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Name __________________________________________ Date ___________ Class _______ Period _____ Ming China and Zheng He Introduction In 1279 the Mongol leader Kublai Khan conquered China and founded the Yuan dynasty. After Kublai Khan’s death in 1294, however, the Yuan dynasty weakened. This weakness, combined with Chinese hatred of Mongol rule, led to rebellion, and the rise of a new dynasty: The Ming. The Ming Dynasty is most famous for two accomplishments. They built the Great Wall as we know it today, the incredible stone structure stretching across the edge of the steppe, a symbol and a message to the Mongols and to the world, that China would never again be conquered by steppe nomads. The second accomplishment was a short-lived but very impressive series of Chinese sea voyages throughout the Indian Ocean world led by the famous admiral Zheng He. Directions: Read and annotate the documents, and answer the following questions in full sentences. Reclaiming China: The Rise of the Ming Dynasty In 1368 a peasant named Zhu Yuanzhang (JOO YOO-AHN-jahng) and his rebel army overthrew the last Mongol emperor of China. Zhu took the name Hongwu, meaning “vastly martial,” and founded the Ming dynasty. Ming means “brilliant,” and Ming China lasted nearly 300 years until 1644. During this period, China’s rulers gained control of Korea, Mongolia, and parts of Central and Southeast Asia. Having expelled the Mongols, Hongwu worked to rebuild China. He reduced taxes and passed reforms to improve agriculture and trade, increasing stability and prosperity in China. In addition, Hongwu worked to eliminate Mongol influences and to revive traditional Chinese values and practices, such as Confucian principles. For example, to obtain government officials educated in Confucian ideas, he restored and improved the civil service examination system. To root out corruption, he increased the influence of censors, officials who monitored government. At the same time, Hongwu greatly expanded his power as emperor. He did away with the positions of some high-level officials and took over more control of the government. As a result, the Ming emperors were much more powerful than emperors of previous dynasties. In addition, Hongwu eliminated anyone whom he saw as challenging his authority, and over time he had thousands of his rivals killed. Source: “The Ming and Qing Dynasties,” Susan Ramirez, et al., World History: Human Legacy 1. How were the Ming Emperors different from previous emperors? Be specific. Interesting Facts About Zheng He's Early Life Zheng He was born in 1371 in the city now called Jinning, in Yunnan Province. His given name was "Ma He," indicative of his family's Hui (Chinese Muslim) origins, since Ma is the Chinese version of "Mohammad." Zheng He's great-great-great-grandfather, Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar, had been a Persian governor of the province under the Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan Dynasty, which ruled China from 1279 to 1368. Ma He's father and grandfather were both known as " Hajji," the honorific title bestowed upon Muslim men who make the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca. Ma He's father remained loyal to the Yuan Dynasty even as the rebel forces of what would become the Ming Dynasty conquered larger and larger swathes of China. In 1381, the Ming army killed Ma He's father and captured the boy. Just 10 years old, he was made into a eunuch (castrated servant) and sent to Beiping (now Beijing) to serve in the household of 21-year-old Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, who later became the Yongle Emperor. Ma He grew to be 7 Chinese feet tall (probably around 6' 6"), with "a voice as

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Page 1: Ming China and Zheng He - mrcaseyhistory · PDF fileMalaysia, with Siam and India, but even with the Arabian ports of modern-day Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and as far as Somalia and Kenya

Name__________________________________________Date___________Class_______Period_____

Ming China and Zheng He IntroductionIn1279theMongolleaderKublaiKhanconqueredChinaandfoundedtheYuandynasty.AfterKublaiKhan’sdeathin1294,however,theYuandynastyweakened.Thisweakness,combinedwithChinesehatredofMongolrule,ledtorebellion,andtheriseofanewdynasty:TheMing.TheMingDynastyismostfamousfortwoaccomplishments.TheybuilttheGreatWallasweknowittoday,theincrediblestonestructurestretchingacrosstheedgeofthesteppe,asymbolandamessagetotheMongolsandtotheworld,thatChinawouldneveragainbeconqueredbysteppenomads.Thesecondaccomplishmentwasashort-livedbutveryimpressiveseriesofChineseseavoyagesthroughouttheIndianOceanworldledbythefamousadmiralZhengHe.Directions:Readandannotatethedocuments,andanswerthefollowingquestionsinfullsentences.ReclaimingChina:TheRiseoftheMingDynastyIn1368apeasantnamedZhuYuanzhang(JOOYOO-AHN-jahng)andhisrebelarmyoverthrewthelastMongolemperorofChina.ZhutookthenameHongwu,meaning“vastlymartial,”andfoundedtheMingdynasty.Mingmeans“brilliant,”andMingChinalastednearly300yearsuntil1644.Duringthisperiod,China’srulersgainedcontrolofKorea,Mongolia,andpartsofCentralandSoutheastAsia.HavingexpelledtheMongols,HongwuworkedtorebuildChina.Hereducedtaxesandpassedreformstoimproveagricultureandtrade,increasingstabilityandprosperityinChina.Inaddition,HongwuworkedtoeliminateMongolinfluencesandtorevivetraditionalChinesevaluesandpractices,suchasConfucianprinciples.Forexample,toobtaingovernmentofficialseducatedinConfucianideas,herestoredandimprovedthecivilserviceexaminationsystem.Torootoutcorruption,heincreasedtheinfluenceofcensors,officialswhomonitoredgovernment.Atthesametime,Hongwugreatlyexpandedhispowerasemperor.Hedidawaywiththepositionsofsomehigh-levelofficialsandtookovermorecontrolofthegovernment.Asaresult,theMingemperorsweremuchmorepowerfulthanemperorsofpreviousdynasties.Inaddition,Hongwueliminatedanyonewhomhesawaschallenginghisauthority,andovertimehehadthousandsofhisrivalskilled.Source:“TheMingandQingDynasties,”SusanRamirez,etal.,WorldHistory:HumanLegacy

1. HowweretheMingEmperorsdifferentfrompreviousemperors?Bespecific.

InterestingFactsAboutZhengHe'sEarlyLifeZhengHewasbornin1371inthecitynowcalledJinning,inYunnanProvince.Hisgivennamewas"MaHe,"indicativeofhisfamily'sHui(ChineseMuslim)origins,sinceMaistheChineseversionof"Mohammad."ZhengHe'sgreat-great-great-grandfather,SayyidAjjalShamsal-DinOmar,hadbeenaPersiangovernoroftheprovinceundertheMongolianEmperorKublaiKhan,founderoftheYuanDynasty,whichruledChinafrom1279to1368.MaHe'sfatherandgrandfatherwerebothknownas"Hajji,"thehonorifictitlebestoweduponMuslimmenwhomakethehajj(pilgrimage)toMecca.MaHe'sfatherremainedloyaltotheYuanDynastyevenastherebelforcesofwhatwouldbecometheMingDynastyconqueredlargerandlargerswathesofChina.In1381,theMingarmykilledMaHe'sfatherandcapturedtheboy.Just10yearsold,hewasmadeintoaeunuch(castratedservant)andsenttoBeiping(nowBeijing)toserveinthehouseholdof21-year-oldZhuDi,thePrinceofYan,wholaterbecametheYongleEmperor.MaHegrewtobe7Chinesefeettall(probablyaround6'6"),with"avoiceas

Page 2: Ming China and Zheng He - mrcaseyhistory · PDF fileMalaysia, with Siam and India, but even with the Arabian ports of modern-day Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and as far as Somalia and Kenya

loudasahugebell."Heexcelledatfightingandmilitarytactics,studiedtheworksofConfuciusandMencius,andsoonbecameoneoftheprince'sclosestconfidants.Inthe1390s,thePrinceofYanlaunchedaseriesofattacksagainsttheresurgentMongols,whowerebasedjustnorthofhisfiefdom.MaHefoughtsidebysidewithhimonalltheprince'scampaigns.ThefirstemperoroftheMingDynasty,PrinceZhuDi'seldestbrother,diedin1398,afternaminghisgrandsonZhuYunwenashissuccessor.ZhuDididnottakekindlytohisnephew'selevationtothethrone,andleadanarmyagainsthimin1399.MaHewasoneofhiscommandingofficers.By1402,ZhuDihadcapturedtheMingcapitalatNanjinganddefeatedhisnephew'sforces.HehadhimselfcrownedastheYongleEmperor.Source:“ZhengHe:MingChina'sGreatAdmiral,”KallieSzczepanski,AsianHistoryExpert,About.com

2. HowdoesZhengHe’sfaithandlineage(ancestry)reflectthediversityfostered(supported)bytheMongolrulersofChinaduringthepreviousYuanDynasty?

3. HowdidZhengHerisetoapositionofpowerwithintheMingDynasty?

GreatVoyagesAcrosstheSeas

ZhengHe'smostimportantroleinhismaster'sservice,andthereasonheisrememberedtoday,wasasthecommanderinchiefofthenewtreasurefleet,andastheemperor'sprincipalenvoytothepeoplesoftheIndianOceanbasin.TheYongleEmperorappointedhimtoheadthemassivefleetof317junks(junks=typeofChineseships),crewedbyover27,000men,thatsetoutfromNanjinginthefallof1405.Attheageof35,ZhengHehadachievedthehighestrankeverforaeunuchinChinesehistory.WithamandatetocollecttributeandestablishtieswithrulersallaroundtheIndianOceanshores,ZhengHeandhisarmadasetforthforCalicut,onIndia'swesterncoast.ItwouldbethefirstofseventotalvoyagesoftheTreasureFleet,allcommandedbyZhengHe,between1405and1432.Duringhiscareerasanavalcommander,ZhengHenegotiatedtradepacts,foughtpirates,installedpuppetkings,andbroughtbacktributefortheYongleEmperorintheformofjewels,medicinesandexoticanimals,amongotherthings.Heandhiscrewtravelledandtradedwithnotonlywiththecity-statesofwhatisnowIndonesiaand

Page 3: Ming China and Zheng He - mrcaseyhistory · PDF fileMalaysia, with Siam and India, but even with the Arabian ports of modern-day Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and as far as Somalia and Kenya

Malaysia,withSiamandIndia,butevenwiththeArabianportsofmodern-dayYemenandSaudiArabia,andasfarasSomaliaandKenya.Source:“ZhengHe:MingChina'sGreatAdmiral,”KallieSzczepanski,AsianHistoryExpert,About.comAtthestartofthefirstofZhengHe'sepicvoyagesin1403,itissaidthat317shipsgatheredintheportofNanjing.AssociologistJanetAbu-Lughodnotes,"TheimpressiveshowofforcethatparadedaroundtheIndianOceanduringthefirstthreedecadesofthe15thcenturywasintendedtosignalthe'barbariannations'thatChinahadreassumedherrightfulplaceinthefirmamentofnations—hadonceagainbecomethe'MiddleKingdom'oftheworld."…ZhengHecommemoratedhisadventuresonastonepillardiscoveredinFujianprovinceinthe1930s.Hismission,accordingtothepillar,wastoflauntthemightofChinesepowerandcollecttributefromthe"barbariansfrombeyondtheseas."Source:“AncientChineseExplorers,”EvanHadingham,NOVA,PBS.orgLikeahugefloatingcity,thefleetsailedfromporttoportalongtheIndianOcean.EverywhereZhengHewent,hedistributedgiftsincludingsilverandsilktoshowChinesesuperiority.Asaresult,morethan16countriessenttributetotheMingcourt.Source:“ChinaLimitsEuropeanContacts,”RogerBeck,etal.,WorldHistory:PatternsofInteraction

4. WhatwerethepurposesbehindZhengHe’svoyages?

GiantJunks!TheMingaccountofthevoyagesthatfollowedstrainscredulity(ishardtobelieve):"TheshipswhichsailtheSouthernSeaarelikehouses.Whentheirsailsarespreadtheyarelikegreatcloudsinthesky."Werethereporteddimensionsofthebiggestgalleons—over400feetlongby150wide—grossexaggerations?Ifaccurate,thesedimensionswouldsignalthebiggestwoodenshipseverbuilt.OnlythemightiestwoodenwarshipsoftheVictorianageapproachedtheselengths,andseveralofthesevesselssufferedfromstructuralproblemsthatrequiredextensiveinternalironsupportstoholdthehulltogether.NosuchstructuresarereportedintheChinesesources.However,in1962,therudderpostofatreasureshipwasexcavatedintheruinsofoneoftheMingboatyardsinNanjing.Thistimberwasnolessthan36feetlong.Reverseengineeringusingtheproportionstypicalofatraditionaljunkindicatedahulllengthofaround500feet.Source:“AncientChineseExplorers,”EvanHadingham,NOVA,PBS.orgDoyouthinktheseshipswereaslargeastheaccountssay?Whyorwhynot?

Page 4: Ming China and Zheng He - mrcaseyhistory · PDF fileMalaysia, with Siam and India, but even with the Arabian ports of modern-day Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and as far as Somalia and Kenya

SoCloseYetSoFarWhydidChina,withitsadvancednavaltechnology,turnitsbackonoverseasexploration?Historiansarenotsure.Somespeculatethatthefleetswerecostlyanddidnotproduceprofit.Also,Confucianscholarsatcourthadlittleinterestinoverseasventuresandcommerce.Tothem,Chinesecivilizationwasthemostsuccessfulintheworld.Theywantedtopreserveitsancienttraditions,whichtheysawasthesourceofstability.Infact,suchrigidloyaltytotraditionwouldeventuallyweakenChinaandonceagainleaveitpreytoforeigndomination.Fewerthan60yearsafterChinahaltedoverseasexpeditions,theexplorerChristopherColumbuswouldsailwestfromSpaininsearchofasearoutetoAsia.WecanonlywonderhowthecourseofhistorymighthavechangediftheChinesehadcontinuedtheexplorationstheyhadbegunundertheMing.Source:“TheMongolandMingEmpires,”ElizabethGaynorEllis&AnthonyEsler,WorldHistoryChinesescholar-officialscomplainedthatthevoyageswastedvaluableresourcesthatcouldbeusedtodefendagainstbarbarians’attacksonthenorthernfrontier.Aftertheseventhvoyage,in1433,Chinawithdrewintoisolation.Source:“ChinaLimitsEuropeanContacts,”RogerBeck,etal.,WorldHistory:PatternsofInteractionTheMingfacedarenewedMongolthreattothenorth.Toimprovedefense,theMingrestoredChina’sGreatWall.Partsofearlierwallswererepairedbutmostoftheconstructionwasnew.Infact,muchoftheGreatWallthatisseentodaywasbuiltduringtheMingperiod.Source:“TheMingandQingDynasties,”SusanRamirez,etal.,WorldHistory:HumanLegacy

Withunrivalednauticaltechnologyandcountlessotherinventionstotheircredit,

theChinesewerenowpoisedtoexpandtheirinfluencebeyondIndiaandAfrica.Herewasoneofhistory'sgreatturningpoints.HadtheChinese

emperorscontinuedtheirhugeinvestmentsinthetreasurefleets,thereislittlereasonwhythey,ratherthanthePortuguese,Spanish,DutchandBritish,shouldnothavecolonizedtheworld.Yetlessthanacenturylater,alloverseastradewasbanned,anditbecameacapitaloffensetosetsailfromChinainamulti-mastedship.Whatexplainsthisastonishingreversalofpolicy?Source:“AncientChineseExplorers,”EvanHadingham,NOVA,PBS.org

5. Whatpossiblereasonsmayhavemotivatedtheabruptendtooverseasexploration?Givemorethanone.

6. Useyourhistoricalimagination.HowmighthistoryhaveturnedoutdifferentlyifChinahadnotstoppedtheirexploration,andperhapscontinuedtoadvanceandexplorefurther?


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