AP World History - Ming and Qing Dynasties
Christian Converts
Despite missionary efforts, only 200,000 out of 225 million converted because: - Christians claimed their religion was superior meaning Neo-Confucianism (a value built up on acceptance of different religions) was inferior and Chinese didn't want to accept that
Technology
Didn't have much innovation: burrowed cannons and firearms from Europe and gov't believed that tech. advancements would lead to unsettling changes
Ming Collapse
Famine in the 17th century - peasants rebelled and cities started losing loyalty Manchus came in and rid the rebellion but took over the government
Neo-Confucianism
started by Zhu Xi in 12th c. and combines Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism and gov't promoted it by establishing schools and creating literary works
Matteo Ricci
Jesuit missionary who learnt Chinese and Confucianism and started missionary work in China again
Ming Dynasty
( 1368- 1644) Chinese Dynasty that followed the Mongols. The Ming moved China's capital to Beijing, and ruled for 300 years of peace and prosperity.
Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911) Started by the Manchus from Manchuria after capturing Beijing in 1644
Economic: Ming and Qing
*Agricultural society that planted rice, wheat, and millets *Also started planting maize, sweet potato, and peanuts when Spanish introduced them ------------------------------------------------ *Trade was ok --> Banned for a bit --> allowed with restrictions
Effects of Missionary Work
1) European Science and Tech became known in China and Chinese innovations became known in Europe 2) Jesuits described the Chinese as orderly and rational in books, writing, pamphlets, and more. 3) Europeans became interested in the civil service bureaucracy and many started establishing them in the 18th century 4) The rationality of Confucianism also appealed to European thinkers, who sought alternatives to Christianity as the foundation for ethics and morality 5) For the first time since Marco Polo, the Jesuits made first hand observations of China available to Europeans and stimulated strong European interest in east Asian societies
End of Missionary Work
1) Franciscan and Dominican Christians were trying to establish their own Chinese Christian communities and got jealous at how much imperial power the Roman Catholic Christians had in China 2) They complained to the Pope how the Roman Catholic were allowing the Chinese to combine Christianity with Chinese culture, so the Pope told the Roman Catholics to follow European Christian values 3) Kangxi didn't like this so he stopped Christian teachings in China 4) Without support, the missionary weakened and fell in the 18th century
Hierarchy
1) Scholar-bureaucrats & Gentry - Most privileged, gov't positions, rich and powerful 2) Peasants (laborers, farmers, landlords) - Honored since they performed honest work and provided food for the pop. 3) Artisans (tailors, barbers, physicians) - Below peasants but got paid more - Either employed by government, gentry, or employed 4) Merchants - Leeches of society - Little gov't support but gained through bribery and parterships from gentry 5) Mean People - Soldiers (evil but necessary) and beggars
History of Trade
1) Yongle sends Zheng He to establish presense in Indian Ocean basin 2) After Yongle Ming emperors stopped the voyages and prevent people from interactingg with foreign people 3) Qing banned trade in the 17th century -1656: imperial edict "forbade a plank to float out to sea" -1661: Kangxi evacuated S. coastal cities to pacify China 4) Lifted ban in 1680s but under tight restrictions -Portuguese operated at the port of Macau -British operated with merchants at Guangzhou 5) They supported small-scale trade, but nothing like the British and Dutch
Things that Kangxi did:
1) expanded the Qing empire 2) built irrigation and flood-control projects
Qing culture
1)Outlawed intermarriage between Manchus and Chinese 2)Forbade Chinese to travel to Manchuria and learn the language 3)Forced men to shave their head in a certain style to show submission to the government
Yongle
Hongwu's son; sponsored the voyages on Zheng He
Christianity in China
Nestorian Christians: established in 7th Century Roman Catholic Christians: established in Yuan dynasty ----> both fled due to plague and war <--- came back to China and had to restart their efforts
Culture
Novels started to become more appealing to urban peoples and the printing press allowed for that change to occur
Social: Ming and Qing
Patriarchal - Boys preferred since they got money; Wealthy women had their feet bound Filial Piety - Father was the head of the household; passed down among sons; everyone does their part in society Ancestor Veneration -
Kangxi
Qing emperor (r. 1662-1722) who was educated in Confucian values
Qianlong
Qing emperor (r. 1736-1795), grandson of Kangxi who continued his grandfather's conquests by consolidating hold on Xinjiang province (westernmost). He made Vietnam, Burma and Nepal vassal states of China, and delegated responsibilities to his favorite Eunuchs, marking the decline of the Qing Dynasty
Jesuit work
Showed new inventions to the Chinese and attracted them through Science and Technology hoping they would convert --> gave church service in Chinese and allowed for them to continue their own traditions (ancestor veneration)
Great Wall
Started by Qin in 3rd century BCE but finished under the Ming
What did the Ming bring back that was present in the Song and Tang Dynasty?
The Civil Service Exam
Merchants
Those who exploited opportunities became rich and worked their way up the social ladder; paid for children's education
Ming Decline
Weakened in the 16th century: pirate attacks, corrupt officials, lazy emperors living in the forbidden city (Wanli)
Trade
exports: Silk, porcelain, lacquerware, and tea imports: Spices, exotic products (tropical areas), textiles (Europe), SILVER (fueled the economy)
Hongwu
first Ming emperor (1368-1403); drove out the Mongols and built a tightly centralized state