A beggar, an itinerant monk, leapt to greatness during a tumultuous epoch and went on to found the Ming Dynasty of China (1368A--1644).As a destitute peasant with nothing to lose, he started a local rebellion; success built on success. Defeating local warlords, Zhu Yuan Zhang conquered all the southern part of China, then sent his army north and took the rest.By unifying many Chinese lands, he brought peace and prosperity after a long period of tumult. He is honored with the temple name of Ming Taizu, "e;Grand Ancestor of Ming."e;