Ch. 16 -The East Asian WorldCh. 16 -The East Asian World1400-18001400-1800

16.1: China at Its Height

The Ming DynastyThe Ming Dynasty

• 1368-1644• Overthrow of Mongol rule• Founded by Ming Hong Wu• Many positive changes

• 1406 – construction of Beijing–“Imperial City” – power and prestige

• Admiral Zheng He–Sailed to and opened trade with SE Asia,

India, Arabian Peninsula, East Africa–Promoted Chinese culture; brings new

items to China

• Contacts with the West– 1514 - Portuguese arrive on coast of China

– Chinese are ethnocentric and xenophobic

– Cultural diffusion between Europe and China

• Decline of Ming– Internal power struggles–Corruption, high taxes–Epidemic–Suffering = unrest; leads to peasant revolt

• Peasants take the capital of Beijing; Ming fall

Qing DynastyQing Dynasty• Set up by Manchus – 1644-1911• Manchu from present-day Manchuria• Forced Chinese to adopt Manchu look• Over time, were accepted and restored

peace and prosperity • Brought Chinese into imperial

administration (lower positions)

• Emperor Kangxi–1661 -1722; 61 year reign–Revered as greatest emperor –Christianity flourished

• Emperor Qianlong–1736-1795–Expanded China to its greatest physical size

• Corruption, high taxes, population growth lead to unrest–White Lotus Rebellion - 1796-1804,

weakens government

• Europeans in China – Qing decline, Europeans seek more trade– Qing controlled trade with Europeans:

• All Europeans traders confined to a small island just outside Guangzhou

• Traders could reside there only from October through March• Europeans could deal only with a limited number of Chinese firms

licensed by the government.

– British desired more access to additional Chinese cities.– British had an unfavorable balance of trade with China because

the Chinese government did not allow access to British manufactured good.

– Britain imported tea, silk and porcelain by sending ever-increasing silver to China.

– In 1973, Lord George Macartney visited Beijing to seek more liberal trade policies.

– Emperor Qianlong rejects the British’s attempt.

16.2: Chinese Society and 16.2: Chinese Society and CultureCulture

Economy and Daily LifeEconomy and Daily Life

• Agricultural society – 85% farmers• Increase in population

– 1390 - 80 million – 1700 - 300 million– Land shortages

• Increase in manufacturing trade• Lack of commercial capitalism

– 2 reasons• Trade and manufacturing controlled by gov’t• Taxed manufacturing more than farming

• Family oriented

• Confucian ideals

• Elderly very respected

• Women were subordinate to men

• Footbinding – status symbol

Chinese Art and LiteratureChinese Art and Literature

• Literature–More books purchased–Realistic social novels

written

• Architecture and art–Imperial City–Complex of palaces and

temples–Blue and white porcelain