China and Japan’s Reaction to Western Exploration

The Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644)

1368 Hongwu became the first Chinese emperor of the Ming DynastyHe had many goals including:

• Restoring agricultural land• Increasing China’s prosperity• Erasing traces of the MongolsHis reforms included:• Increased the imperial administration by restoring merit-based civil

service exams• Used respected traditions and institutions to promote stability, such as

the return to ConfucianismHe became a tyrantPower struggle after his death

Yonglo (Hongwu’s son)

Very curious about the world and in 1405 he begins exploring the world with all voyages led by Zheng He, a Chinese Muslim admiral

He showed Chinese superiority everywhere he went by distributing gifts, which led other nations to pay tribute to the Chinese

1433, after 7th expedition, the Chinese withdraw into isolation

Ming Relations with Foreign Countries

Official trade policies of the 1500s reflected isolation with the government controlling all trade through a few official portsBUT merchants traded anyway as European demand for silk and ceramics was very high Manufacturing and commerce increased but China did not industrialize Commerce was against Confucian beliefs Chinese policies favored agriculture

The Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911)

Manchus (people of Manchuria)

1644 Manchus invade a weakened China and take the Chinese name Qing

Kangxi (1654- 1722)

1661- he became ruler and ruled for about 60 years

He supported the intellectuals and lowered taxes

Quian- long (1735- 1795)

China reached its greatest size and prosperity under him

Trade with China

All Europeans wanted to trade with China but they had to comply with China’s demands

DutchAccepted China’s rules of paying tribute and doing a kowtow

BritishWanted to trade but wouldn’t comply with all the restrictions

Daily Life in Ming and Qing China

Development of agriculture pays off and rice production increases leading to a population boom (by 1800 the population is about 300 million!)Most families farmed landSons were favored over daughters leading to increase in infant mortalityMen dominated the householdFootbinding continued because of women’s inferior status

Japan

1467 civil war shatters Japan’s feudal system and the country drives deeper into chaos

Central rule ended taking power away from the shoguns and to territorial lords

1467-1568- Sengoku or Warring States period Powerful Samurai, known as daimyo, took control of

old feudal estates and the daimyo became lords of a new type of feudalism in Japan

Japanese Leaders

Oda NobunagaDefeated rivals and seized Kyoto in 1568Unable to unify JapanCommitted suicide in 1582

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Nobunaga’s best general)Wanted to destroy the rest of the daimyo that remained

hostileBy 1590 controlled most of the country1592 invaded Korea1598 died and troops withdraw from Korea

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Completes the unification of Japan1600 defeated rivals in the battle of Sekigahara and becomes sole ruler three years laterMoved capital to Edo (later renamed Tokyo)Alternate attendance policy

Tokugawa ShogunateWould continue through 1867 and Japan would experience more than two centuries of stability, prosperity, and isolationism

Contact between Europe and Japan

1543 Portuguese sailors wash up on shore and want to get in on Japan’s trade with China and Southeast Asia

Europeans introduce firearms to the Japanese

1549 Christian missionaries begin arriving in Japan

1612- Japan bans Christianity and focused on ridding the country of foreigners

1637 peasants rebellion in the south, which led to persecution of all Christians and push to rid entire Japan of Christians

Closed Country Policy

1639 Japan’s borders are sealed

For almost 200 years Japan developed a self- sufficient country, free from European attempts to colonize or to establish their presence

Discussion Question

How was the treatment of Europeans different in Japan and China?

How was it similar?