THE MONGOL AND MING
Mongol Origins
Nomadic horse people N. China Grasslands Raised horses, tended
sheep Felt tents: Yerts, Ger Language: Altaic (Rel. To
Turkic, Manchurian) Could not marry between
tribes and clans
Organization
Families-->Clans-->Tribes--> Tribes gathered during annual migration Chiefs elected. Based on nobility, military
ability, wisdom, leadership skills Religion: Shamanism Nature deities, but key God is the Sky God Sacred color: blue
Temujin: Ghengis Khan
b. 1167, son of tribal chief Father poisoned…fled as youth Returned as adult, avenged
father, Eventually chief By age forty had unified all Mongol
tribes Battles, alliances, ability to survive Elected as the Great Khan Amazing talents along with sons
and grandsons
positive aspects of the Mongol conquests
promoted commercial and cultural exchanges global civilizations
stable government based on precedents in
provided lengthy period of peace
Mongol Army Tactics
All males 15-70 served in army
Organized into“Myriads” (10,000’s)
Units within each of 1000, 100, and 10
Unpaid Elaborate signals Soldiers supplied military
equipment
Conquest
Intelligence gathering high priority
Foreign experts and advisors
Every man carried own supplies; had 2 horses.
Loyalty oaths Creation of Yasa, law
code
32 million square kilometers
Divisions at Genghis Khan’s Death
Four Khanates Kipchak Khanate
(Golden Hoarde) Russia
IlKhanate Persia
Chagatai Khanate Mongolia
Great Khanate China, Outer Mongolia,
Border States, to which the others owed allegiance. Later became the Yuan Dynasty
China under Mongol Rule
Kublai Khan conquered all of China and defeated the Song.
Ruled from Cambulac (Beijing)
Called himself the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)
Building Projects Religious Toleration Ethnic Ranking Marco Polo spent 17
years in Kublai’s service
Decline and succession
o Chinese never really accepted as legitimateo Succession wars between heirs and generalso High Taxes, Corrupt officialso Paper money controversyo Yellow River changed course and flooded Grand
Canal among other natural disasterso Decentralization & Rise of Warlordso Last Khan fled to Mongolia in 1368 after the Red
Turbans Buddhist led revolts
The Ming Restore Chinese Rule
After Kublai Khan’s death, the Chinese despised the foreign Mongol rulers.
Zhu Yuanzhang defeated the Mongols back to the other side of the great wall & began the Ming (brilliant) Dynasty
The Ming ended foreign rule and restored Chinese traditions.
Revival of the arts & better methods of printing which led to a flood of books
In addition, Hongwu worked to eliminate Mongol influences and revive traditional Chinese values and practices, like Confucian
principles.
• 1368, peasant named Zhu Yuanzhang, rebel army, overthrew last Mongol emperor
• Zhu took name Hongwu, “vastly martial,” founded Ming dynasty
• Ming means “brilliant”; dynasty lasted nearly 300 years, until 1644
China under Ming Rule
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
• rulers gained control of Korea, Mongolia, parts of Central, Southeast Asia
• worked to rebuild China
• Reduced taxes, improved trade, agriculture, increased stability
Rebuilding China
Prosperity
• Improved methods of irrigation increased farm production
• Peasants produced huge rice crops in southern river valleys
Growth of Cities, Industries
• As population grew, so did cities
• Industries like manufacture of porcelain, silk expanded in response to growing European demand
• At same time, China remained mainly agricultural society
Growth of Crops, Population
• 1500s, new crops like corn, sweet potatoes from Americas reached China
• crops further increased farm output
• Stability, plentiful food led to substantial population growth
Ming Economy and Society
Social hierarchy and mobility scholar-officials, farmers, artisans, and
merchants scholar-official-landlord
learning, political power, and economic wealth
local elite (gentry) and lineage lack of work ethic
literati’s long gown foot-binding for women
China’s Tributary System
Traditional system for managing foreign relations
The ``Central Kingdom” worldview Ming dynasty had the most extensive
tributary system tributes from East Asia, South Asia,
Southeast Asia, and even West Asia and Africa
Expanded Power
• Hongwu also greatly expanded power as emperor
• Did away with positions of some high level officials, took over more control of government
• As result, Ming emperors more powerful than in previous dynasties
• Eliminated anyone challenging authority; killed thousands of rivals
Values, Traditions
• To obtain government officials educated in Confucian ideas, Hongwu restored, improved civil service examination system
• To root out corruption, increased influence of censors, officials who monitored government
Yonglo
In 1398 Hongwu died Following power
struggle, son Yonglo became emperor
Ruled from 1402 until 1424
Moved Ming capital to Beijing, in northeast China
Built vast imperial city at center of Beijing
City complex became known as Forbidden City because most people forbidden from entering
Zheng He’s fleet (1405 - 1433)
Over 300 ships & 20,000 men trade and commerce Southeast Asia, South Asia,
West Asia, and East Africa
China and the World
1405 – the voyages by Zheng He - to promote trade & collect tribute.
Showed others the power of the Chinese empire.
After he died, sea trading was halted b/c Confucian scholars were loyal to tradition & didn’t want foreign influence.
China missed its opportunity.
European Influence
• Some Europeans gained influence in China
• One was Matteo Ricci, Italian Jesuit priest; arrived 1583
Mongol Threat
• Ming also faced renewed Mongol threat to north
• To improve defense, Ming restored China’s Great Wall
European Learning
• Ricci learned Chinese, adopted customs to gain acceptance
• Introduced European learning in math, science
Great Wall
• Parts of earlier walls repaired, but most construction new
• Much of Great Wall seen today built during Ming period
Outside Influences
The policy to end the voyages was part of a move in Ming China toward isolation from the outside world.
• 1500s, move toward isolation gained full force
• Ming heavily restricted foreign trade and travel
• Foreign merchants allowed to trade only at few ports, during certain times
• Policies impossible to enforce; smugglers carried out brisk trade with foreign merchants
Ming Foreign Relations • Arrival of European traders,
Christian missionaries influenced decision to isolate China
• Europeans introduced new goods and ideas
• Ming disliked European influences
• Sought to preserve Chinese traditions
Beginning of Isolation
Ming Foreign Relations
• Ming China weakened; the Manchu, a people to northwest in Manchuria, saw their chance
• 1644, Manchu swept into Beijing, took capital
• Last Ming emperor killed himself to avoid capture
• Manchu formed own dynasty; gave it Chinese name—Qing
The Manchu• Late 1500s, Ming Dynasty
began to decline
• Weak rulers took throne, corruption increased under their rule
• Defense efforts drained treasury; rulers raised taxes
• 1600s, high taxes, crop failures led to famine, hardship; rebellions broke out
Reasons for Decline
Ming Decline