The Great Wall: Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

Zhu Di (1360-1424)

Civil war, 1399-1402

Yongle Emperor or Chengzu (r. 1403-24)

Ambitious Agenda

Dredged Grand Canal

Capital Moved to Beijing, 1420

Inner Palace

Eunuchs and concubines

Outer Palace

Throne and meetings with officials

5 Campaigns against Mongols, 1409-24

7 Voyages to Indian Ocean, 1405-33

Zheng He (1371-1433)

300 ships

28,000 men

Reemergence of Civil Elite

Reign of Xuande (r. 1425-35)

Confucian education

Enjoyed poetry and painting

Last voyage of Zheng He in 1433

Rise of the Scholar-Officials

Confucian education

Refined hobbies

Gardens

Civil service exams

Jinshi “presented scholar” highest degree

Yin privilege persists

Change in content

Less emphasis on literary ability

More emphasis on Confucian classics

Ideology of government

“Salt and Iron Debates” of Han Dynasty

Agricultural focus

Anti-expansion

Foreign Policy Trends

Yongle's 5 campaigns against Mongols, 1410-1424

Zhengtong Emperor (r. 1435-49, 1457-64)

Campaign against Mongols, 1449

Captured at Tumu

Great Wall construction, 16th century

Historiographical Debate

Conventional view

Ming conservatism

State-centered view

Insular foreign policy

Agricultural economic basis

Emerging view

Ming dynamism

Private sector

Domestic commercial expansion

Sea-based foreign trade

Ming Commercial Prosperity

Lower Yangzi Region

Textile and porcelain manufacturing

Upper and Middle Yangzi

Rice production

Industries

Silk textiles

Porcelain

Exports

Silk textiles

Porcelain

Imports

Silver