Age of Exploration:
China Limits European
Contacts
MAIN IDEA
CULTURAL INTERACTION Advances under the
Ming and Qing dynasties left China uninterested in
European contact
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
China’s independence from the West continues today,
even as it forges new economic ties with the outside
world.
TERMS AND NAMES
Ming Dynasty
Hongwu
Yonglo
Zheng He
Manchus
Qing Dynasty
Kangxi
China Under the Powerful Ming
dynasty
China had become the dominant
power in Asia under the Ming
Dynasty (1368–1644)
In recognition of China’s power,
vassal states from Korea to
Southeast Asia paid their Ming
overlords regular tribute.
a. The Rise of the Ming
Hongwu
A peasant’s son.
The first Ming emperor.
Commanded the rebel army that drove the
Mongols out of China in 1368.
Increased agricultural reform
Promote China’s power and prosperity
He improved imperial administration.
Hongwu’s death in 1398 led to a power
struggle.
Yonglo (yung*lu)
Son of Hongwu.
Continued many of his
father’s policies.
In 1405,he launched the
first of seven voyages of
exploration.
Expand China’s tribute
system.
b. The Voyages of Zheng He
Zheng He (jung huh)
A Chinese Muslim admiral that led all of the
seven voyages.
His expeditions were remarkable for their size
(fighting ships, storage vessels, and huge
“treasure” ships measuring more than 400 feet
long) that ranged from Southeast Asia to
eastern Africa and sailed from port to port
along the Indian Ocean.
Crews numbered over 27,000 on some
voyages including sailors, soldiers,
carpenters, interpreters, accountants,
doctors, and religious leaders.
Distributed gifts including silver and silk to show Chinese
superiority.
Resulted for more than 16 countries sent tribute to the Ming
court.
After the seventh voyage, in 1433, China withdrew into
isolation.
c. Ming Relations with Foreign
Countries
To keep the influence of outsiders to a minimum, only
the government was to conduct foreign trade, and only
through three coastal ports, Canton, Macao, and Ningbo.
Profit-minded merchants smuggled cargoes of silk,
porcelain, and other valuable goods out of the country
into the eager hands of European merchants.
Manufacturing and commerce increased.
Christian missionaries accompanied European traders
into China.
History in Depth
The Forbidden City
When Yonglo moved the Chinese capital to
Beijing, he ordered the building of a great
palace complex to symbolize his power and
might. Construction took 14 years, from 1406
to 1420. Red walls 35 feet in height
surrounded the complex, which had dozens of
buildings, including palaces and temples. The
complex became known as the Forbidden
City because commoners and foreigners were
not allowed to enter.
Hall of Supreme Harmony Taihe
Hall, or the Hall of Supreme
Harmony, is the largest building in
the compound. It measures 201 by
122 feet and stands about 125 feet
high. This hall was used for
important ceremonies, such as
those marking the emperor’s
birthday or the day the crown
prince took the throne.
Hall of Central Harmony
Zhonge Hall, or the Hall of
Central Harmony, was a
smaller square building
between the two main halls. It
was a sort of private office
where the emperor could stop
to rest on his way to
ceremonies.
Nine-Dragon Wall
This wall, or screen, of glazed
tiles shows nine dragons playing
with pearls against a background
of sea and sky. From ancient
times, the dragon was the
symbol of the imperial family.
This is the largest of three
famous nine-dragon screens that
exist in China.
Manchus Found the Qing
Dynasty
1600
Ming had ruled for more than 200
years, and the dynasty was weakening.
1644
Manchus invaded China and the Ming
Dynasty collapsed.
Manchus took a Chinese name for
their dynasty, the Qing (chihng)
Dynasty.
China Under The Qing
Many Chinese resisted rule by the non-Chinese
Manchus.
The Manchus, slowly earned the people’s respect.
Two powerful Manchu rulers contributed greatly
to the acceptance of the new dynasty.
Kangxi
Emperor in 1661 and ruled for
some 60 years.
Reduced government expenses
and lowered taxes.
Gained the support of
intellectuals by offering them
government positions.
His grand son Qian-long
(chyahn*lung),who ruled from
1736 to 1795,China reached its
greatest size and prosperity.
Manchus Continue Chinese
Isolation
To the Chinese,their country called
the Middle Kingdom had been the
cultural center of the universe for
2,000 years.
The Dutch were masters of the Indian
Ocean trade by the time of Qian-long.
They accepted China’s restrictions.
In 1793, Lord George Macartney
delivered a letter from King George
III to Qian-long.
Korea Under the Manchus
In 1636, before they came to power in China, the
Manchus conquered nearby Korea and made it a
vassal state.
Koreans organized their government according to
Confucian principles.
Manchus established the Qing dynasty.
In the 1590s, provoked strong feelings of
nationalism in the Korean people. This sentiment
was most evident in their art
Life in Ming and Qing China
Families and the Role of Women
Most Chinese families had farmed the land the same way their
ancestors had.
A explosion of population
Females were not valued, and many female infants were killed
most women were forced to remain secluded in their homes, some
found outside jobs such as working as midwives or textile workers
Men dominated the household and their wives, women had
significant responsibilities.
Cultural Developments
In the 1700s Cao Zhan Dream of the Red Chamber
examines upper class Manchu society.
Most artists of the time painted in traditional styles.
Drama was a popular entertainment, especially in
rural China where literacy rates were low.
