Ming Dynasty of China

The last unified dynasty established by the Han nationality in Chinese history

Topic:The establishment of the Ming Dynasty to the decline of the Ming Dynasty

Audience: The Ming Dynasty is one of China's five major dynasties (Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing). The history of the five major dynasties is something that all students in China must learn, so my main audience is them. They could be used as a summary of the Ming Dynasty. At the same time, the style of storymap is simple and easy to understand, it is also very suitable for foreigners who are interested in East Asian history.

Key Takeaways

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, there was a great chaos in the world, and Zhu Yuanzhang took advantage of the situation to rise. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor in Nanjing and the country was named Daming. In the same year, most of the conquests overthrew the Yuan Dynasty and Ming dynasty started. In the Ming Dynasty, the social economy was developed, agricultural products were abundant, handicraft production was at a high level, and the ceramic industry, silk and cotton spinning industry, smelting, and construction were world-renowned. During the Ming Dynasty, the monarchy was unprecedentedly strengthened, and the multi-ethnic country was further unified and consolidated.Due to the unprecedented strengthening of the monarchy during the Ming Dynasty, the civilians began to resist, which was also one of the main reasons for the end of the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty is a controversial country. It has economic highlights and management lowlights. But the Ming Dynasty was a very powerful country anyway. I want the audience to learn about the history of the Ming Dynasty and see how they did affect China.

Content inventory

Content inventory Including the famous events of the Ming Dynasty and its details. It also includes some pictures and videos for better presentation.The main purpose is to let the audience better and more in-depth understanding of the Ming Dynasty

Origin time to end time

The history of the Ming Dynasty, including the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The Ming Dynasty territory

History of Ming Dynasty (China) : Every Year (Map in Chinese Version). A great video to demonstrate the territory of Ming dynasty by years

Timelines

Ming Dynasty brief timelines

1368:Ming dynasty is found by ZhuYuanZhang

1364-1397:The great Ming code was created and utilized

1420:Forbidden City completed

1405-1433:Zheng He’s voyage

1592-1599:Ming dynasty helped Korea fight against Japan

1621:Manchus captured Liaoyang And Shenyang(2,3)

1628:Peasants begin to rebel

1644:Ming fell

  • (1)The Forbidden City (紫禁城) is a palace complex in, Beijing, Chian, at the center of the imperial city of Beijing. From the completion in 1420, to the abdication of the Qing emperor in 1911, and the relocation of Emperor Xun from the Forbidden City in 1924, a total of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties once lived here and it still exist.

  • (2)Liaoyang City is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Liaoning Province, the People's Republic of China. A modern industrial city dominated by the petrochemical industry
  • (3)Shenyang is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province, the People's Republic of China. During the mainland period of the Republic of China, Shenyang's urban construction scale was once among the forefront in Asia and developed into the most important heavy industry center in China at that time.

Liaoning map

Major events 

 Zheng He's voyages to the West: It was a sea voyage during the Ming Dynasty. The first voyage began in the third year of 1405, and the last voyage ended in 1433), a total of seven times. During the seven voyages, Zheng He led the fleet from Nanjing and assembled in Liujiagang, Taicang, Jiangsu, and then berthed at Taiping Port in Changle, Fujian to watch the wind and open the ocean, and sailed to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean to visit more than 30 countries and regions. , Including Java, Sumatra, Sulu, Pahang, Chenla, Kuri, Siam, Banggala, Adan, Tianfang, Zufaer, Krumos, Mugudushu and other places, currently the farthest known Arrived in East Africa and the Red Sea.(4,5,6)

  • 4)Jiangsu is a coastal province in the eastern part of the China. It is one of the origin place of ancient Chinese civilization. Since the opening of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in the Sui Dynasty, the area around Jiangsu has been one of the country’s economic and commercial centers. The cultural and educational undertakings are also quite developed. At present, Jiangsu’s economic aggregate ranks first in the country.
  • 5)Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province of the China. In history, Nanjing has long been the political and cultural center of southern China, and it is the first batch of national historical and cultural cities in China.
  • 6)Fujian is the transportation hub between the East China Sea and the South China Sea in the southeastern coastal provinces of the China. It is the starting point of the Silk Road in Shanghai and Zheng He’s voyages.

Why does it matter- The main impact of Zheng He's voyages to the West was the economy. Zheng He's voyages to the West changed the policy of prohibiting seas since the Ming Taizu and Zhu Yuanzhang to a certain extent and opened up overseas trade. Zheng He's voyages to the West imported new craft products, raw materials, and technology for China, thus affecting China's domestic handicraft production.

Map of Zheng He voyage route

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Qi Jiguang resisted the Japanese : In the middle of the 16th century, The Ming Dynasty sent Qi Jiguang to East Zhejiang to fight against the Japanese. He led the Qi family army and won nine battles and nine victories in Taizhou and won a major victory in the anti-Japanese struggle. Later, he led his army to Fujian and Guangdong, where he and another famous anti-Japanese general, Yu Dayou, sustained heavy damage to the Japanese pirates. By 1565, the Japanese pirates on the southeast coast were basically wiped out.

  • 7) Guangdong is a coastal province in the southern part of the People’s Republic of China. Guangdong is one of the first provinces in mainland China to carry out reform and opening up. Its economic aggregate has been the largest in mainland China since 1989, and it is the largest province in mainland China.

The significance of this matter is mainly reflected in the social and political aspects. Defend the homeland to avoid the displacement of the people and the victimization of pirates.Restore coastal economic development, creating a stable environment for economic development in the Southeast. Strengthened the confidence and fighting spirit of the Chinese people to fight against aggression.Reflects the strength of China's military at that time and the strengthening of the defense force of the North

Qi Jiguang

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Wanli Sandazheng: indicate three large-scale military operations in the northwest, southwest border of the Ming Dynasty and North Korea during the reign of Shenzong Wanli (1573-1620). They were Li Rusong in the Ningxia campaign in which the Mongols were rebelled against the Mongols; Li Rusong and Ma Gui fought against the invasion of North Korea by the Toyotomi Hideyoshi regime; 

The three battles were the Ningxia Campaign, in 1592 . The first conflict in the Korean War was extended from 1592 to 1593 ; the second conflict was extended from 1597 to 1598. The Battle of Bozhou was extended from 1599 to 1600.

Why does it matter: These three wars consolidated China's territory and maintained the Ming Dynasty's dominant position in East Asia.

                 Wanli Sandazheng

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Zheng Chenggong regains Taiwan: At the end of the Ming Dynasty, due to political corruption and the abolishment of armed forces, the defense forces of Taiwan and Penghu gradually weakened, creating opportunities for foreign enemies to watch. In 1644, Li Zicheng's peasant uprising army overthrew the rule of the Ming Dynasty. In 1646, the Qing army occupied Fujian. In February 1662, the Dutch colonists were forced to sign the letter of surrender. The so-called "Governor" of the Netherlands in Taiwan, Koyte, and his remnants will be withdrawn from Taiwan in embarrassment. Taiwan, which had been invaded by Dutch colonists for 38 years, finally returned to the embrace of the motherland. Zheng Chenggong's great struggle to expel the Dutch invaders finally won.

  • 8)Taiwan is a provincial administrative region of the People's Republic of China. Taiwan is an export-oriented island capitalist economy. Foreign trade plays an important role in the development of Taiwan’s economy. Taiwan is a global hub for the development, manufacturing and operation of high-tech products such as electronics, information and communications , Occupies an extremely important position in the global semiconductor industry chain.

Why does it matter:Zheng Chenggong's military struggle to regain Taiwan was a successful attempt by the Chinese nation to oppose foreign aggression. Through this struggle, the Dutch colonists were expelled, the interests of the Chinese nation were safeguarded, and China's sovereignty and territorial integrity were defended. Therefore, it is of extremely great historical significance.

Zheng Chenggong

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1628 Peasant War broke out at the end of Ming Dynasty

The peasant uprising at the end of the Ming Dynasty was also called the Peasant War of the End of the Ming Dynasty, the Civil Revolution of the Ming Dynasty, the Civil Revolution of the Late Ming Dynasty, the Rebellion of Li Zicheng, and the Rebellion of Zhang Xianzhong.The Shaanxi Wanger Uprising began in 1627. After the Battle of Luoyang, the Battle of Xiangyang, the Battle of Chengdu, and the Battle of Shanhaiguan, it was defeated in 1658. The rebel army fought the Ming army for 17 years and the Qing army for 20 years. Eventually overthrew the Ming Dynasty.

Why does it matter:The peasant uprising war in the late Ming Dynasty once again demonstrated that the power of the people is powerful, and the dark rule can be overthrown as long as they are organized. This has a great appeal and provided valuable historical experience for the peasant wars in the Qing Dynasty and beyond.This war also showed that without advanced class leadership, a thorough fighting spirit, no goal of wholeheartedly working for the interests of the people, and not paying attention to reforming the backwardness, selfishness, and conservativeness of the peasants, it would be difficult to control power.

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Image citation

https://cdn.britannica.com/11/132711-050-FC591319/Zheng-Chenggong-statue-Gulang-Yu-China.jpg(Zheng Chenggong)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/jyhjhRdsHsraUyZRjNGrJFqvU27i3a1btvRvMO2_O24idxJJDMowrZy81uURNrfsIY1tSVPJcNuFyz0Ew71iMc082fOQ6jbCgmkZiVORNw (Wanli Sandazheng)

https://cdn.britannica.com/s:740x416,c:crop/20/144620-050-21EE4CC9/map-Chinese-voyage-Zheng-He-explorer.jpg(Zheng He voyage map)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Qi_Jiguang_Portrait.jpg(Qi Jiguang)

https://www.chinaeducenter.com/en/image/mapofmingdynasty.jpg (Ming dynasty map)

Reading Citation

 

Lane, Kris (30 July 2019). "Potosí: the mountain of silver that was the first global city". Aeon. Retrieved 4 August 2019.

 

Brook, Timothy (1998), The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China, Berkeley: University of California Press, ISBN 978-0-520-22154-3.

    Fu Jen Catholic University (1967). Monumenta   Serica. Beijing: H. Vetch.
    Wang, Jiawei; Nyima, Gyaincain (1997), The Historical Status of China's Tibet, Beijing: China Intercontinental Press, ISBN 978-7-80113-304-5.

The Ming Dynasty territory

Liaoning map

Map of Zheng He voyage route

Qi Jiguang

                 Wanli Sandazheng

Zheng Chenggong