Aim: Was the Ming Dynasty superior to previous Chinese dynasties? Do Now: If you were the advisor to the President, would you advise him to increase funds to NASA to further space exploration? Why or why not?

The Chinese Dynasties We Have Already Studied Shang Dynasty 1700 – 1027 BCE Began by Yellow River, first Chinese Dynasty and earliest Chinese writing on Oracle Bones Zhou Dynasty 1027 - 221 BCE Began the Mandate of Heaven and the Dynastic Cycle Qin Dynasty 221 BCE – 207 BCE Followed the official philosophy of Legalism, began the Great Wall of China Han Dynasty 206 BCE – 220 CE Government officials had to pass the Civil Service Exam, official philosophy of Confucianism, trade flourished along the Silk Road, invented paper Sui Dynasty 580 – 618 CE Built the Grand Canal Tang Dynasty 618 – 907 CE Invented gunpowder, the astronomical clock, block printing Song Dynasty 960 – 1279 CE Invented a vaccination for smallpox, paper money Yuan Dynasty 1279 – 1368 CE Controlled by the Mongols, Chinese were treated as 2nd class citizens, trade flourished on the Silk Road

I Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) After the death of Kublai Khan in 1294, the Yuan Dynasty weakened. Following years of rebellion, China was once again unified under the Ming Dynasty in 1368. Kublai Khan

II The Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644)

The Ming Dynasty Continued… A) The Ming Dynasty tried to rid China of Mongol influence and return to traditional Chinese culture. The Civil Service Exam was brought back (for all government workers, based on Confucianism), and the Great Wall of China was completed. B) Emperor Yongle (ruled 1402 – 1424) widened the size of the Grand Canal to improve trade within China. C) Yongle also built the “Forbidden City”; his imperial home, in his capital of Beijing. No one could enter or leave the city without his permission! Ming means “brilliant”. Above is a statue of the Ming Emperor Yongle.

The Forbidden City 178 acres, 800 buildings, and stables for elephants! It took approximately 1,000,000 laborers to build. Yellow is the predominant color, as it was the color of royalty. Legend says that it has 9,999 rooms, but there are actually 8,707. The Emperor slept in a different room each night to prevent assassination attempts. Was the home of 24 Ming and Qing Emperors from 1420 – 1911.

III Zheng He’s fleet (1405 - 1433) A) Ming Emperor Yongle desired to send ships to the west of China. Yongle appointed Zheng He, a trusted official, to command these western voyages. B) Zheng He led 7 great expeditions to India, the Middle East, and even Eastern Africa! Unlike later Western European explorers like Vasco de Gama, Zheng He was NOT exploring the unknown; China ALREADY KNEW about ports in India and East Africa. China also did not desire trade; merchants came to China. So what was the real purpose of Zheng He’s trips? To show off the greatness of China, and to bring back exotic luxuries for the Emperor. This was especially important after years of Mongol rule.

Zheng He Continued… “We have traversed more than… [30,000 miles] of immense water… and have beheld in the ocean huge waves like mountains rising in the sky, and we have set eyes on barbarian regions far away… while our sails, loftily unfurled like clouds day and night…” - Zheng He, 1432.

IV Why did China stop overseas exploration? In 1435 Zheng He died. The new Emperor, Yongle’s son, Emperor Hongle, banned any further sea voyages. B) Why did Emperor Hongle ban any further voyages? 1. Being a believer of Confucius, he ranked merchants on the lowest scale of society, believing that they didn’t create anything or advance society forward. 2. As the voyages were not for trade, they cost China more money than they brought in.

Summary Questions What was the purpose of the Forbidden City? If you were Emperor Yongle, would you have built it? Why? What were the accomplishments of Zheng He? Why did he explore? Why did China stop overseas exploration? Do you think they should have stopped?

Key Vocabulary Civil Service Exam Emperor Hongle Emperor Yongle Ethnocentric Forbidden City Kublai Khan Ming Dynasty Yuan Dynasty Zheng He

The Now Shut Starbucks at the Forbidden City

Is the cuts to NASA’s budget similar to the Ming stopping overseas voyages?