China at Its Height

Ming Dynasty• 1368- Mongol Dynasty was overthrown• Replaced by – Ming Dynasty (Ming Hong Wu) • Lasted until – 1644• Extended CH rule – into Mongolia & central Asia• Strengthened – the Great Wall• Made peace – w/ nomadic tribes• Effective – government •                    Chosen by – civil service exam

system• Nat’l – school system• Manuf.- goods• New- crops were introduced

– Inc. food production

Voyages of Zheng He• 1406 – Yong Le began

construction of Imperial City• 1421 – he moved capital to

Beijing – Zheng He – Chinese explorer – Explored – SE Asia, India &

East Africa– Led to – enormous $$ (disliked

by Confucian thinkers)

First Contacts with the West

• 1514 – Portuguese fleet arrives in China– Port ships – carried goods between China &

Japan – Inc exchange of – ideas (more important than

goods)– Christian missionaries – were aboard EU

merchant ships • Jesuits – highly educated men brought tech. that

impressed Chinese officials

Fall of the Ming Dynasty• Late 16th C- series of weak rulers

– High taxes- led to peasant unrest• 1644- Li and his forces took over capital of Beijing• Last Ming Emperor- committed suicide

• Manchus- farmers/hunters lived northeast of Great Wall– Conquered – Manchus conquered Beijing

• Declared – new dynasty – Qing (Ching)• Remained – in power until 1911

Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty• 1st – Chinese resisted new rulers

– Rebels seized – island of Taiwan

To id rebels – all men must wear dress Manchu style • Males – shave forehead• Braid – pigtail (queue)• If refused – executed (Lose your hair or your head!)

– Manchus adopted – Chinese political sys– Were gradually – accepted as rulers– Qing flourished – series of strong rulers

Qing Adaptations• Emperors  1. calmed the country

2. corrected social & eco probs.3. restored peace &

prosperity – Major prob – Manchus were different from subjects– To deal w/: 1. tried to – preserve their distinct

id. » “bannermen” chief fighting force of empire

2. brought – Chinese into imperial gov’t

Reign of Kangxi

• Kangxi, perhaps – greatest emperor in Chinese history– Reigned for – 1661-1722 (61

years)– Tolerant of – Christians (after

his death future rulers suppress Christian activities)

Westerners in China• Qianlong – ruled from 1736-1795 another outstanding

Qing ruler– 1st signs – of internal problems as Emperor grew older– Fell under – influence of corrupt officials

• Inc pop – led to economic probs for peasants (White Lotus Rebellion 1796-1804)

• EU seeking – more trade• Confined – EU traders to island outside Guangzhou • End of 18th C – EU demanded more access and

Chinese merchants demanded British manuf. goods• 1793 – British led by Lord Macartney visited Beijing to

seek more trade opportunities• Qianlong – wrote letter to King George III that China did

not want British goods and rejected the British request (they’ll pay for that later)