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TRANSCRIPT
China at Its Height
Ming Dynasty• 1368- Mongol Dynasty was overthrown• Replaced by – Ming Dynasty (Ming Hong Wu) • Lasted until – 1644• Extended CH rule – into Mongolia & central Asia• Strengthened – the Great Wall• Made peace – w/ nomadic tribes• Effective – government • Chosen by – civil service exam
system• Nat’l – school system• Manuf.- goods• New- crops were introduced
– Inc. food production
Voyages of Zheng He• 1406 – Yong Le began
construction of Imperial City• 1421 – he moved capital to
Beijing – Zheng He – Chinese explorer – Explored – SE Asia, India &
East Africa– Led to – enormous $$ (disliked
by Confucian thinkers)
First Contacts with the West
• 1514 – Portuguese fleet arrives in China– Port ships – carried goods between China &
Japan – Inc exchange of – ideas (more important than
goods)– Christian missionaries – were aboard EU
merchant ships • Jesuits – highly educated men brought tech. that
impressed Chinese officials
Fall of the Ming Dynasty• Late 16th C- series of weak rulers
– High taxes- led to peasant unrest• 1644- Li and his forces took over capital of Beijing• Last Ming Emperor- committed suicide
• Manchus- farmers/hunters lived northeast of Great Wall– Conquered – Manchus conquered Beijing
• Declared – new dynasty – Qing (Ching)• Remained – in power until 1911
Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty• 1st – Chinese resisted new rulers
– Rebels seized – island of Taiwan
To id rebels – all men must wear dress Manchu style • Males – shave forehead• Braid – pigtail (queue)• If refused – executed (Lose your hair or your head!)
– Manchus adopted – Chinese political sys– Were gradually – accepted as rulers– Qing flourished – series of strong rulers
Qing Adaptations• Emperors 1. calmed the country
2. corrected social & eco probs.3. restored peace &
prosperity – Major prob – Manchus were different from subjects– To deal w/: 1. tried to – preserve their distinct
id. » “bannermen” chief fighting force of empire
2. brought – Chinese into imperial gov’t
Reign of Kangxi
• Kangxi, perhaps – greatest emperor in Chinese history– Reigned for – 1661-1722 (61
years)– Tolerant of – Christians (after
his death future rulers suppress Christian activities)
Westerners in China• Qianlong – ruled from 1736-1795 another outstanding
Qing ruler– 1st signs – of internal problems as Emperor grew older– Fell under – influence of corrupt officials
• Inc pop – led to economic probs for peasants (White Lotus Rebellion 1796-1804)
• EU seeking – more trade• Confined – EU traders to island outside Guangzhou • End of 18th C – EU demanded more access and
Chinese merchants demanded British manuf. goods• 1793 – British led by Lord Macartney visited Beijing to
seek more trade opportunities• Qianlong – wrote letter to King George III that China did
not want British goods and rejected the British request (they’ll pay for that later)