In Chinese history, Zhu Di is a controversial emperor. He seized the throne through the Jingnan Rebellion and became the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty - Ming Chengzu. However, someone put forward a historical hypothesis: If Zhu Di had not usurped the throne, would the Ming Dynasty have fallen? This article will discuss this issue.

First, we need to understand the background of Zhu Di's usurpation of the throne. In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, there were some problems with the imperial power system established by Zhu Yuanzhang, which led to the unstable political power of Emperor Jianwen. As the fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di was sealed as the Prince of Yan and guarded the north. During Emperor Jianwen's attempt to reduce the power of the feudal lords, Zhu Di rebelled and ultimately seized the throne. This event is known as the "Jingnan Rebellion".

So, what would have happened to the Ming Dynasty if Zhu Di had not usurped the throne? Some people believe that without Zhu Di's usurpation, the Ming Dynasty may have continued to develop stably under Emperor Jianwen's rule. Although young, Emperor Jianwen had a group of loyal ministers assisting him, who were committed to reforming politics, reorganizing the army, and developing the economy. Therefore, if Emperor Jianwen could have grown up smoothly and resolved the issue of feudal lords, the Ming Dynasty may have flourished under his leadership.

However, others argue that even if Zhu Di had not usurped the throne, the Ming Dynasty may still have faced the fate of extinction. This is because the political corruption, eunuch autocracy, and frequent peasant rebellions at the end of the Ming Dynasty were not formed overnight. The root causes of these problems lay in the institutional and cultural traditions of the Ming Dynasty, rather than the personal behavior of any individual emperor. Therefore, even if Zhu Di had not usurped the throne, these problems may still have led to the decline and extinction of the Ming Dynasty.

In addition, we need to consider the uncertainty of history. History is a complex system woven together by countless factors, and any slight change may lead to different outcomes. Therefore, we cannot determine whether the Ming Dynasty would have flourished or fallen if Zhu Di had not usurped the throne. This is only a hypothetical question and cannot be answered definitively.

In summary, we cannot give a clear conclusion regarding the statement that "if Zhu Di had not usurped the throne, the Ming Dynasty would not have fallen." The development of history is influenced by many factors, and any hypothesis cannot fully correspond to the actual situation. However, by exploring this issue, we can gain a deeper understanding of the history of the Ming Dynasty and the character of Zhu Di. At the same time, it also reminds us to maintain a sense of awe when facing history and not to jump to conclusions easily.

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