Final answer:
Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming dynasty, had sympathy for the poor because in his early life he had been a monk.
Step-by-step explanation:
Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming dynasty, had sympathy for the poor because in his early life he had been a monk. After watching his family die in famines, he took refuge in a Buddhist monastery and later joined local rebels. This experience shaped his understanding of poverty and led to his empathy for the poor.