Why did the ming dynasty have the greatest impact in trade
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Answer:
MING DYNASTY
The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644 A.D., during which China’s population would double. Known for its trade expansion to the outside world that established cultural ties with the West, the Ming Dynasty is also remembered for its drama, literature and world-renowned porcelain.
RISE OF THE MING DYNASTY
Ming dynasty founder Emperor Taizu, or Zhu Yuanzhang, was born into poverty, and spent part of his youth wandering the country after his parents died following a series of natural disasters centered around the Yellow River.
He spent several years begging for a Buddhist monastery, and several more living there, but that life came to an end when a militia burned it down to quell a rebellion.
In 1352 A.D. Taizu joined a rebel group related to the White Lotus Society and rose up the ranks speedily, eventually leading a successful invasion on the city of Nanjing, which he used as a base to lash out at regional warlords.
Taizu’s ultimate quarry was the Mongolian rulers of the Yuan empire. Taizu captured Beijing in 1368, destroying the palaces, sending the Mongolian rulers fleeing and announcing the Ming Dynasty.
TAIZU
Emperor Taizu’s empire was one of military discipline and respect of authority, with a fierce sense of justice. If his officials did not kneel before him, he would have them beaten.
Taizu was considered a suspicious ruler who transformed his palace guard into a form of secret police to root out betrayals and conspiracies. In 1380 A.D., he began an internal investigation that lasted 14 years and brought about 30,000 executions.
MING DYNASTY TRADE
Taizu was succeeded by his 15-year-old grandson, but one of Taizu’s sons, Chengzu, ignited a civil war to take the throne.
From 1405 to 1433, Chengzu launched ambitious flotillas to expand the Chinese tribute system to other countries, sending ships to India, the Persian Gulf and the east coast of Africa, pre-dating European efforts of similar scope.
By 1557, the tribute system was replaced by maritime trade which saw China exporting silk and allowing a European presence in the empire.
MING PORCELAIN
One of the best-loved exports of the Ming Dynasty was its porcelain. Created by grinding china-stone, mixing it with china-clay and then baking until translucent, the technique was developed during the Tang Dynasty, but perfected in the Ming era.
The Jingdezhen factory became the source of porcelain exports that were extremely popular in Europe, which hoped to replicate the form.
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
Maintenance of the Great Wall of China was not consistent throughout the history of China, and by the time of the Ming Dynasty, it required significant repair work.
The Mongols were a constant threat to the citizens of the Ming Dynasty, and the Great Wall was believed to be the most effective defense against invasion. After several clashes, the Mongols captured Emperor Zhengtong in 1709.
Zhengtong was later released and eventually sat on the throne again under the name Tianshun.
MATTEO RICCI
Christian missionaries from Europe also began to enter the country and provided the world with the first glimpses of life in China.
Matteo Ricci was a Jesuit priest from Italy who, in 1583, started the first Catholic mission in China. Ricci learned Chinese, translated Chinese classic literature into Latin and wrote a series of books about the country.
MING DYNASTY LITERATURE
The Ming Dynasty saw a publishing boom in China, with an avalanche of affordable books being produced for commoners. Reference books were popular, as well as religious tracts, school primers, Confucian literature and civil service examination guides.
Play scripts sold very well also. One well-regarded playwright was Tang Xianzu, who specialized in social satire and romance.
It was during the Ming Dynasty that full-length novels began to grow in popularity. Many were adaptations of ancient story cycles that had been part of oral traditions for centuries.
Many of the best-known Ming era novels were written by unknown authors using a pseudonym, as with the erotic work Jin Ping Mei, translated as both The Plum in the Golden Vase and The Golden Lotus, and written by someone using the pen name Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng, or “The Scoffing Scholar of Lanling.”
FALL OF THE MING DYNASTY
Ming rule was partly undone by enormous fiscal problems that resulted in a calamitous collapse. Several factors contributed to the financial trouble.