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The article is devoted to the problem of the character of the Red turban rebellion (1351-1368): the views of Western and Russian sinologists on this rebellion in are examined and criticised using the material of the historical sources. The rebellion was significant in the history of medieval China, because during it the Mongol Yuan Empire (1279-1368) fell, and at the end of it the new Chinese Ming Empire (1368-1644) was formed.The study is based on the following sources: “Yuan shi”, “Ming shilu” and “Ming shi”. Historiographers referred to them when they drew conclusions about the notions of this rebellion. Using the quantitative method, the author concludes that this rebellion was neither peasant nor religious. In fact, it was a war of political actors for sovereignty and for the creation of a new empire. The author identified the function of religious organisations, which were the “cross-cutting institutions” of East Asia. They laid the foundations for the formation of the state. As a result, the Redturban rebellion is more of a politogenesis process, which took place in the same territory where the Southern Song (1235–1279) previously existed.