Editing Hongwu Emperor (section)

===Goals and law===
{{Quote box
|quote  = A favorite passage of the Hongwu Emperor<br />from ''[[Tao Te Ching|Daode jing]]'' (''The Way and Its Power''):{{sfnp|Brook|1998|p=vii}}
Let the state be small and the people few:
<br />
So that the people...
:fearing death, will be reluctant to move great distances 
:and, even if they have boats and carts, will not use them.
So that the people...
:will find their food sweet and their clothes beautiful,
:will be content with where they live and happy in their customs.
Though adjoining states be within sight of one another
:and cocks crowing and dogs barking in one be heard in the next,
:yet the people of one state will grow old and die
:without having had any dealings with those of another.
|width  = 50%
}}
The Hongwu Emperor's public statements were filled with sympathy for the peasants and a deep distrust of the wealthy landowners and scholars.{{sfnp|Farmer|1995|p=18}} He often referred to himself as a villager from the right bank of the [[Huai River]].{{sfnp|Farmer|1995|p=5}} His difficult upbringing never left his mind, and even as emperor, he held onto the ideal of a self-sufficient village life in peace, a dream that was unattainable in his youth. He made every effort to make this dream a reality for his subjects.{{sfnp|Brook|1998|pp=8–9}}

The ultimate goal of the Hongwu Emperor's reforms was to achieve political stability for the state. All policies, institutions, and the social and economic structure of society were designed to serve this purpose. The chaos and foreign rule that led to the establishment of a new dynasty only reinforced his determination to maintain order.{{sfnp|Li|2010|p=24}}

The emperor was meticulous in his efforts to establish a new society after the fall of the Yuan dynasty. He was a dynamic and innovative legislator, constantly issuing, revising, and modifying laws throughout his reign,{{sfnp|Farmer|1995|p=10}} but these frequent changes sometimes sparked protests from officials.{{sfnp|Langlois|1988|p=156}}

The emperor's legislation focused on four main themes. The first was a broad desire to restore order and morality in society. The second was the regulation of the bureaucracy, including disciplining followers and managing the government. The third was the removal of corrupt and unreliable officials. Finally, the emperor also sought to resist the natural decline that comes with time. As the patriarch of the family, he aimed to prevent the decay of society and the dynasty in the future, as well as any changes to his laws.{{sfnp|Farmer|1995|p=15}}

The compilation of the new code, known as the ''Great Ming Code'', began in 1364. This code, which was heavily influenced by Confucian principles, was largely based on the old ''[[Tang Code]]'' of 653. The initial wording was agreed upon in 1367, and the final version was adopted in 1397. It remained unchanged until the fall of the empire, although additional provisions were later added.{{sfnp|Andrew|Rapp|2000|p=25}}