And the End of the Great Ming Naval Expeditions

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What is a dynasty?
• In sports?
Dynasty:
• A line of people from the same family who rule a country
China’s history is a history of dynasties
Begins with the Qin dynasty – 221 BC
• United various kingdoms
Last two: Ming & Qing

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1368 – 1644
Begins when Ming Hong Wu overthrows Mongols
Accomplishments
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• Expanded territory
Strengthened Great Wall
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• Naitonwide School system
Bureaucratic government
Improved Infrastructure
Expanded Navy
 Then Disbanded Navy…

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Emperor Yong Le 1402 –
1424
• “Perpetual happiness”
Led many of the great
Ming accomplishments
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• Moved capital from
Nanjing to Beijing
Construction of the
Imperial City
Grand Canal
Sponsored naval voyages to Africa

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Yong Le sponsored 7 naval voyages to Africa
Led by Zheng He
Sailed in LARGE ships called junks
Established trade in
Africa & India
Brought back riches & exotic animals from Inda
& Africa
BEFORE Europeans found sea passage around
Africa

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Voyage stop after Yong Le’s death
More traditional Chinese bureaucrats in charge of gov’t
Main reasons:
Voyages were costly – money and lives
Diverted attention away from immediate domestic/security concerns – Mongols
• Rather strengthen Great Wall
Trade seen as an inferior occupation

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Portuguese arrive in 1541
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• Establish trade
First contact w/ Europe in long time
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• Christianity introduced
Chinese not bothered at first
Portuguese later expelled
Further trade greatly restricted

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Ming dynasty falls in 1644
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Incompetent, young rulers
Corruption & high taxes
• Famine & sickness
1644 peasant revolts force
Ming out of China
• Emperor commits suicide
Peasants now control China
• Opportunity??

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Manchus from the North soon march on Beijing
• Easily defeat unorganized peasants
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• Announce new Dynasty: Qing or
“pure”
Force Manchu culture on
Chinese
• Queues
Eventually restore peace and end economic/social problems

And Japan’s Isolation

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For centuries Japan operated according to a strict feudal system
Emperor/Shogun at top
• Shogun = Supreme millitary commander
Daimyo next
• Ruled the different territories like governors
Samurai
Warrior class •
Farmers, Artisans,
Merchants at bottom
• In that order!

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Japan was divided into
250 “hans” or territories
Each was controlled by a different Daimyo
But Daimyo were not all loyal to the Emperor
Samurai were loyal to respective Daimyo
Led to much Civil War
Land disputes & power struggles for centuries

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3 Great Unifiers
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Oda Nobunaga
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
• Tokugawa Ieyasu
Unite Japan through military measures and economic improvements
Tokugawa Ieyasu completes unification
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Family rules Japan from 1603
– 1868
“Tokugawa Shogunate”
“Edo Period” or “Great
Peace”

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How to keep Daimyo loyal?
Hostage System
• Daimyo had to maintain two homes
External threats
Christianity
• Rulers fearful that citizens’ allegiances would be with the West
(Christianity)
Technology
• Rulers fearful that western tech would fall into the wrong hands
Edicts issued in 1635 that essentially ban all foreign trade
(coming in and going out)