Transcript Civilizations of the Fifteenth Century–China vs

By: Philip von Feilitzsch
CHINA: MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)
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Revival of old cultural identity
 Promotion
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of Confucian learning
Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) Ruled: 1402-1422)
 Sponsored
Encyclopedia of 11,000 volumes
 Relocated capital to Beijing
 Ordered construction of the Forbidden City, Temple
of Heaven
CHINA: MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)
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Political
 Reestablished
the civil service examination system
 Power centered on Emperor
 And
high ranking eunichs personally loyal to the emperor
 Eunichs were despised
CHINA: MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)
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Revitalized economy
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Repaired the million of
acres of former
cultivated lands, rebuilt
canals, reservoirs, and
irrigation
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Replanted billions of trees
Revitalized economy
Began extensive
maritime expeditions
CHINA: MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)
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Expeditions
 Since 11th Century Chinese Sailors/Traders were a large presence in the
South China Sea
 Emperor Yongle sent 300 ships in 1405 to expand Chinese power and
control over foreign trade
 Captained by Zheng He
PRIMARY SOURCE
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“The Emperor, approving of their loyalty and
sincerity, has ordered us (Zheng) He and others
at the head of several tens of thousands of
officers and flag-troops to ascend more than
one hundred large ships to go and confer
presents on them in order to make manifest
the transforming power of the (imperial) virtue
and to treat distant people with kindness.”
(Zheng He’s Inscription)
CHINA: MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)
Death of Emperor Yongle 1424
 After 1433 expeditions stopped and the Chinese fleet
detiorated.
 Chinese did not pursue large-scale maritime empire
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No religious impulse to convert foreigners
Idea of Middle Kingdom
EUROPE: STATE BUILIDNG/CULTURAL RENEWAL
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Renaissance time period
Regrew population in second half of 15th Century
Many states Spain, Portugal, France, England, city states
Milan, Venice and Florence taxed their population more
efficiently and
 created more effective administrative structures
 raised standing armies
Russian state emerged
EUROPE: STATE BUILIDNG/CULTURAL RENEWAL
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France fought Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) against
England
Renaissance began and Classical Greek works and tradition
gained prominence
Well known figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo,
Raphael and Niccolo Michiavelli show this progress
EUROPE: STATE BUILIDNG/CULTURAL RENEWAL
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European Voyages
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Portugal began expeditions in 1415
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1492 Columbus
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Down the African Coast
Americas
1497 Vasco de Gama
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To India (Calicut)
GUNPOWDER (CHINA)
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Discovered earliest 8th
century

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Supposed to be a potion
for immortality
Not widely used for war
in China until 10th
century



Used more for fireworks
China in a relative time
of peace
Full potential not realized
GUNPOWDER EUROPE
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Introduced in 1225
through the silk road
Refined by late 13th
century

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1353 first european
cannon
Reintroduced to China
in 1520
SUMMARY
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China:

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Focused on


Did not pursue maritime
empire
Idea of Middle Kingdom
Fairly peaceful during
dynasties
Very Centralized

Focused on

Essentially one large state
Exploration/ Rest of the
world


Peace



Domestic issues


Europe
War


Pursued maritime empire
Exponential progress in war
technology
Fragmented
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Hundreds of different
kingdoms etc…
DISCUSSION
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Did the discontinuation of the Chinese Maritime voyages
eventually cause its later lag behind in terms of
development. Think about European history.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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http://www.kwanfamily.info/culture/exam.php
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162ef00d7b4f37c23f4c3f
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http://fourriverscharter.org/projects/Inventions/pages/china_gunpowder.htm
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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http://gokatayama.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/forbidden-city-1-of-1.jpg?w=950&h=630
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XJDCOO_PcIc/TLtpKDGlUPI/AAAAAAAADsc/bGiticyX8r8/s1600/Chinese+f
arming+village.jpg
http://www.basicrps.com/chine/histoire/china.htm
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/chinawh/web/help/readings.html
http://www.learn.columbia.edu/medmil/images/non_met_images/maps/OtherMaps/1750/map_ec
cles_org.jpg
http://history.cultural-china.com/en/60History6314.html
http://history.culturalchina.com/chinaWH/images/arbigimages/e0ac4c3883a0d0b695fac7f65468c9b5.jpg
http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/tech/cannon.htm
http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/Chinese_Development_of_Gunpowder_-_Thomas_Langworthy
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_26504.htm
BIBILIOGRAPHY
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http://www.monkeytree.org/silkroad/gunpowder/europe.html
WORKS CITED
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"Zheng He's Inscription." Primary Source:
Zheng He Inscription. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb.
2013.