Zhu Yuanzhang (born Oct. 21, 1328, Hao-chou, died June 24, 1389), reign name Hongwu，posthumous name Gaodi, temple name Taizu, was the founder of China's Ming Dynasty.
朱元璋，132s年1o月21日生于濠州，卒于1398年6月24日，年号洪武，谥号高帝，庙号太祖，中国明朝的开国皇帝。
A poor peasant orphaned at 16, he entered a monastery to avoid starvation.
朱元璋出身农民家庭，16岁成了孤儿。为了不至于饿死，朱元璋出家当了和尚。

Later, as a rebel leader，he came in contact with educated gentry from whom he received an education and political guidance.
后来，作为起义领袖，朱元璋接触了有教养的贵族，并从他们那得到了教育和政治上的指导。
He was advised to present himself not as a popular rebel but as a national leader against the foreign Mongols whose Yuan Dynasty was on the point of collapse.
别人给朱元璋提议:不要只做一个受欢迎的造反者，而要当民族领袖，反抗处于崩溃边缘的元朝统治者——外来的蒙古人。
Defeating rival national leaders，Zhu proclaimed himself emperor in 1368，establishing his capital at Nanjing and adopting Hongwu as his reign title.
打败与其竟争的民族领袖之后，朱元璋于公元1368年称帝，建都南京，年号洪武。
He drove the last Yuan emperor from China that year and reunified the country by 1382.
同年，朱元璋将元朝最后一个皇帝赶出中国。到1382年朱元璋重新统一中国。
His rule was despotic: he eliminated the posts of prime minister and central chancellor and had the next level of administration report directly to him. He prohibited eunuchs from participating in government and appointed civilian officials to control military affairs.
朱元璋很专制:取消中书省，废除宰相制度，让下一级官员直接对其负责，禁止宦官参政，委派文官管理军务。