The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644. A peasant rebellion overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, establishing the Ming Dynasty. The early Ming emperors ran an effective centralized bureaucracy and presided over a period of economic prosperity. However, weak later rulers, corruption, high taxes, and natural disasters led to widespread unrest and rebellion, culminating in the fall of Beijing and the end of the Ming Dynasty in 1644.

1. Ming Dynasty 1368 to 1644

2. Ming Dynasty Notes The Ming dynasty began with the overthrow of the Mongols in China in 1368. A peasant’s son, Hongwu , commanded the rebel army that drove the Mongols out of China. Emperor Zhuyuanzhang (Hongwu)

3. China extended its rule into Mongolia and central Asia, and briefly re-conquered Vietnam under the Ming emperors.

4. Ming Dynasty Notes Ming rulers ran an effective government, using a centralized bureaucracy staffed by officials who had taken the civil service examination. Ming emperors set up a nationwide school system. They completed the Grand Canal, on which grain was shipped south to north in China. The economy flourished.

5. Map of Grand Canal Grand Canal Today

6. Ming Dynasty Notes The Ming dynasty began a time of greatness in China. Emperor Yong Le began construction of the Imperial City–known today as the Forbidden City–in Beijing in 1406. The Imperial City was the home of China’s emperors for nearly 500 years.

7. Forbidden City

8. Forbidden City

9. Floor plan of Forbidden City

10. Painting of the Forbidden city What does this painting tell you about what the people thought of the Emperor and where he lived?

11. Ming Dynasty Notes Led by the court official Zheng He, China made seven voyages of exploration between 1405 and 1433. On the first, almost 28,000 men sailed on 62 ships.

13. Ming Dynasty Notes The fleet visited the western coast of India and city-states of East Africa. The voyages produced great profits, which alarmed Confucian traditionalists who thought trading was an unworthy activity. After the emperor Yong Le’s death in 1424, the voyages halted.

14. Ming Dynasty Notes In 1514, a Portuguese fleet arrived off the coast of China. The emperor was unimpressed with the Europeans, whom he considered barbarians.

15. Ming Dynasty Notes He viewed foreign rulers as “younger brothers” of the Chinese emperor, who was seen as the Son of Heaven. After outraging the Chinese with their behavior, the Portuguese were expelled from Guangzhou (Canton) but were allowed to occupy Macao.

16. Ming Dynasty Notes Highly educated Jesuit missionaries made the trip to China and impressed Chinese officials with such devices as clocks and eyeglasses . More importantly, both sides benefited from the exchange of ideas. The Jesuits were impressed with the teachings of Confucius, and they taught Christianity to the Chinese.

17. Ming Dynasty Notes The Ming dynasty declined due to the following series of weak rulers government corruption high taxes low crop yields peasant unrest major epidemic in the 1630s The suffering from the epidemic in part caused the peasant revolt led by Li Zicheng in 1644. He occupied Beijing, the capital, and the last Ming emperor committed suicide.

18. Ming Dynasty Notes Emperor Xi Zong Zhu Youxiao 1620 - 1627 The Last Ming Emperor

19. The End!