Zhu Yuanzhang in the context of "Battle of Lake Poyang"

The House of Zhu was the imperial house that ruled the Ming dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. Rump states of the Ming dynasty (collectively known as the Southern Ming) continued in the southern region until 1662, but the territory gradually decreased. The Ming dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people. After its downfall, China was conquered by the Manchu-led Qing dynasty (1644–1912). The Han-led state was only restored after the fall of the Qing dynasty, with the establishment of the Republic of China as a nation state in 1912.

The founder of the House of Zhu was Zhu Yuanzhang, the leader of a major rebellion against the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. He and his descendants lifted China to long-term economic prosperity and political stability. Over time, thanks to the polygamy common among the upper classes of Chinese society, the number of male members of the house increased to one hundred thousand. Except for the emperors and heirs to the throne, they were excluded from politics for the sake of government stability.

Han Lin'er (d. 1367) was one of the leaders of the Red Turban Rebellion during the late Yuan dynasty of China. Proclaimed emperor in 1355, he reigned in name only, as real power was initially held by his minister Liu Futong and later by Zhu Yuanzhang.

After the fall of the Song dynasty in 1279, China came under Mongol Yuan rule. Many Han people resisted, especially the White Lotus sect led by Han's father Han Shantong, who claimed descent from Emperor Huizong of Song and as an incarnation of Maitreya. He launched an uprising in 1351 but was executed in 1355. With Han Shantong's death, Liu Futong became the de facto leader of the rebellion and supported Han Lin'er, who was proclaimed emperor of the restored Song in Bozhou.

The Ming dynasty (1368–1644) was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled after the fall of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. It was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, the majority ethnic group in China. At its height, the Ming dynasty had a population of 160 million people, while some assert the population could actually have been as large as 200 million.

The founder of the dynasty was Zhu Yuanzhang, one of the leaders of the uprising against the Yuan dynasty. In 1368, he declared himself emperor and adopted the era name "Hongwu" for his reign, naming the dynasty he founded "Ming", meaning "Brilliant." In the same year, the capital of the Yuan, Dadu (present-day Beijing), was captured. The Hongwu Emperor aimed to create a society based on self-sufficient rural communities and to limit the influence of merchants. As a result of his actions, agriculture was revitalized and a network of roads was constructed for both military and administrative purposes. He also maintained a standing army of at least one million soldiers.