The ruling body of the Mogolian Yuan feudal and autocratic regime was dominated by the Mongolian nobility also included the Semu people and the Han nobility landowners and business barons. The Mongols divided the population in the whole country into four classes: The highest class were the Mongols, the next their allies and Non-Chinese from Inner Asia (called Semuren 色目人), the third class the inhabitants of north China including the Khitans and the Jurchens (called Hanren 汉人), and the lowest class were the south Chinese (called Nanzi 南子). Based on the classification, a series of systems were set up for national discrimination and suppression, which led to national estrangement and caused strong discontentment of the oppressed. So rebellions of the oppressed people accompanied the Yuan Dynasty to its end.
Wen Tianxiang was one of the senior ministers who devoted himself to the resistance of the invasion of the Yuan Dynasty. He was captured by the Yuan troops in the winter of 1278 AD (the fifteenth year of the Zhiyuan period and the third year of the Jingyan period of the Southern Song Dynasty). Having tried to die for his motherland but in vainhe was sent under escort to Khanbalik. The Yuan rulers attempted to talk him into come around but he would not surrender, at last the Yuan Emperor Shizu took a try himself, which turned out to be a failure, too. The plan of goal delivery gave away and shocked the Yuan emperor Kubilai. Wen was killed in January ninth,1283 AD (December the ninth of the nineteenth year of the Zhiyuan period). The lofty and unyielding national integrity found best expression in the behaviors of Wen Tianxiang. |
