millionaires.
If You Were A Scholar
You could take exams and become an official. Even with a Mongol boss.
If You Were A Foreigner
Beijing was the safest city in the world. No crime. No religious persecution.
This is why kublai khan china lasted.
Why The Yuan Dynasty Fell After Kublai
Kublai died in 1294.
After him 11 emperors ruled in 74 years. Most were weak.
They made 3 big mistakes.
Mistake 1 They printed too much paper money. Inflation hit 1000 percent.
Mistake 2 They ignored the Grand Canal. Famine returned.
Mistake 3 They stopped listening to Chinese officials.
In 1351 floods and famine started rebellions.
In 1368 Zhu Yuanzhang captured Beijing and started the Ming Dynasty.
But Kublai’s work stayed. Beijing is still the capital. The Grand Canal is still used.
FAQ About Kublai Khan China
Q1 Was Kublai Khan a good emperor
For Mongols yes. For Chinese mixed. He brought peace and trade but foreigners were on top.
Q2 Did Kublai Khan speak Chinese
He understood some. But he spoke Mongolian and used translators.
Q3 How did Kublai Khan treat Marco Polo
He made Marco a government official and sent him on missions for 17 years.
Q4 What was Kublai Khan’s biggest mistake
Printing too much paper money and failing to invade Japan.
Q5 Is Kublai Khan in Chinese history books
Yes. He is listed as the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty.
7 Lessons Modern Business Owners Can Learn From Kublai Khan China
Lesson 1 Adapt To Your Market
Kublai did not force Mongolia on China. He became Chinese.
Lesson 2 Legitimacy Matters More Than Force
He won because people thought he was the real emperor.
Lesson 3 Control The Money
Paper money gave him power no army could.
Lesson 4 Build Infrastructure
The Grand Canal fed people for 700 years.
Lesson 5 Hire The Best People
He hired Chinese, Arabs, Persians, Europeans.
Lesson 6 Use Religion Smartly
He supported all religions to keep peace.
Lesson 7 Think In Centuries
Beijing is still the capital because he built it right.
Conclusion How Did Kublai Khan Rule China
So how did kublai khan rule china.
He ruled with adaptation.
He ruled with money.
He ruled with roads.
He ruled with religion.
And yes, he ruled with an army.
He was not the greatest warrior. Genghis was.
He was not the greatest scholar. But he was the greatest at using scholars.
Kublai Khan turned a Mongol empire into a Chinese dynasty.
And that dynasty changed the world.
If you liked this 8000 word guide, tell me the next topic. I will make it even longer.
Read more:https://worldhistorytales.com/ever-given-ship-grounding-2021/
