Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Both proposals were approved, and Huang Shijun was very happy.

However, he strongly disagreed with Sun Chengzong's proposal to recruit barbarian surplus men into the army. He said:
“Barbarian remnants can become monks, but they cannot join the army.”

"During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, barbarians were recruited to fight, which led to the An Lushan Rebellion."

"The army of the Ming Dynasty must be mainly composed of Han Chinese and cannot use barbarians."

This is easier said than done.

Because recruiting soldiers in the Ming Dynasty was never easy, not many people were willing to join the army.

Serving in the military has always been a tough job, and people rarely choose to join the army if there are other options.

Sun Chengzong said:

“There are many barbarians beyond the Great Wall. If we don’t let them join the army, we will make the Han people fight.”

"Then the Han people will become fewer and fewer, how will we suppress the barbarians?"

"The An Lushan Rebellion was caused by the Tang Dynasty's gullibility towards the barbarians, which allowed them to easily become military governors."

"As long as the Ming Dynasty learns from this lesson and does not allow unincorporated barbarians to preside over the military and political affairs of a region, they will not pose much of a threat."

This is put more lightly, and many people are not convinced by it.

If controlling barbarians is really that simple, why are there still barbarian disturbances even now?

The Ming Dynasty, in particular, had learned its lesson. The three great campaigns of the Wanli Emperor were all due to rebellions by barbarians, forcing the court to send troops.

The prevailing view among the officials was that barbarians should not be allowed to serve in the Ming army; they should only be allowed to serve as auxiliary troops.

In response, Zhu Youjian said:
“Barbarians mainly serve as servants, but they can also join the Ming army.”

"However, before being naturalized, one cannot serve as an officer in the Ming army."

"Moreover, generals of the fifth rank or above who can lead a battalion independently must be Han Chinese or have a noble hereditary official status."

"That way they will have the mindset of immortal beings and won't easily cause trouble."

This decision was endorsed by Sun Chengzong.

He had actually been on the battlefield and knew that even among the barbarians, there were people willing to serve the Ming Dynasty.

People like Hu Dawei and Meng Ruhu, who were appointed by the emperor, were naturalized barbarians from the grasslands.

With these role models, talented people on the grasslands are more willing to submit. Otherwise, if we keep fighting one by one, when will we ever find peace?
However, he also had concerns about barbarians controlling military and political affairs, and requested the emperor to set clear limits. In particular, he stressed that barbarians should not be allowed to control military and political affairs to avoid a repeat of the An Lushan Rebellion.

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Youjian said:

“We must provide a way out for the naturalized barbarians and give them the opportunity to take up positions.”

"However, they cannot preside over military and political affairs in a region; they must always be checked and balanced by Han Chinese ministers of equal rank."

"Furthermore, there should be restrictions on the number. The number of Han Chinese officials must not be lower than the proportion of Han Chinese in the total Chinese population."

"Those who submit to the barbarians shall not exceed the proportion of their ethnicity in the total Chinese population."

These words were somewhat difficult to pronounce, so Zhu Youjian gave specific examples:
"Many barbarians are not assimilated or registered as citizens, and the exact proportion is unknown."

“Let’s take North Korea as an example. Its total population is about six million, and more than two million people have donated their Chinese identity.”

"The total population of the Ming Dynasty was about 200 million. The two million Korean-Chinese accounted for one percent of the two hundred million Chinese."

"Therefore, the number of Korean-Chinese officials, especially ministers, in the Ming Dynasty shall not exceed one percent."

"Once the proportion exceeds this level, they can be arranged to return to Korea to serve as vassal officials sent by the Ming Dynasty."

"The same applies to the military; the proportion of officers of Korean descent must not exceed one percent."

Such detailed regulations were met with unanimous approval from the court officials.

Because they realized that the emperor's policy would not have much impact on the officialdom.

Korea was already one of the major powers surrounding the Ming Dynasty, yet its ethnic minority population only accounted for one percent of the total population.

The number is even smaller in Mongolia, especially after tribal subdivision; it's estimated that each ethnic group has fewer than 100,000 people. Even if they were all naturalized as Chinese, they would still account for less than one-thousandth.

With fewer than a hundred ministers at present, they can't even produce a single minister!
However, this dampened their enthusiasm, so Sun Chengzong suggested:

"I believe that although some ethnic groups have a small number of naturalized members, they have very loyal and capable people."

“The court should not treat these people harshly. Military officers can be assigned to the Five Ministries, and civil officials can be assigned to the Court of Colonial Affairs.”

"The ratio of the five ministries to the Court of Colonial Affairs should not be restricted."

One of these two offices held a nominal position, while the other was a peripheral office responsible for the vassal states. The court officials had no objections, and Zhu Youjian certainly wouldn't oppose it.

He nodded and said:

"That's one way to arrange it."

"The Five Offices and the Court of Colonial Affairs can appoint more non-Han officials."

"But core positions should still be held by Han Chinese, or those who have the status of Jinshi or Yuanshi."

“For Chinese people of other ethnicities to break through the restrictions, they need to go through three generations of intermarriage and be completely naturalized as Han Chinese.”

"Only after a hundred years can one cultivate the mindset of an immortal species."

Using the theory of long-lived and short-lived species, they endorsed their three generations of intermarriage with the Han people.

Only after three generations of assimilation can these people fully become Han Chinese.

The idea that "it takes three generations to raise a single immortal being" has gradually become a consensus. It is believed that naturalized barbarians must be observed for a long period of time.

The ministers in the imperial court had mixed feelings about this policy.

The good news is that, with the continuous naturalization of other ethnic groups, the proportion of Han Chinese in the total Chinese population has always remained at a high level.

They can completely control the court without worrying about other ethnic groups.

The concern, of course, is that as more and more Chinese become Han Chinese, there will be more people competing with them for official positions.

Even if this happens a hundred years from now, they will still worry about their descendants.

Therefore, in practice, they imposed various restrictions on the promotion of barbarians. They preferred that they be granted noble titles after achieving merit rather than that they be promoted.

This also aligned with the desire of the barbarians to be assimilated, as they were not particularly enthusiastic about serving as officials in the Ming Dynasty, but rather eager to obtain a fiefdom and become a feudal lord.

Only after their descendants become familiar with the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty will they be more willing to serve in the court.

By then, it would have been three generations later, when they had been completely assimilated into Han Chinese and the restrictions on their official positions had been lifted.
-
However, the idea of ​​completely assimil to the Han people after three generations remains just a vision.

Some people, even after three generations, still retain barbarian habits.

Huang Shijun said:

“For the descendants of barbarians to be completely assimilated into Han Chinese, I believe an examination is necessary.”

"They should be required to pass a Chinese proficiency test, or have someone in their family who has achieved official rank."

"Only in this way can we say that they are knowledgeable and polite, and no longer the barbarians of the past."

"If anyone in the family behaves like a barbarian, their assimilation will have to be reconsidered."

Zhu Youjian paid little attention to these more specific matters and instead issued the following order:
"The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue can discuss ways to stipulate in the household law how one can be certified as a Han Chinese."

"My requirement is that all the barbarian descendants who have been naturalized as Han people must sever ties with their original tribes."

“After naturalization, they will be completely Han Chinese and enjoy all the rights of Han people.”

"We can no longer be loyal to foreign races and unable to sever ties with our original barbarian tribes." He then gave specific examples:

"The Tong family of Liaodong is a counterexample."

"The Tong family originated from the Tongjia clan of the Jurchen people. Tong Yangzheng's grandfather, Tong En, died in battle, and his father, Tong Deng, rose to the rank of general. He himself was also a general. The Tong family can be considered a military family in Liaodong."

"However, after the Jurchens rebelled, Tong Yangzheng and Tong Yangxing led their clansmen to surrender to the Jurchens and became the Tongjia clan of the Jurchens again."

"This is a counterexample to the failure of education."

"You all must take this as a warning and avoid such a thing from happening again."

“The descendants of barbarians who have been naturalized as Han Chinese must sever ties with their original tribes.”

"Even while in office, one must avoid contact with several generations of ancestors."

"Li Chengliang was also entangled with the Jurchens, which led to him raising a tiger that would eventually become his own enemy."

This example serves as a stark counterexample.

Li Chengliang's raising of a tiger to cause trouble is well-known, but the brothers Tong Yangzheng and Tong Yangxing brought much harm to the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty listed Tong Yangxing and Li Yongfang as two major traitors.

The emperor used this example of a barbarian descendant who had been naturalized for generations but then rebelled, to make his ministers even more aware that:

Assimilation of barbarians is no easy task.

They could easily suffer the consequences if they were not careful, so they must be strictly controlled.

Some even argue that they should not be naturalized. At most, these barbarians could become citizens of the Ming Dynasty, but they should not be granted the status of Chinese or Han people.

Zhu Youjian did not agree with this, because if they were not completely assimilated into the Han Chinese, these people would become a minority group in the Ming Dynasty.

Over time, these ethnic groups will inevitably grow stronger and demand all sorts of rights.

That would cause more trouble for future generations. It would be better to naturalize the assimilated people and turn them into Han Chinese, thereby increasing the proportion of Han Chinese.

He addressed his ministers:

"Emperor Taizu once said: Those who return to me will enjoy eternal peace in China."

"We should accept naturalized people and allow them to become Chinese."

"In the past, the Han Dynasty integrated people from various states into the Han people and absorbed many ethnic groups."

"Anything that once belonged to China should not be excluded."

"If the Ming Dynasty wants to rule the world and restore its status as the Celestial Empire, it should not exclude people from other countries."

"We must absorb the elites of various countries and make them Chinese or Han Chinese."

"Only by embracing all rivers can the Ming Dynasty prosper for a long time."

"Gentlemen, you all take it as your responsibility to educate the world, and you should not blindly reject foreigners."

By slapping the heavy label of "education" on these officials who are afraid of trouble, they have no choice but to accept it.

However, they demanded stricter standards in specific educational policies. Huang Shijun suggested:

“Barbarians who are naturalized as Chinese need to pass a Chinese proficiency test.”

"I believe that the descendants of barbarians should also pass an exam and be well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics in order to continue to obtain Chinese identity."

"Only after three generations can one become a Han Chinese."

“If a generation fails to pass the test or commits a depraved crime, the count must be restarted.”

“Especially for Caucasians and Black people who are not of the same origin as the Yellow Emperor and Yan Emperor, the lineage can be extended to the fifth generation.”

This is more specific than the requirement of intermarriage across three consecutive generations.

In particular, it imposed cultural requirements, stipulating that the descendants of barbarians must be well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics in order to continue to be considered Chinese.

Although Zhu Youjian felt this was too difficult, with the ministers echoing his opinion, he could only nod in agreement.

In any case, he was just providing a path for the assimilation of barbarians, and he didn't really care how wide that path was.

Those who meet the requirements will naturally be assimilated into Han Chinese society. Those who don't will simply continue to be...

"We can't let them continue to be barbarians!"

Zhu Youjian had this thought and said:
"If one generation fails the exam or commits a depraved sin."

“They can be punished according to the law and stripped of their Ming Dynasty citizenship.”

"But they cannot be completely regarded as barbarians; they can be considered as people of Chinese descent."

"Their descendants can continue to be naturalized until they become Han Chinese."

Fearing that the Ministry of Rites might not take this matter seriously, Zhu Youjian instructed the officials of the Ministry of Rites:
"The Education Department should establish a special institution to educate ethnic Chinese, run schools for these people, and help them become qualified Han Chinese."

"The Propaganda Department should also spread propaganda to the naturalized barbarians and teach them how to become Han Chinese."

"Furthermore, we should classify typical barbaric behaviors as crimes of depravity, and tell them what things they cannot do, and that they will lose their citizenship if they do so."

"Your Ministry of Rites is at the forefront of propaganda and education. You must prevent depravity and crime, and contribute to the cause of the people becoming scholars and entering a world of great harmony."

Upon hearing these words, the officials of the Ministry of Rites bowed and accepted the order.

This fully demonstrates the emperor's emphasis on the Ministry of Rites, and the education of barbarians became one of the core powers of the Ministry of Rites.

Zhu Youjian included the number of barbarians educated, the number of people promoted to official positions, the literacy rate, the proportion of scholars, and so on in the scope of the Ministry of Rites' assessment.

The Ministry of Rites must focus on education and elevate the people to the status of scholars, thus delaying the formation of racial and class stratification.

Subsequently, he instructed the Ministry of Rites to formulate a negative list, including short-lived species behaviors that do not constitute crimes.

Those who violate these rules will not have their citizenship revoked, but they will encounter some resistance in the selection of scholars. Their scholar status may even be revoked, and they may be relegated to the status of prospective scholars.

In the army, Zhu Youjian also arranged for the Propaganda and Education Department of the Ministry of War to strengthen the education of the troops.

Other ethnic groups serving in the military are to be indoctrinated in the military so that they can truly become Chinese in their thinking and be free from barbaric habits.

The auxiliary troops should also be educated, and their senior officers should be recruited as Chinese.

However, they are still untrustworthy and cannot be fully trusted until they are completely assimilated into Han Chinese society.

Considering the arrival of the era of firearms, Zhu Youjian specifically instructed:
"The Ming Dynasty doesn't have many new-style firearms right now, so these new-style firearms should be prioritized for the Han people."

"Only when there are more muskets in the future can they be equipped for the naturalized Chinese, and even for the auxiliary troops."

"But apart from muskets, other firearms must never be circulated outside. Especially the most crucial artillery; the technology must not be leaked."

"The Han Dynasty went from one Han general being able to fight five barbarian tribes to one Han general being able to fight three barbarian tribes after the outflow of iron technology. We must learn from this lesson."

"Future wars will be artillery battles, and the artillery technology of the Ming Dynasty must not be leaked."

"The steel that can be used to cast cannons, the factories that manufacture cannons, as well as the machines and technicians, should all be classified as secret."

Zhu Youjian attached great importance to this and instructed the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Security Department to be in charge. He also made specific arrangements:
"The artillery, as well as the technical branches such as vehicle troops, balloon troops, and naval troops, should be entirely staffed by Han Chinese. We cannot allow people with lingering barbarian mentality to be in charge. The artillery of the auxiliary army should also be dispatched from the Ming army."

"Logistics should also be controlled by Han Chinese officers; we cannot allow barbarians to have independent combat capabilities."

"Everyone must remember: those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts. In this world full of barbarians, the only people who can truly be trusted are the Han people."

"Han Chinese hereditary officials and soldiers who own permanent farmland should form the main body of the officer corps." (End of this chapter)