Transcript The Ming Dynasty - kaworldcultures

The Ming Dynasty
As Presented By Tyler Kost and
Lee Downey
Overview
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Lasted 1368-1644
Hongwu (1368-1398)
Zhengtong/Tianshun (1435-1449)
Jiajing (1521-1567)
Wanli (1572-1620)
Chongzhen (1627-1655)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Ch
inese_history#Ming_Dynasty
Hongwu Emperor
• He was the founder and first emperor of the
Ming Dynasty.
• Also known by his Chinese name: Zhu
Yuanzhang.
• Had many wives; Hongwu means "vastly
martial".
• Zhu proclaimed himself Emperor of China in
1368.
• Nanjing was the original capital of his dynasty
and remained so for the majority of the dynasty.
Zhengtong/Tianshun
• Ruled as the Zhengtong Emperor from 1435 to 1449.
• Ruled as the Tianshun Emperor from 1457 to 1464.
• Zhengtong's accession at the age of eight made him the
first child emperor of the dynasty.
• At the age of 22, in 1449, he was imprisoned by the
Mongols and this reduced Zhengtong's imperial status
and he was granted the title of "grand emperor.“
• The Zhengtong Emperor was released one year later in
1450.
• He returns to the throne in 1457 and named his second
reign Tianshun (means "heavenly obedience") and went
on to rule for another seven years.
Jiajing
• Born Zhu Houcong, he was the 11th Ming Dynasty
Emperor of China who ruled from 1521 to 1567. His era
name means "Admirable tranquility".
• Starting in 1550, Beijing was enlarged by adding the
"Outer" or "Chinese City".
• The Ming dynasty had enjoyed a long period of peace
during his rule.
• He was a devoted follower of Taoism and attempted to
suppress Buddhism.
• After 45 years on the throne (the second longest reign in
the Ming dynasty), he died in 1567.
Wanli
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Wanli ascended the throne at the age of 9.
He was emperor of China between 1572 and 1620.
China prospered during the first half of his reign.
During the latter years of his reign, he seldom attended
state affairs and for years at a time he would refuse to
receive his ministers or read any reports sent to him. He
also extorted huge amounts of money for his own
personal pleasure.
• His reign is representative of the decline of the Ming
Dynasty. He was an unmotivated and avaricious ruler
whose reign was plagued with fiscal woes, military
pressures, and angry bureaucrats.
Chongzhen
• Born Zhu Youjian, he was the 16th and last emperor of the Ming
Dynasty.
• He reigned from 1627 to 1644, under an era name that means
"honorable and auspicious".
• Chongzhen tried to rule by himself and did his best to salvage the
dynasty. However, years of internal corruption and an empty
treasury made it almost impossible to find capable ministers to fill
important government posts.
• The collapse of the Ming intensified during Chongzhen's reign and
popular uprisings broke out throughout China.
• capture, humiliation and probable execution at the hands of the
newly-proclaimed Shun Dynasty, he killed himself and his family in
1644.
Major Achievments of the Ming
Dynasty
• Constructed the capital city of Beijing
• Constructed or refurbished much of the Great
Wall
• Established the Forbidden City in Beijing
• The Ming Dynasty saw fewer technological and
scientific advances compared to some of the
other dynasties such as the Song Dynasty.
• The economy of the Ming Dynasty was very
advanced for their time. It was also considered
one of the largest economies of that time period.
Ming-era Inventions
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Paper and Printing
Bristle Toothbrush
Ship Rudders
Acupuncture
Outside Contact
• China almost completely cut off all contact to
Japan.
• In May 1513, it was Rafael Perestrello—a cousin
of the famed Christopher Columbus—who
became the first European explorer to land on
the southern coast of mainland China and trade
in Guangzhou in 1516.
• Portuguese acted as a middle man between
China and Japan, trading silver and silk.
• The Spanish sent Christian missionaries to
China, to little success.