January 23, 1368

Hongwu Emperor

Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims the Great Ming and assumes the imperial throne at Nanjing

He did not take the throne inside a palace. Zhu Yuanzhang sacrificed at an open-air altar south of Zhong Mountain — while the Yuan emperor was still sitting in Dadu.

23 January 1368, south of Zhong Mountain

On the fourth day of the first lunar month — 23 January 1368 — Zhu Yuanzhang sacrificed to Heaven and Earth south of Zhong Mountain at Nanjing and assumed the imperial throne at the southern suburban altar.

His accession proclamation named the realm Great Ming and designated the year as the first year of the Hongwu era.

What one document did

The same proclamation made Lady Ma empress and Zhu Biao heir apparent, bestowed imperial titles on four generations of Zhu's ancestors, and ordered the announcement circulated throughout the realm.

In it the new emperor reminded the realm that he came from "common stock" in the Huai region.

The Yuan had not fallen yet

Zhu's armies were still conquering territory when he took the throne. The Yuan capital Dadu remained outside his control until later in 1368, and Toghon Temür still reigned there.

The proclamation changed Zhu's claimed status immediately. It did not instantly end Yuan rule or complete the conquest of China.

Hongwu was the era name rather than a personal one; "Hongwu Emperor" is a retrospective label derived from the reign era.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 6 sources 2 audit passes

How this was checked

Researched from the web into a fact sheet, rewritten from that sheet, then audited against it by a different model. How the pipeline works →

What the sources leave uncertain

The Cambridge History-based translation independently equates the fourth day of the first lunar month with 23 January 1368; the accession date itself is well supported.
“Hongwu Emperor” is a retrospective label derived from the reign era. On the day, Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor and established the Hongwu era.