Emperor Shun

The last emperor of the Yuan Dynasty in China (reigned 1333-70). His name was Togon Temur (懽帖木耳). He was the eldest son of the 8th emperor, Mingjong. Due to political strife within the palace, he was sent to border areas such as Goryeo (Korea) and Guangxi from an early age, but was brought from Guangxi to take the throne at the age of 14. He had a deep understanding of Han culture and was not a foolish emperor, but his powerful ministers Bayan (Boyan) and Tokut (Tatu) ran the government as they pleased, and he himself became a fanatic Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism) and indulged in luxury, causing the country's finances to collapse and politics to fall into disarray. Furthermore, natural disasters and famines occurred in various places, and anti-Yuan Dynasty rebellions broke out one after another. One of these was the Red Turban Rebellion, during which he was pursued by the northern expeditionary army of Zhu Yuanzhang (the Ming Emperor's successor), and fled to Shangdu (north of Dolonnur, Inner Mongolia), where he died of illness in Ochang.

[Noriko Taniguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、元(げん)朝最後の皇帝（在位1333～70）。名はトゴンテムル（妥懽帖木耳）。第8代明宗の長子。宮廷内の政争のため幼少から高麗(こうらい)（朝鮮）や広西などの辺境の地に移されていたが、14歳のとき広西から迎えられて帝位についた。漢文化に対する理解が深く、暗愚な皇帝ではなかったが、権臣のバヤン（伯顔）やトクト（脱脱）らが政権をほしいままにし、自らはチベット仏教（ラマ教）を狂信して逸楽にふけったため財政は破綻(はたん)し、国政は乱れた。そのうえ各地に天災、飢饉(ききん)が起こり、反元朝を唱える反乱が続発した。その一つ紅巾(こうきん)の乱のなかから出た朱元璋(しゅげんしょう)（明(みん)の太祖）の北伐軍に追われて上都（内モンゴル、ドロンノール北）に逃れ、応昌(おうしょう)で病死した。

［谷口規矩雄］

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