Background of the rise to popularity

The Yellow River flood of 1344 caused heavy casualties, displacement, hunger, epidemics, and the crisis in Dadu, the Yuan capital. The popular discontent with the ruling Yuan dynasty was triggered by the major construction project of the Yellow River rerouting 1351.

Rebellion leaders career

During the works, he claimed to have found a stone image with only one eye and a prophecy about the revolt inscribed on its back (Caomuzi). This was probably the reflection of some popular beliefs already widespread in Henan of the time. Han proclaimed the rebirth of Maitreya Buddha and the near coming of the "King of Light" (天下大亂，彌勒下生，明王出世). Apparently, he used the title for himself (although there is no such historical record, after his death his son became known under the title "King of Light the Young", which provides the indirect evidence.)

Han Shantong found a staunch supporter in Liu Futong (劉福通). After the plot was discovered, Han was executed.

The son and legacy

Han's son, Han Lin'er (韓林兒) became the symbol of the following rebellion, of which Liu Futong became the leading general. Zhu Yuanzhang, the future founder of the Ming dynasty, was Han Lin'er's subordinate as late as 1363. Though Han and Liu's military power declined after 1359, Lin'er was probably seen as a legitimate future emperor. However, in 1366 or 1367, he accidentally drowned in a pond, not having achieved the rulership. There is suspicion that the drowning was staged by Zhu Yuanzhang's agents; by this time Zhu Yuanzhang was already approaching the victory in his struggle for the Mandate of Heaven (The story was reminiscent of Xiang Yu and the puppet Emperor Yi of Chu).

Historical sources on the power transition predating foundation of the Ming dynasty were destroyed or heavily censored in order to hide the base origin of the founding emperor and his relation to the rebels. For this reason information on Han Shantong and other rebel leaders is very scarce.

The single extant historical reference to Han Shantong's grandfather being a member of a "White Lotus gathering" developed into a stereotype that his teaching belonged to some clandestine tradition of long standing. This view is refuted by Ter Haar's research

生平

出生于趙州欒城（今河北欒城）一個信仰白蓮教的家庭。成年後一邊務農，一邊傳播白蓮教，宣傳「彌勒佛降生」、自稱「孔雀明王出世」，主張推翻元朝統治，並結識了安徽阜陽人劉福通。

元順帝至正十一年（1351年），朝廷強徵15萬民工修築黃河堤壩，怨聲載道。韓山童、劉福通認為時機已到，待石人挖出，人心浮動，韓、劉乘機在潁州潁上發動起義。

盛文鬱、羅文素等公推韓山童是宋徽宗八世孫，並「殺白馬黑牛，誓告天地，謀起兵，以紅巾為號」。當地縣令急調軍隊圍剿。韓山童被俘，隨即被殺害。

其子韓林兒其後被推舉為領袖，改稱「小明王」，繼續抗元，並稱帝。其妻楊氏被兒子韓林兒尊為皇太后。另韓林兒有妹，可見韓山童有女。

相關作品

• 《倚天屠龍記》，金庸。

• 《天子傳奇六洪武大帝》，黃玉郎。