The discriminatory ethnic policy of the Yuan Dynasty divided the people into four classes. Q: What do you mean by fourth class? What is the fourth category?

The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty divided people into four categories:

Category I: Mongolians

They have the highest status. The purpose is to safeguard the privileges of Mongolian aristocrats.

The second category: semu people

It mainly refers to the ethnic groups in the western regions who were first conquered by Mongolia, such as Qincha, Tang Wu, Uighur, Uighur and so on. In addition, some tribes around the Mongolian Plateau who joined the Party earlier also belong to Semu people.

The third category: Han nationality

It refers to the Han nationality, the Khitan nationality, the Nuzhen nationality and other nationalities in the former Jin State north of Huaihe River, as well as the Sichuan-Yunnan (Dali) people who were later conquered by Mongolia, and the Korean nationality in the northeast is also counted as the Han nationality.

The fourth category: southerners

Refers to the peoples in the pre-Southern Song Dynasty who were finally conquered by Mongolia (excluding the people in Sichuan area south of Huaihe River). They have the lowest social status, the poorest life and are subjected to multiple oppression and discrimination.