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 DeclineMing Decline