The Ming Dynasty

1368 - 1644

• The Ming dynasty began in 1368, and lasted until 1644 A.D.

• Its founder was a peasant, the third of only three peasants ever to become an emperor in China.

• He is known as Hongwu Emperor

• He led the revolt against the Mongols and the Yuan Dynasty

• The capital was originally located

in Nanjing • The third emperor

moved the capital to Beijing.

• As a result of his peasant origins, Hongwu created laws that improved the peasant life.

• He kept the land tax for the peasants low.

• Kept the granaries stocked to guard against famine.

• He also maintained the dikes on the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers.

• However, economically he lacked the vision to push trade.

• He saw trade as shameful and parasitic.

• He held the typically Confucian viewpoint.

• He felt agriculture should be the country's source of wealth.

• He retained the Confucian view that being a merchant is an inferior occupation

However, Hongwu did not believe that the military too was inferior.

He helped develop

a militant class.

• The Ming Dynasty witnessed a great cultural development including the novel

• Some of the best known novels of the Ming Dynasty are still read today.

• Wood-cut and block-printing of art also became more popular at this time.

• New porcelain experimentation and production techniques were developed.

• New encyclopedias and dictionaries were also written.

• Including one that reduced the number of signs for Chinese characters from 540

to 214.

• Another great accomplishment of the Ming was the building of the Great Wall.

• Most of what is seen today was either built or repaired by the Ming.

• The brick and granite work was enlarged.

• The watch towers were redesigned.

• Cannons were placed along the wall.

• Hongwu was forced to rely on eunuchs for more administration purposes.

• Poor families often gained power when one of the males voluntarily became a eunuch.

• Admiral Zheng He was such a eunuch.

• The Emperor ordered

him to oversee the construction of a Fleet

to explore the seas surrounding China.

• He was the first eunuch appointed to such a high military position in China.

• Starting in 1405 A.D., he began a series of seven expeditions that went around India and as far as the east coast of Africa.

• He traveled to the West seven times. For 28 years.

• He traveled more than 31,000 miles.

• He visited over 30 countries, including Singapore.

• The first Treasure Fleet consisted of 62 ships.

• Four were huge wood boats, some of the largest ever built in history.

• They were approximately 400 feet long and 160 feet wide.

• In the fall of 1405 the fleet was ready to embark with 27,800 men.

• Merchants and trade in general were still looked down upon.

• But Cheng He had established sea routes that were used for trade with Japan and south Asia.

• By 1433 A.D. China was far ahead of the rest of the world in naval capabilities.

• The fleet utilized the compass, invented

in China, for navigation.