 Inter-Mongol fighting  TAX FARMING = Peasant Rebellions  Plague (1340s)… Effects of the Plague…  Mongols out of China by 1368

 Confucian Exam System Comes Back!  Chinese goods = superior (porcelain, silk, paper, etc.)  Europeans traded silver for these luxuries  Should China focus on internal defense or external displays of power?

1) Banned overseas voyages 2) Didn’t focus on going OUT and trading (merchants viewed badly again) 3) Protect from scary pastoralists to the North Assumption = People will come to China b/c it is awesome. China does not need to go to others.

 New Emperor Yongle in 1403  Establishes new Outward-Focused Policies  Trade increased  Built up the Forbidden City

 Each ship 400’ long & 160’ wide  Fleet of 57 vessels  7 voyages- approx. 28,000 traveled  Goals= (Aim to Awe, NOT Attack & NOT Trade) 1) Show off Ming greatness 2) Establish tribute states

 Porcelain and Painting reach new levels of greatness  Emperor’s use of Confucian rituals & art to legitimize rule & establish power become more important  Sound familiar?

 Mimicked style of previous CHINESE Dynasties (like Song)  Focus on Confucian harmony  Focus on NATURE, not humans (the opposite of Renaissance art!)  Used to display power  Use of Porcelain – especially blue and white ware

The picture on the gate above shows a Confucian scholar on the left at a desk. It is basically a propaganda piece showing how the elites bring harmony to society.

1. What were some of the issues which led to the collapse of the Mongol Empire? 2. How did Confucian policies differ from those of Emperor Yongle? 3. For what purpose were the Zheng He voyages commissioned? 4. How is European Renaissance art and art of the Ming Dynasty to be compared?

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