The Ming Dynasty 13681644

1
The Ming Dynasty- 1368-1644

• At first Deep resentment of all things foreign
  because of the Mongolians and although they renew
  trade and tributary system increasing the flow of
  silver and new goods they close off their society
  in the end as they become even more ethnocentric
• The creation of a currier and communication
  system coupled with growing agriculture
  production creates the base for a new urban
  society with a renewed interest in trade
• Conflict between Eunuchs and Confucianists noting
  the rise of Neo-Confucianism as a merge between
  the formerly corrupt Daoists and the
  Confucianists
• Strong challenges to the borders both sea and
  land borders and pirates control many sea lanes
  and the Japanese begin to use new technology
  brought by the European
• They take on these issues with the trade and
  tribute voyages of the eunuch Zheng He as the
  list of tributary states during the Ming dynasty
  was greater than any other era
• Rigid Merit system with introduction of eight
  legged essays
• Population doubles in size from estimates of 75
  million 100 million in early 1400 to 200
  million at the end of the dynasty contributing to
  great urban areas

2
Chinese Culturalism

• Great era of orderly government and social
  stability in human history
• Average population of 100 million
• Political system continues after Ming
• Fundamental changes in the west not felt in
  Chinas experience
• Falls behind west economic and technology
• Change within tradition
• No ideology of progress like in the west
• Deep resentment for the alien Mongols and all
  things foreign
• Lack of interest for anything outside Chinese
  tradition
• Narrow ethnocentrism culturalism
• 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.

3
Rebellions and Disintegrations

• Disastrous 14th century frequent flooding and
  famines deplete Yuan granaries.
• Uprisings in nearly every province
• White Lotus Society
• Known as Red Turbans, open rebellion in 1352
• Zhu Yuanzhang peasant background gains
  experience in White Lotus Society as general.
• Abandoning messianic radicalism, leads another
  rebellion against Mongols.
• Growing independence of regional commanders
• People turn to millenarian sects Mongol
  government deteriorates to local power

4
Early Ming, 1368-1424

• Zhu Yuanzhang and Red Turbans
• 1368 Seizes Beijing
• proclaims the Ming (Brilliant) dynasty
• Capital city at Nanjing
• Names himself the HongWu (Vast Military Power)
• but kept for entire reign established precedent
• Halted civil service exams in the beginning then
  re-established
• Taizu (Great ancestor) as Temple name

5
Ming Despotism

• Zhu (Hongwu) increasingly concentrated power in
  his own hands
• Abolished the Imperial Secretariat Rule would
  be personal and direct
• Reigned in power and influence of eunuchs
• Eunuchs must have nothing to do with
  administration
• Limited rank and title
• Imposed sumptuary laws
• Corporal punishment absolute fear
• Created secret police force to protect him
• Li-jia system to control country side
• similar to Tang system of Fubing
• Moved large numbers of the aristocracy to other
  areas
• Forbid them to move
• Surplus goods created a new class and eventually
  merged the gentry and merchant classes
• Resulted in later control of the merchants of the
  salt and silver trade
• Yongle Emeror
• Defeated second emperor in civil war
• Continued despotism of father
• Reconstructed Grand Canal
• Moved capital from Nanjing to Beijing

Fubing system created in Sui and adopted for
extensive use during the Tang dynasty gave
agricultural tracks of land to Men who in return
would serve the state in the military in time
based On how close they were to the capital
Yongle Emperor
6
Tribute System created under Tang, perfected
under Song and recreated under Ming

• Sent envoys to peripheral states announcing
  proclamation of the Ming and his ascension
• Establishment of suzerain-vassal relationship
  reconfirms Chinas culturalism
• China as parent and source of civilization
• Tributary performs the ke-tou (bowing) imply
  subordinate position
• Not aggressive imperialism defensive expression
  of culturalism

Giraffe brought from African Empire as
tribute Zheng Hes 5th voyage
7
Maritime Expeditions(1405-1433)

• 1421 The Year China discovered America
• Anticommercialism
• Agrarian economy focused on land tax rather
  than trade taxes
• Institutional
• elite class came into being through fostering
  agriculture
• merchants kept subordinate at first later in
  conflict more conservative elements
• Ideological
• Culturalism
• ancient distaste for commerce
• left to eunuchs who were a despised class which
  made it more distasteful to Confucians
• Strategic
• Needed to focus on northern barbarians
• Japanese pirates and more centralized Tokugawa
  Shogun system with bakufu interrupting tribute
  and new products from European markets and silver
  flow

8
Early Middle Period(1425-1505)

• Marked by peace, stability, and prosperity
• Mongol continued menace
• Great wall extended
• Capital moved from Nanjing to Beijing
• Rising influence of Grand Secretaries and Eunuchs
• Ming porcelain

9
Later Middle Period(1506-1590)

• Inadequate imperial leadership, but with capacity
  for reform
• Shenzong (Wanli, r. 1573-1620)
• Ascended throne at age of nine with capable
  regent (Zhang Juzheng)
• Represents decline of Ming
• Increased the role of the Eunuchs who had been
  forbidden to be educated by Hongwu but over the
  years had become very influential and ignored the
  edict
• Wangli granted them the power to collect the
  provincial taxes leaving them in control of the
  finances of the realm
• Created a backlash of conservative reaction
  resulting in the 1604 formation of the Donglin
  Academy

10
Ming Reformers

• Hai Rui (1513-1587)
• Uprightness, courage, and concern for commoners
• Reassessed the land to make taxes more equitable
• reduced corruption
• Zhang Juzheng (ca. 1567 1582)
• Grand Secretary (not the Emperor) under Emperor
  Longqing who had re-established trade with some
  European and African Empires
• began the rule of Wanli Emperor
• Confucian legalist strong and strict government
• Repaired Grand Canal
• courier system
• strengthened central government
• eliminated eunuch influence
• Single whip method of taxation
• Use of silver teal
• Attempt to eliminate 8-legged essay and make exam
  more practical.

11
Late Ming Government (1590-1644)

• Incompetent Emperors
• Shenzong (Wanli)
• Abandoned public life 25 years without holding
  audience
• Government business left undone offices
  unstaffed
• Xizong (Tainqi)
• Illiterate carpenter
• Factionalism flourished eunuchs gain power
• Eunuch Influence and Power
• Wei Zhongxian (1568-1627)
• Purged all opponents
• including Donglin Acadamy
• Granted himself honors and title
• Had nephew performs rites limited to emperor
• Temples housing his image
• Did not survive death of Xizong Emperor
• Donglin Academy
• Founded in 1604
• Confucian saw their duty to protest against
  political abuse and un-Confucian behavior
• Center for pure-criticism

12
Silver and the influence of the western world

• Conflict between the Protestant Dutch and
  English against the very Catholic Spain and
  Portugal led to raids against silver bearing
  ships to China
• Silver flow decreased and as the Emperors had
  decreed all taxes be paid in silver the tax
  coffers suffered
• Coupled with the Japanese closing of ports with
  Europeans (except Nagasaki to the Dutch) limiting
  the flow of silver even through Japan
• Maccau, the European stronghold, was continually
  threatened by pirates even further limiting the
  silver flow
• These silver flow factors coupled with climate
  change caused great economic stress on the Ming
  Emperors who had become neglectful and decadent
  created an environment for outside invaders
• The religious tolerance allowed for discussion
  about Christianity as the Shanghi Jewish
  community was firmly established and Islam was
  accepted (Zheng he was Islamic)
• Ultimately Chinese philosophy was chosen over the
  newly introduced Elements by the Jesuit Maeto
  Ricci seen translating Euclid in 1607

13
Tokugawa Hideyoshi Invasions of Korea

• 1592 Hideyoshi demands passage to China
• attacks Korea armed with Portuguese muskets
• Land forces suffer defeats
• navy scores victory under Admiral Yi Sunshin and
  his turtle boats
• Ming sends troops to defend its vassal
• 1597 2nd wave of invasion
• 1598 Hideyoshi dies
• troops withdraw from Korea

14
Rise of Manchus

• Nurgaci (also Nurhaci) Chieftan of Jurchen
  tribe
• Parallel to Genghis Khan, organized tribes to
  unified state and substantial fighting force
• 1616 the (Later) Jin later renamed the Qing
  (clear)

15
Collapse of the Ming

• Immiseration (overindulgence causes imbalance
  that snowballs) cycle
• Increasingly land taken off tax rolls
• Fewer and fewer tax payers
• Grain storages sold
• postal system shut down
• Dynasty unable to pay troops
• Military deserters and dismissed postal works
  form outlaw gangs
• Rebellion
• Two groups emerge as strongest
• Zhang Xianzhong notorious for brutality
• Li Zicheng former postal worker
• 1644 seized Beijing
• Ming emperor commits suicide
• Unable to win over scholar-officials
• Ming general joins forces with Manchus outside
  the wall