Nanjing, an ancient capital of six dynasties: Why is the Ming Dynasty not included?
2024-05-23 16:15:08 中文版

Nanjing, as a six-dynasty ancient capital in Chinese history, has witnessed the rise and fall of multiple dynasties. However, when it comes to the six dynasties of Nanjing, the Ming Dynasty seems to be excluded from the list. Why is that?

Firstly, we need to clarify what "six dynasties" refer to. The "six dynasties" of Nanjing refer to the six dynasties of Wu, Eastern Jin, Liu Song, Xiao Qi, Xiao Liang, and Chen. All these six dynasties once established their capitals in Nanjing, hence Nanjing is known as the "ancient capital of six dynasties".

However, why is the Ming Dynasty not included in the list of the "six dynasties"? This is mainly because the Ming Dynasty did not establish its capital in Nanjing. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, chose Nanjing as the capital after establishing the dynasty, which is a historical fact that Nanjing served as the capital of the Ming Dynasty. However, after Emperor Zhu Di usurped the throne, he moved the capital to Beijing, and Nanjing ceased to be the capital of the Ming Dynasty.

So, why did Emperor Zhu Di decide to move the capital to Beijing? There are several main reasons:

1. Military considerations: Beijing is close to the northern frontier, and moving the capital to Beijing was beneficial for the Ming Dynasty's military defense against the north.

2. Political considerations: Beijing is located in the Central Plains, and moving the capital to Beijing was conducive to the Ming Dynasty's rule over the entire country.

3. Economic considerations: Beijing is situated in the North China Plain, with fertile land and abundant resources, which was conducive to the economic development of the Ming Dynasty.

4. Historical tradition: Beijing, as one of the four ancient capitals of ancient China, has a profound historical and cultural heritage, and moving the capital to Beijing was beneficial for the cultural prosperity of the Ming Dynasty.

In summary, although Nanjing was once the capital of the Ming Dynasty, it is not included in the list of the "six dynasties" of Nanjing due to Emperor Zhu Di's decision to move the capital to Beijing. However, this does not undermine Nanjing's important position in Chinese history, and its reputation as the "ancient capital of six dynasties" will continue to be handed down through the ages.

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