Qing China: Ming & Qing Dynasties

China and the Ming Dynasty Restoration of ethnic Chinese rule under the Ming Dynasty ( ) – Largest population of any civilization of the time – Renewed agricultural/commercial growth – Europeans use New World bullion to pay for goods – High degree of technology – Large numbers of skilled engineers and artisans – Centralized bureaucracy

China and the Ming Dynasty- Hongwu  Zhu Yuanzhang declares himself the Hongwu Emperor  First Ming Emperor  Hongwu=“Vast Military”  Wants to rid China of all traces of the “barbarian” Mongols  Mongol dress was discarded  Mongol names were dropped  Mongol palaces were destroyed

China and the Ming Dynasty-Hongwu Return of the Scholar-Gentry – Somewhat suspicious of this class because of his Peasant upbringings – Scholars versed in Confucian classics were appointed to high positions in government – Civil Service Examination system was reinstated Abolished the position of chief minister Instituted Public beatings for bureaucrats found guilty of corruption and incompetence

China and the Ming Dynasty-Hongwu Hongwu tries to cut down on factionalism and conspiracies that eroded power from earlier Dynasties Exiled all potential rivals to the throne to estates in the provinces – Forbade them to be involved in political affairs Thought control-deleted sections of Mencius’ writings

China and the Ming Dynasty-Hongwu Introduced measures to improve lives of peasants Public works projects Unoccupied land would become the tax- exempt property of those who cleared and cultivated it

China and the Ming Dynasty Women: subordinate to men as per Confucianism. – Played role in Hongwu’s court – Hundreds/Thousands of women would wait at the palace to be seen by the emperor as one of his concubines – Status was defined as to their ability to bear male children

Ming China Territory controlled was not as expansive as in the T’ang Dynasty Commercial and Population boom began in the Song Dynasty was continued Spanish and Portuguese mercantile contacts imports crops from the New World – From the Andes highlands – Maize, sweet potatoes, peanuts Grown on inferior soil with little irrigation – Cultivation spread quickly through marginal areas

Ming China Food crop importati on is key to hedging famine amongst HUGE populatio n growth

Ming China  Commercial growth:  Advanced handicraft industries ▪ Silk textiles ▪ Tea ▪ Fine ceramics  Balance of trade was VERY MUCH in China’s favor  Arab, Asian, and now European traders arrive at Macao and Canton  These are the only two places where Europeans were allowed to do business in Ming China

Ming China  Merchants make lots of money in this trade  Taxes paid to scholar-gentry (bribes, too)  Merchants invested more in land  Ming prosperity was reflected in the fine arts  Development of Chinese literature (the Novel)

Ming China Between 1405 and 1423 China launched a series of impressive expeditions at Sea – During Yunglo’s reign Went to Southeast Asian kingdoms, Persia, southern Arabia, East Africa

Ming China Zhenghe’s expeditions – 62 ships (4 for De Gama, 3 for Columbus) – 28,000 sailors, merchants, soldiers – 400 foot long ships – China had the capacity to expand at least a century before the Europeans rounded the Cape of Good Hope.

Ming China After 1400, China aims to LIMIT China’s overseas commerce – Ming war fleet dramatically declines As the Chinese shut themselves in, the Europeans were irresistibly drawn to the Middle Kingdom for converts. – Some scholars show interest in Christianity, but never took a real hold on the court, or the people.

Ming China-Decline Highly centralized, absolutist structure developed by Hongwu and continued by Yunglo could not be continued. – Official corruption – Isolation of weak rulers – Public works projects fall into disrepair. – Floods, droughts, famine afflict the land Increased foreign threats, mostly by the Manchu The last emperor of the Ming, Chongzhen, commits suicide as the walls of the Forbidden City are scaled by rebels…the Dynasty ends in 1644.