Isolation in East Asia China and Japan during Ming, Qing, Tokugawa dynasties

Brilliant!  1. When and how was the Ming Dynasty established?  The Mongols had controlled China  The Ming (brilliant) were a rebel Chinese group that defeated Mongols in battle, pushed them beyond Great Wall, and tried to reassert Chinese greatness  2. How did the Ming change life in China?  Reinstated civil service exams to get government jobs (and we know what else they required for those who passed)  Focused on Confucian learning  Economy went well with urban industry  At first, naval expeditions with Zheng He to promote trade and collect tribute

A little bit of trade  3. Why did the Ming not want to trade or have much contact with Europeans?  They thought themselves better than everyone else (“Our empire owns the world”)  Chinese textiles and metalwork were better than those of Europeans  3a. How did some trade and contact with Europeans happen during the Ming Dynasty?  Chinese did OK trade if it was for gold and silver  Ming allowed Portuguese one trading post at Guangzhou… later they opened it to Dutch, English and others in Europe… but trade had to be under supervision of government officials, and when trading season was over, foreign ships had to leave  However, Chinese also allowed Jesuits (Catholic missionaries) in, especially because they could learn about Renaissance Europe and other things in Europe (astronomy, etc.)

Ch-Qing  4. When, how and why did the Qing dynasty form?  Manchu from the north were able to push through Great Wall in 1644 (Ming Dynasty was older, less strong); they conquered, seized Beijing, made it their capital  5. Describe how life changed during the Qing Dynasty.  Had two governments (for each top position, there was one Chinese, one Manchurian)  Local government was in hands of Chinese, but Manchu troops were stationed around to ensure loyalty  Also required that Chinese wear hair in queue, prohibited them from emigrating to Manchuria, allowed none of their emperors to marry the Chinese  Borders spread under Qing  New crops from Americas (potatoes, corn) introduced, which boosted farm output and led to population boom  Silk, cotton, porcelain industries expanded  Trade grew within country and demand grew throughout world

Where are John, George and Ringo?  6. How did the Qing interact with foreigners?  They restricted foreign trade, but Europeans tried to expand to other cities  1793: Lord Macartney arrives in China at the head of a diplomatic mission; he brings samples of British-made goods to encourage trade, but Chinese thought they were crudely made and merely gifts to emperor as a tribute… meanwhile the Chinese told Maccartney he would have to perform kowtow (touching head to ground) to see emperor, and he refused… Maccartney also talked of natural superiority of English… Chinese then basically told British to take a hike

300 BK (Before Kim)  7. Why did Korea become isolated?  Japanese had invaded Korea in late 1590s, and results were catastrophic (burned villages, famine, disease, population decrease)  Then in 1636, Manchus invaded Korea… when Qing dynasty formed, Korea was a tributary state (run by its own government but forced to acknowledge China’s supremacy)  As a result, Korean rulers isolated (only Chinese and a few Japanese allowed, European sailors shipwrecked on shores were imprisoned and held as spies)  However, Koreans on tribute missions did bring back maps and books on scientific discoveries, and Korean arts and literature flourished

Japanese feudal system  8. Describe how the feudal system worked in Japan.  Emperor was the figurehead  Shoguns were really in charge (they were supreme military commanders)  Daimyo were vassal warrior lords who were given land to control by shogun  Samurai were like the warriors of the daimyo

Tokugawa  9. When and how did the Tokugawa Shogunate take control in Japan?  1603… Tokugawa Ieyasu takes control of warring daimyo  10. How did the Tokugawa change life in Japan?  Imposed a central government control  Trade flourished, merchants prosper, culture flourishes  However, the shoguns were conservative and want to maintain ways and beliefs of ancestors, samurai (bushido, honor, bravery, seppuku)

Becoming K-TOP  11. How and why did the Japanese at first welcome foreigners?  It was a turbulent time in 1540s when Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English came (Japanese daimyo struggling for power)  Western firearms helped Tokugawa gain power, impose order  Japanese were curious about Christianity, welcomed printing press  12. Why did the Tokugawa turn against Europeans?  They heard Spain had seized Philippines, so they saw newcomers as threats  Portuguese also brought muskets and musket balls, which could defeat any samurai  Also worried that new Christians owed allegiance to popes, not Japanese leaders  13. How did the Tokugawa change Japan into an isolated country?  They expelled foreign missionaries  Forbade Japanese to travel abroad  Outlawed building of large ships  Only allowed one or two Dutch ships each year to trade at a small island in Nagasaki  (In addition, to keep control of daimyo, shoguns required them to live in Edo/Tokyo every other year… why?)