Final answer:
During the Yuan dynasty, the Mongols implemented taxation practices and social policies that alienated Chinese traditions, such as diminishing the social status of farmers and enforcing an ethnic hierarchy. Although some infrastructural improvements and benevolent policies were enacted, the deep cultural differences and the imposition of foreign rule led to widespread resentment among the Chinese people.
Step-by-step explanation:
How the Mongols Alienated Chinese Traditions
The Mongol rule over China, particularly during the Yuan dynasty, introduced several policies that greatly alienated many Chinese traditions. The Mongol taxation practices, along with the appropriation of agricultural land, led to significant hardship for Chinese peasants and farmers. This economic strain, while benefiting merchants and artisans, did not mitigate the resentment against Mongol rule. Aside from some infrastructural efforts, such as improving roads and the Grand Canal, Mongols failed to earn the approval of Chinese subjects due to their foreign customs, dietary habits, and bathing practices which clashed with Chinese ways of life.
Moreover, the Mongols enforced a rigid ethnic hierarchy that placed ethnic Chinese on the lower rungs, lower than other foreign subjects known as Semu ren. Their rules prohibited Chinese people from adopting Mongol dress or learning their language, reinforcing the cultural and social divide.
The traditional nomadic worldview of the Mongols also contrasted sharply with the Confucian values of Chinese society. Farmers, highly valued in Chinese culture, were demoted in social status under Mongol rule, indicative of the fundamental differences in perspective between the conquerors and the conquered. Despite these tensions, it is also important to recognize the benevolent policies enacted by Mongol rulers which included creating granaries, forgiving taxes after natural disasters, and reducing the prevalence of banditry, which all contributed to improved safety and economic stability for the merchants.
However, the Mongol Empire, especially under leaders like Kublai Khan, had a complicated relationship with China. Kublai Khan's reluctance to fully trust Confucian officials did not lead to their complete replacement but signified a distrust of Chinese administration. The Yuan dynasty did facilitate significant cultural and technological exchanges between the East and West, re-establishing the Silk Road, and endorsing the printing industry.