Reddit reviews Buildings of Yuan-Ming Period (Ancient Chinese Architecture History)

Ah, excellent question!

There is much debate on the subject. There are some authors, such as Timothy Brook who believe that the Yuan and Mongol rule over China disrupted Chinese society. This is evident, according to these historians, by the division of China into four classes, with the majority Han Chinese occupying the lowest rung of this social order. This flipped traditional Chinese culture and ethnic hegemony on its head, drastically affecting the power of Han Chinese over China proper. This discrimination fostered resentment and anger, leading to the eventual founding of the Ming dynasty.

However, I would say that these historians are the minority. Most consider the Yuan dynasty as a legitimate Chinese dynasty, akin to the Qing. The Yuan maintain traditional political structures and cultural practices during their rule, and the leaders of the Yuan dynasty were careful not to portray themselves as Mongol overlords but rather the legitimate and rightful heir to the mandate of heaven, and thus, a legitimate Chinese government as opposed to a imperial fixture within the Mongol Empire. In fact, many structures established and perfected by the Yuan dynasty were continued and tinkered with by the Ming. Furthermore, the Yuan dynasty was instrumental in both the economic and cultural growth of China , connecting the country to larger trade networks and promoting and expanding art, drama, and poetry as well during the period. For more, check out Watt and Guxi's work on the period. Not a lot has been written in English on the subject, though the topic is fairly well contested and discussed in Chinese historiography.

So overall, I think it comes down to what one defines as a "Chinese" dynasty. If we are defining it through some sort of ethnic criteria (which I would not), then no, the Yuan dynasty clearly flipped existing ethnic hierarchies upon their head. However, if we are defining it alongside political and cultural traditions, then yes, the Yuan is a Chinese dynasty despite foreign rule, much like the Qing some three centuries later.