Ming Dynasty

What happened in Ming China Isolation?

1500s Ming heavily restricted foreign trade and travel; only at certain places at certain times (Canton) and for defense against Mongol threats to the North

Art & Literature

Ming artisans produced white & blue porcelain which became a valuable trade item in Europe, short stories became popular, first Chinese novels were published, and rising literacy rates due to the growth of popular fiction so common people could read

Reasons for Ming Isolation?

Ming disliked the influence of Europeans who brought American ideas/products and wanted to preserve China's tradition

Censors

officials who monitored the government to help root out corruption

Ming Culture

porcelain and silk industries expanded due to a growing demand for Chinese goods, mainly an agricultural society

What did Hongwu do?

reduced taxes, passed reforms to improve agriculture and trade, revived Chinese values and principles (Confucianism), improved civil service examination system, increased influence of censors, and expanded his power and an emperor

How long was the Ming Dynasty?

1368-1644

Hongwu

(1368-1398), peasant who founded Ming Dynasty who worked to rebuild China after Mongols

Yonglo

(1402-1424), Hongwu's son who moved capital to Beijing and built Forbidden city, sponsored overseas voyages to extend influence

Where was the Ming Empire?

China, Korea, Mongolia, parts of central and southeast asia

Zheng He

Chinese Muslim Admiral who led 7 voyages with huge fleets around Indian Ocean as far as africa, traded gifts from China for tribute to China's emperor

Matteo Ricci

Italian Jesuit priest who arrived in China in 1583 who adopted Chinese culture and gained acceptance in Court where he introduced European ideas about math and science

How did the Ming empire arise?

Kublai Khan & Yuan dynasty fell in late 1200s and resentment in China allowed for the rise of a new dynasty

Manchu v. Ming

Manchu took Beijing in 1644 and emperor killed himself to avoid capture

How did Hongwu gain individual power?

got rid of high-power government officials and eliminated/killed any threats to his authority

Ming Economy

improved methods of irrigation increased farm production, peasants produced huge crops of rice, and new crops from Americas in 1500s all led to increased farm output and population/city growth

Why did Ming restore Great Wall?

to improve defense against the Mongol threat to the North

Ming Decline

weak rulers took the throne in late 1500s and corruption increased, crop failures, taxes, and rebellions