Since Emperor Hong-wu (洪武大帝, reign 1368–1398) grew up as a peasant and witnessed first-hand their hardship in life, he took great care to distribute land to the peasants. He instituted a series of public work projects such as constructing irrigation systems to cultivate new land. Towards the middle part of his reign, he issued an edict allowing those who brought fallow land under cultivation to keep it as their own property without being taxed.

According to the 1489 Stone Inscription, Emperor Hong-wu focused his efforts on consolidating military power and unifying his subjects (抚恤天下军民). He gave land to all those who willingly submitted to his authority. He aimed at creating a nation with a happy and peaceful population (以安居乐业之).

Even though the Jews of Kaifeng thrived during the Yuan Dynasty, they too were content with the new administration. The inscription indicated that the congregation found the emperor to be an honest ruler who treated all his subjects equally (诚一视同仁之心也).