 Overthrew the Mongols in 1368  Ming lasted for 300 years  Ming emperors were cautious of outside influence because of Mongol rule  First emperor & founder = Hongwu ( )  Confucians regained influence

 The economic motive for these huge ventures may have been important, and many of the ships had large private cabins for merchants.  But the chief aim was probably political, to enroll further states as tributaries and mark the reemergence of the Chinese Empire following nearly a century of barbarian rule.  Despite their formidable and unprecedented strength, Zheng He's voyages were not intended to extend Chinese sovereignty overseas. Motives — Ming / Zheng He

 More importantly, they served to transmit Chinese culture to South and Southeast Asia and the east coast of Africa.  At the time, many of the countries of these regions were still relatively undeveloped, and therefore quite attracted to China's advanced civilization.  Zheng He's western voyages were not just an opportunity to carry out overseas trade.

Chinese Voyages Ended Why?

 Deep resentment for the alien Mongols and all things foreign  Lack of interest for anything outside Chinese tradition  Narrow Ethnocentrism = “Culturalism”  the Middle Kingdom  Similar to nationalism, but no nation-state arose in the Chinese culture.  Empire and culture began to be thought of together – thus Chinese leadership uninterested in things foreign.  Change within tradition  No ideology of progress like in the West  Falls behind Western economic and technology

 Concept of all-powerful but not divine emperor continued with Ming (Mandate of Heaven).  Government returned to the “Forbidden City” in Beijing  Revive the examination system  Involved a lot of memorization

 The superior man bends his attention to what is radical. That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up. Filial piety and fraternal submission!-- are they not the root of all benevolent actions?'

 Sought to protect northern boarders by building new fortifications  Rebuilt the ruins of the Qin dynasty version of the wall

 Attitude = needed little from anyone else  Exceptions: ▪ Voyages of Zheng He ▪ between Japan and China (high point)  Trade was limited to a few interactions with the Dutch and the Portuguese.  Important for Europeans: Ming tolerance of Christian missionaries

 Efforts to convert Chinese to Roman Catholicism was revived  Jesuits (formed during the Catholic Reformation) led this effort  Most famous: Matteo Ricci ▪ Knew Chinese and their culture well and used this to prove similarities between Confucian and Christian views ▪ Introduced Western technologies to Chinese courts such as: ▪ mechanical clocks

 Central Asian nomadic groups successfully raid across the Great Wall  Weak emperors + corruption  Peasant rebellions led to the fall of the Ming  Manchurians saw weakening of the mandate of heaven – time to take power.  Named their new empire the Qing (pure) Dynasty

 Manchu gained control of Beijing in 1644  By the end of the 1700’s, China: ▪ largest size in history ▪ largest country in the world

 Encouraged a separation between Manchu and Chinese  High political positions were held by Manchu  Forbid intermarriage between Manchu and Chinese  Forced Chinese men to grow a queue

 Civil service examinations still determined scholar-gentry  More competitive than ever  Emperor still using the mandate of heaven

 Based on agriculture  Enhanced further by American food crops (Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Peanuts)  Society remained highly patriarchical  men controlled women’s lives  Preferred male children  Only boys took the exams

 From 1100’s – 1500’s Japan was ruled by military governors called shoguns  The Emperor only ceremonial

 Late 1500’s saw Japan pass from a state of almost Civil War to a unified State  Called the Tokugawa Shogunate

 By 1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu unites Japan under the bakufu (tent government)  In theory it was only a temp. replacement for the Emperor  Lasts until 1867

 Their main goal was to control the Daimyo  Powerful territorial landlords who ruled Japan from their huge hereditary estates ▪ About 260 of them ▪ They had their own paper money, schools, and military forces ▪ The Shogun had to reduce their power to unite Japan

 Institute a policy of “alternate attendance” in the capital (Edo)  Daimyo and their family had to spend every other year at the Edo court ▪ Can keep an eye on them ▪ Spend more money on a nice place to live rather than personal army ▪ Create marriage alliances  ALL WORKED TO REDUCE DAIMYO POWER

 Japan invades Korea in 1592  Japan takes over most of the peninsula and into Manchuria ▪ Opens the door for the Manchus to overthrow the Ming  Massive devastation for Korea  In 1606 Japan withdraws

 This part is for you to do:  Create a brief OUTLINE ▪ Big ideas but organized in a logical manner using supporting details ▪ This is pages  This is to be done IN CLASS and will be used to make a class set.