Though many paint the Mongols as heartless barbarians who devastated Asia, the Yuan Dynasty was less of a brutal storm and more akin to a continuation of China. To begin, the Yuan Dynasty thrived off of trade for many reasons. For example, trade provided the Yuan revenue from taxes and satisfied their needs. The Yuan rewarded traders with tax exemption and undoubted safety from criminals. Furthermore, Chinese culture stayed untouched. The Mongols kept their own traditions of drinking fermented horse milk and marrying only other Mongols and, knowing they were not as qualified rulers as conquerors, left the country running by itself. Despite the Mongols conquered the Chinese, Chinese traditions flourished during this time. Kublai Khan, ruler
