The Ming dynasty 1368 to 1644
VAST SHIP BUILT,RECONSTRUCT GREAT WALL,ENTRY OF MUSLIMS,CHRISTIANITY
During the Ming, most people believed simultaneously in multiple gods and followed the Three Teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. Commoners and emperors alike supported temples and honored devotional images in their homes. In addition, overland and maritime trade routes kept China open to followers of Islam and allowed for the arrival of European Christians.
Notable Ming achievements include the refurbishment of the Great Wall to its greatest glory, large naval expeditions, vibrant maritime trade, and the rise of a heavily monetized economy.
The Ming dynasty was a Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty. It was the last dynasty ruled by the Han Chinese, the majority ethnic group in China. The Ming is known for its cultural and artistic achievements, expansion of the Great Wall, and the voyages of Zheng He.
This video discusses the founding of the Ming dynasty and its first emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang:
Founding and Early Rule:
The Ming dynasty was founded by Zhu Yuanzhang, who later became the Hongwu Emperor. He overthrew the Mongol Yuan dynasty and established his rule in 1368, ushering in an era of stability and centralized power.
Key Emperors:
Besides the Hongwu Emperor, the Yongle Emperor was another prominent ruler who moved the capital to Beijing and oversaw the construction of the Forbidden City.
Achievements:
Art and Culture: The Ming period saw significant advancements in porcelain production (especially blue and white ware), painting, literature, and opera.
Construction: The Ming dynasty is responsible for significant expansions and reconstructions of the Great Wall, as well as the construction of the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.
Exploration: The Ming dynasty, particularly under the Yongle Emperor, is known for the massive naval expeditions led by Zheng He, which explored Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, and parts of Africa.
Decline and Fall:
The Ming dynasty eventually declined due to a combination of factors, including internal political struggles, economic problems, natural disasters, and pressure from the Manchu people in the north. The Manchus eventually conquered Beijing in 1644, establishing the Qing dynasty and ending the Ming rule.
The Ming dynasty, which succeeded the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty (1206–1368), was founded by Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu, who was of humble origins, later assumed the reign title of Hongwu. The Ming became one of the most stable but also one of the most autocratic of all Chinese dynasties.
The basic governmental structure established by the Ming was continued by the subsequent Qing (Manchu) dynasty and lasted until the imperial institution was abolished in 1911/12. The civil service system was perfected during the Ming and then became stratified; almost all the top Ming officials entered the bureaucracy by passing a government examination. The Censorate (Yushitai), an office designed to investigate official misconduct and corruption, was made a separate organ of the government. Affairs in each province were handled by three agencies, each reporting to separate bureaus in the central government. The position of prime minister was abolished. Instead, the emperor took over personal control of the government, ruling with the assistance of the especially appointed Neige, or Grand Secretariat.
During the first decades of the dynasty, the Mongols were driven north to Outer Mongolia (present-day Mongolia), but the Ming could not claim a decisive victory. From then onward the Ming were generally able to maintain their northern border, though by the later stages of the dynasty it in effect only reached the line of the Great Wall.
The Ming government was gradually weakened by factionalism between civil officials, interference by palace eunuchs, the burdens of a growing population, and a succession of weak and inattentive emperors. In 1644 a rebel leader, Li Zicheng, captured Beijing, and the local Ming military commander requested aid from the Manchu tribal peoples who had been encroaching on China’s northern borders. The Manchu drove out Li Zicheng and then remained, establishing the Qing dynasty.
Despite the many foreign contacts made during the Ming period, cultural developments were characterized by a generally conservative and inward-looking attitude. Ming architecture is largely undistinguished with the Forbidden City, a palace complex built in Beijing in the 15th century by the Yongle emperor (and subsequently enlarged and rebuilt), its main representative. The best Ming sculpture is found not in large statues but in small ornamental carvings of jade, ivory, wood, and porcelain. Although a high level of workmanship is manifest in Ming decorative arts such as cloisonné, enamelware, bronze, lacquerwork, and furniture, the major achievements in art were in painting and pottery.
MING DYNASTY
Kublai Khan had conquered China and established the Yuan Dynasty in 1279. Kublai Khan died in 1291. He had no able successors, and the weakness and tyranny of the next five Yuan emperors roused the people to revolt. One of these factions was led by Zhu Yuanzhang, the son of a peasant family. He had risen through the ranks after joining as a common soldier, by distinguishing himself in battle, and succeeded to command the rebel troops on the death of his predecessor. He declared himself emperor Ming Taizu (T`ai Tsu) in 1368, and set about conquering the rest of China. By 1387 the conquest of China was complete.
1368-1398: Zhu Yuanzhang, Hung Wu emperor, reigns.
1403-1424: Reign of Yong Lee, emperor.
1405-1433: Voyages of Zheng He.
1420: Ming capital moved to Beijing.
1421: Construction begins on the Forbidden City in Beijing.
1406-1427: Chinese occupy Vietnam.
1449-1459: War with Wala. Chinese army suffers disastrous defeat at Tumubao fort in 1449. Emperor Ying Zong captured. 1459: Wala repulsed at gates of Beijing by Defence Secretary Yu Qian; Wala leader Yexian asks for peace, returns Ying Zong to China.
1549: Francis Xavier, Jesuit missionary, attempts to enter China.
1550: Altan Khan attempts to take Beijing.
1559-1626: Nurhaci, Jurchen Manzhou leader. 1581: Christian missionaries Matteo Ricci and Lazaro Cantteo visit China; are warmly received by Ming court.
1592-1599: Japanese invasion of Korea; Ming China helps defeat Japanese.
1616: Nuehachi establishes Qing Dynasty in northern China; declares himself Qing Taizu.
1621: Liaoyang and Shenyang are taken by Nurhaci.
1628: Famine; rebellion led by Li Zicheng.
1626-1643: Abahai succeeds Nurhaci as Manzhou leader.
1644: Li Zicheng captures Beijing; Li Zicheng defeated by Manchu(Qing)forces under Dorgun and Wu Sangui, last Ming emperor Ming Si Zu commits suicide; end of Ming Dynasty.
Zheng He(1371-1433)is perhaps China's greatest ever explorer and adventurer. In his seven ocean voyages between 1405 and 1433, he reached the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, Ceylon and even parts of Africa. The name of China spread far and wide, and China enjoyed an unrivalled mastery of the oceans. Zheng He was born in 1371, in Yunnan, China, to poor Muslim parents. At 10 he was captured by the army of Zhu Yuanzhang and castrated, as most prisoners of that time were treated. However, he distinguished himself by helping Zhu Yuanzhang defeat the Yuan Dynasty, and was rewarded with an official post in the government. When he helped Ming Chengzu Zhu Di gain the throne in 1403, he was given command of the Chinese navy. The emperor looked beyond China's borders, and ordered the construction of a vast and grand fleet. Foremost among these were the nine-masted "treasure ships", 440 feet long, and with a crew of over a thousand.
No comments:
Post a Comment