The Ming Dynasty,

1
The Ming Dynasty,

• 1368-1644

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

3
Chinese Culturalism

• 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

4
Chinese 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.

5
Rebellions and Disintegrations

• Disastrous 14th century frequent flooding and
  famines deplete Yuan granaries.
• Uprisings in nearly every province
• Growing independence of regional commanders
• People turn to millenarian sects Mongol
  government deteriorates to local power

6
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.

7
Early Ming, 1368-1424

• 1368 Seizes Beijing proclaims the Ming
  (Brilliant) dynasty
• Hong Wu (Vast Military Power) as Year Period but
  kept for entire reign established precedent.
• Taizu (Great ancestor) as Temple name

8
Ming Despotism

• Zhu 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
• Li-jia system to control country side

9
The Yongle Emperor

• Defeated second emperor in civil war
• Continued despotism of father
• Reconstructed Grand Canal
• Patron of Confucianism
• Frequent civil service exams
• Sponsored major scholarly projects, including
  Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist works

10
Tribute System

• 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 imply subordinate
  position
• Not aggressive imperialism defensive expression
  of culturalism

11
Maritime Expeditions(1405-1433)

• Film 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
• Ideological Culturalism ancient distaste for
  commerce left to eunuchs dispised classed made
  it more distasteful to Confucians
• Strategic Focus on northern barbarians

12
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

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14
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

15
Ming Reformers

• Hai Rui (1513-1587)
• Uprightness, courage, and concern for commoners
• Reassessed the land to make taxes more equitable
  reduced corruption
• Zhang Juzheng
• Confucian legalist strong and strict govt
• Repaired Grand Canal courier system
  strengthened central govt eliminated eunuch
  influence
• Single whip method of taxation
• Use of silver teal
• Attempt to eliminate 8-legged essay and make exam
  more practical.

16
Economy and Society

• Population increase to about 150 million
• New world crops
• New World silver flows in to China to pay for
  prized commodities
• Gentry Rule local gentry elite governs
  political, cultural, economic
• Lineages

17
Ming Thought Wang Yangming
18
Late Ming Government (1590-1644)

• Incompetent Emperors
• Eunuch Influence and Power
• Donglin Academy
• Hideyoshi Invasions of Korea
• Rise of Manchus Nurgaci

19
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

20
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

21
Donglin Academy

• Founded in 1604
• Confucian saw their duty to protest against
  political abuse and un-Confucian behavior
• Center for pure-criticism
• Contributed to factionalism of Late Ming

22
Hideyoshi Invasions of Korea

• 1592 Hideyoshi demands passage to China
  attacks Korea armed with Portuguese muskets
• Land forces suffer defeats but 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

23
Rise of Manchus

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

24
Collapse of the Ming

• Immiseration 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

25
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