Hung Hing Ming studied English at China’s most prestigious university in the early 1960s and went on to work as an official interpreter and translator working with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

He taught English at Zhongshan University (Dr. Sun Yat San University), Guangzhou, in 1984 and again from 1987 to 1991, as an associate professor and an instructor for graduate students in the Foreign Languages and Literature Department. He was a visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley and at the University of Kansas from late 1984 to 1987, when he earned his Masters degree in linguistics, before returning to Zhongshan University. In 1991, Mr. Hung moved to Hong Kong where he worked as a legal translator with international law firms for close to 20 years.

Mr. Hung is writing a series of biographies to introduce some of China’s most emblematic historical figures to the American public.

The Ming Dynasty was one of the greatest periods in Chinese history. Zhu Yuan Zhang broke out of a desperate life of poverty to reach the heights, using his intelligence, strength and integrity to win a new opportunity, a bigger battle, a more...

The Ming Dynasty was one of the greatest periods in Chinese history. Zhu Yuan Zhang broke out of a desperate life of poverty to reach the heights, using his intelligence, strength and integrity to win a new opportunity, a bigger battle, a more powerful position at every turn. Building a local rebellion into a great fighting force, he crushed the Yuan Dynasty, where the Mongols ruled, and brought together a large and powerful nation. The Ming Dynasty was a brilliant stretch of three centuries of native Chinese rule, during which China s influence left its mark on cultures and societies from Vietnam in the east to the Turks in the west. This history traces the rise of one exceptional man during turbulent times, noting along the way the contributions of bold commanders, fearless fighters, wise leaders, and loyal servants who protected the interests and the dignity of their noble lords, illustrating values that underlie traditional Chinese culture. This is the only English-language popular history book about Zhu Yuan Zhang, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty of China. It introduces some of the key figures in Chinese history and illustrates the values that were prized during China s rise to greatness. It s written for students of history and Chinese language, business people, and everyone else who wishes to see inside the Great Wall.