Liu Ji vs Yao Chong

Liu Ji, known as Liu Bowen, joined Zhu Yuanzhang's rebel forces and advised him on military strategy. He proposed a plan to first secure the south and then march north to capture the Yuan capital Dadu.

Liu Ji served as a key strategist in the naval battle of Lake Poyang against the rival rebel leader Chen Youliang. His tactics, including the use of fire ships, helped Zhu Yuanzhang achieve a decisive victory.

Liu Ji contributed to the planning and construction of Nanjing as the Ming capital. He advised on the city's layout, fortifications, and feng shui principles, which influenced the design of the imperial city.

Liu Ji retired from court and wrote the 'Jade Box' (Yujue), a collection of military and political strategies. This work became a classic of Chinese strategic thought, often compared to Sun Tzu's Art of War.

Yao Chong was appointed Chancellor under Emperor Zhongzong after the restoration of the Tang dynasty. He served briefly before being demoted due to political infighting, but his administrative skills were already noted.

As Chancellor under Emperor Xuanzong, Yao Chong proposed and implemented a ten-point reform program. It included reducing taxes, curbing Buddhist temple influence, promoting frugality, and streamlining the bureaucracy, laying the foundation for the Kaiyuan era prosperity.

Yao Chong ordered the defrocking of over 12,000 Buddhist monks and nuns who had entered the clergy to evade taxes and corv

Yao Chong was dismissed from the chancellorship after his son and subordinates were implicated in bribery and corruption. Despite his earlier reforms, his inability to control his household led to his downfall, though he remained respected.