You're listening to an airwave media podcast. Hello and welcome to the history of China.

Episode 199 on the waterfront.

Last time we left off with Ju Yuan Jong's nascent Ming state, achieving something of an uncomfortable equilibrium with its southern neighbors.

Strong enough to resist anything but the most concerted attack by multiple foes, and yet not quite strong enough to itself

attack without opening itself up to a crushing counter-assault.

As of 1360, it seemed likelier than not that Southern China would remain in that holding pattern indefinitely.

Much as had been the case during the five dynasties in ten kingdoms period, four centuries

prior, following the collapse of the tongue.

Without a major shift in that balance of power, the South seemed to be going nowhere fast. And so today we're going

the South that major kick in the pants it needs to nudge it out of that

deadlock and put Ju Yuan

Jong definitively back on the path towards ultimate victory and the dragon

throne. So just as a quick recap of our major players in the conflict.

Jews' Ming state, centered on this capital, Nanjing, is sandwiched between, go figure,

his two main rivals.

To his east is Jiangs' coastal state of Wu, nominally having repledged itself to the Yuan court,

but really Jiang is looking out only for Jiang. To Jews west, meanwhile, is Chenyoyoyiang's upriver state of Han centered at Jiangzhou in modern

northern Jiangxi.

Chun would prove to be Juyuenjiang's primary enemy in the battles to come, and arguably across the whole of this period.

But of course, neither of them could yet know that for sure.

To Jujuyen-Jang at this time, both of his neighbors had the potential to deliver a knockout blow if he let his guard down.

And just as a quick point of clarification from the get-go,

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