The order states for the people of Qi, Lu, He, Luo, Yan, Ji, Qin, Jin: Since ancient times, the Emperor has governed over the realm. All of them have been situated within the Central Domain in order to control the barbarians, and the barbarians have been situated outside of the Central Domain in order to serve it. Never has it been heard that barbarians would be situated within the Central Domain and control the realm. Ever since Song’s throne was ousted and shifted, Yuan has had northern barbarians enter it to govern the Central Domain. In the range of the four seas, no one has not submitted to them. How could that have come from human power? It was truly a boon from the Heavens.

At that time, the monarch was wise and the subjects good, being enough to use the lead to maintain our realm. Even so, talented men and high scholars lament over crowns and sandals having swapped spots. Following this, Yuan’s officials have not obeyed their ancestors’ lessons, ruining the Bonds and Virtues. In examples, Dade ruined the eldest having priority over the youngest, Taiding had subjects killing the monarch, Tianli saw a younger brother poisoning his older brother, and there are younger brothers taking their older’s wife, sons adulterizing with their father’s concubines. Highers and lowers are of the same habits, yet there is a calm in the face of the strange — the orders of father and son, monarch and subject, husband and wife, senior and junior are horribly in disarray.

He who is ruler is ancestor to his people. They of the Court are the realm’s foundation. Those that are righteous is the greatest defense guarding the world. If all of them act like so, how could they teach the realm’s future generations?!

Those descendants land within desolation, the way of ruler and subject lost, all added with Prime Ministers having autocratic power, petty complaints at the Censor’s Terrace, and the existence of officials malevolent. This is why people’s hearts have gone rebellious, the realm’s armies rising up. For our Central Domain’s people, the dead’s viscera lay spilled upon the ground, the living’s flesh-and-blood not suitably protected. Although human affairs were the cause, the Heavens truly loathe their ‘virtues’, and has abandoned them in time. The ancients once said, “Barbarians have no hundred years of luck.” — Today’s test make believing that no absurdity!

At this time, Heaven’s fortune has revolved, the Central Plains are flourishing. Amongst hundreds of millions of portents, it is right for a holy man to be born that will oust the barbarians, restore the Central Glory, establish the bonds from old records, and provide relief to our citizens. From this era’s onset ’til now, never has anyone been heard of to govern the world and appease the people, its constituents trembling in trepidation, placed within a land of vacillating loyalties. It can beget sympathy, in truth.

On this day, He, Luo, Guan, Shan. They have many heroes within them, yet they have forgotten the family names of their Central Domain ancestors, instead adopting the names of barbarian beasts to utilize that beauteous label, the false Yuan name used to aid in selfish affairs; relying upon having a crowd to covet the crown, domineering, and gripping power from afar are the people of He and Luo. Or, the sparsely-populated groups of slight power block armies with geography, bribe titled nobles in hopes to cultivate their strength, awaiting provocation, are the people of Guan and Shan. Both types started out in the name of catching demons, thus gaining military power.

And, with the demons already wiped out and military power already gained, their arrogance flows abundant. No resumption of the notion to revere the ruler and defend the folk is had. They devour each other, instead bringing immense harm to the people. None of them are the rulers of our nation.

I was once a commoner of Huaiyou. Because of the realm’s great upheaval, for the populace I was expedited, leading my troops across the river, living in Jinling’s circumstances. It has been ten and three years since experiencing the danger of Yangtze’s divine moat. The West pressed on Bashu, the East joins Canghai, the South controls Minyue. Hu, Xiang, Han, Mian, the two Huai, Xu, and Pi — all of them are in our territory. Surrounding the South, the last of them are in my grasp.

The people are safe, the provisions are enough, the troops are well-trained. The bows are controlled for their arrows to be let fly. Gazing upon the our Central Plainsmen, leaderless for so long, I deeply feel the ache of guilt. I respectfully accept Heaven’s Mandate, and will not dare to keep myself safe, as I am planning to dispatch troops up North to oust the barbarians, aid our citizens from misery, and restore the prestige of Han’s officials.

Out of consideration that citizens might not be in the know, and instead fight against me, the Jie family went North and ended up mired, sinking in deep. I order in advance: When the army comes, do not shun them, citizens. My orders are strict, and not a tiny amount of crime will be committed. Those that return to us will always be safe within the Central Domain; those that betray us will scatter off beyond the Wall on their own.

The people of our country will be covered, as the Heavens will command that we keep them safe. How could barbarians maintain rule of them? In fear of the earth long being polluted by the stink of livestock, the people are scared! I shall lead a crowd of heroes to do their utmost to purge it, hence! Our aim is to oust the barbarians, purge the mutinies, let the citizens all possess their own spaces, snow over the Central Domain’s shame, and let the people experience it all!

For the Mongols and Semu, even though they are not of the Domain’s race, they were born of our same world. They can understand propriety and good, and are willing to be subjects no different than those raised within the Domain. I thus inform all of you now, as I believe that it is appropriate to know.

Original Text
檄谕齐鲁河洛燕蓟秦晋之人曰：自古帝王临御天下，皆中国居内以制夷狄，夷狄居外以奉中国，未闻以夷狄居中国而制天下也。自宋祚倾移，元以北狄入主中国，四海以内，罔不臣服，此岂人力，实乃天授。彼时君明臣良，足以纲维天下，然达人志士，尚有冠履倒置之叹。自是以后，元之臣子，不遵祖训，废坏纲常，有如大德废长立幼，泰定以臣弑君，天历以弟酖兄，至于弟收兄妻，子烝父妾，上下相习，恬不为怪，其于父子君臣夫妇长幼之伦，渎乱甚矣。夫人君者，斯民之宗主；朝廷者，天下之根本；礼义者，御世之大防。其所为如彼，岂可为训于天下后世哉！及其后嗣沉荒，失君臣之道，又加以宰相专权，宪台报怨，有司毒虐，于是人心离叛，天下兵起，使我中国之民，死者肝脑涂地，生者骨肉不相保，虽因人事所致，实天厌其德而弃之之时也。古云：“胡虏无百年之运”，验之今日，信乎不谬！
当此之时，天运循环，中原气盛，亿兆之中，当降生圣人，驱逐胡虏，恢复中华，立纲陈纪，救济斯民。今一纪于兹，未闻有治世安民者，徒使尔等战战兢兢，处于朝秦暮楚之地，诚可矜闵。方今河、洛、关、陕，虽有数雄，忘中国祖宗之姓，反就胡虏禽兽之名，以为美称，假元号以济私，恃有众以要君，凭陵跋扈，遥制朝权，此河洛之徒也；或众少力微，阻兵据险，贿诱名爵，志在养力，以俟衅隙，此关陕之人也。二者其始皆以捕妖人为名，乃得兵权。及妖人已灭，兵权已得，志骄气盈，无复尊主庇民之意，互相吞噬，反为生民之巨害，皆非华夏之主也。
予本淮右布衣，因天下大乱，为众所推，率师渡江，居金陵形势之地，得长江天堑之险，今十有三年。西抵巴蜀，东连沧海，南控闽越，湖湘汉沔，两淮徐邳，皆入版图，奄及南方，尽为我有。民稍安，食稍足，兵稍精，控弦执矢，目视我中原之民，久无所主，深用疚心。予恭承天命，罔敢自安，方欲遣兵北逐胡虏，拯生民于涂炭，复汉官之威仪。虑民人未知，反为我雠，絜家北走，陷溺犹深，故先谕告：兵至，民人勿避。予号令严肃，无秋毫之犯，归我者永安于中华，背我者自窜于塞外。盖我中国之民，天必命我中国之人以安之，夷狄何得而治哉！予恐中土久污膻腥，生民扰扰，故率群雄奋力廓清，志在逐胡虏，除暴乱，使民皆得其所，雪中国之耻，尔民其体之！
如蒙古、色目，虽非华夏族类，然同生天地之间，有能知礼义，愿为臣民者，与中夏之人抚养无异。故兹告谕，想宜知悉。