Chapter 22
Asia in Transition
Objectives
• Understanding the change in Asian/Western
trade dynamics
• See the difference in the growth of the Ming
Dynasty
• Understand the Development of the Shogun
Asian Sea Trading Network
• 3 Main Zones based on handcraft
manufacturing
– Arab Zone: Glass, carpet, tapestry-making
– Indian Zone: Cotton textiles
– China Zone: paper, porcelain, silk textiles
• Areas in between included
– Japan, South East Asia, and East Africa
• Long distance trade was expensive so the
items had to be worth the trip
2 general characteristics at the time
critical to European taking Control
1. There was no central control
2. Military force usually absent from
commercial exchanges
1. Vessels were lightly armed
2. Everyone had something to trade so why fight
Portuguese
• Not willing to abide by the established Asian
rules
• Mercantilists:
– Prominent economic theory at the time
– A state’s power depended heavily on the amount
of precious metals a monarch had
– Therefore trading only precious metals with Asia
for goods was out of the question
• Had to be taken by force
• Development of a tribute style trading dynamic
Rise of the Dutch and English
• The Portuguese were never able to completely
control the spice trade: over extended
• The Dutch wanted to control certain spices not all
of the Asian trade
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Fortified towns
Controlled the monopoly better with great ships
Golden Age of the Dutch
Saw the advantages in peaceably joining the trade
network
• England was forced to stay in India
Spreading the Faith
• Dutch, English: Protestant and their main
objective was not conversion of the natives
• Spain, Portugal: Roman Catholic and
conversion was a major component of their
global mission
• Philippians:
– Greatest success for Christian conversion
– Hadn’t been exposed to the other religions (Islam)
– Friars: sent to convert
Ming
• Founded by Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu)
– Reinstated and expanded the civil service exam
• Level system
– Your government position depended on your success in
different levels of exams
– Strict regulations on bureaucrats
– Very concerned with the plight of the lower class
• Tried to improve things with public works projects
– HOWEVER, the scholar gentry is still very strong
and still makes gains during this time.
Growth of the Ming
• 1st decade of the Ming = economic growth
because of unprecedented contact with oversee
– 3 very important plans: maize, sweet potatoes,
peanuts (huge population growth)
• Commercial Growth
– Two places Europeans could trade (Macao, Canton)
– Merchant class got most money which funneled into
the government and gentry class
• Land was still the best way to power and merchants wanted
the land so they bought it
Ming Exploration
• 3rd emperor Yunglo: sent explorations 14051423
– Zhenghe:
• 7 major expeditions
• Explore, proclaim glory of the Ming
• Lasted 3 voyages reached Persia, Southern Arabia and
East coast of Africa
• Within 50 years the move to isolationism will
begin
Ming Decline
• By late 1500s: dynastic decline
– Isolation
– Mediocre rulers
– Corruption
– Drought and famine
– Renewed assaults by nomads
– Public works in disrepair
– Elites luxury: taking advantages
Japan
• 3 military leaders fix the problems of the
daimyo stalemate and recurring civil war
1. Nobunaga: one of the fist to make extensive use
of guns, accepts Christianity
2. Toyotomi Hideyoshi: Alliance and victories over
remaining daimyos. Wanted to expand Japan
3. Tokygawa Ieyasu: consolidated power and
stopped overseas campaign
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Tokugawa Shogunate: centralized control
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Pledge personal allegiance to the Shogun