1. Ch. 16 -The East Asian World 1400-1800
16.1: China at Its Height

2. The Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 Overthrow of Mongol rule
Founded by Ming Hong Wu
Many positive changes

4. 1406 – construction of Beijing Admiral Zheng He
“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

5. Contacts with the West 1514 - Portuguese arrive on coast of China
Chinese are ethnocentric and xenophobic
Cultural diffusion between Europe and China

6. Decline of Ming Internal power struggles Corruption, high taxes
Epidemic
Suffering = unrest; leads to peasant revolt
Peasants take the capital of Beijing; Ming fall

7. Qing 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)

8. Corruption, high taxes, population growth lead to unrest
Emperor Kangxi
; 61 year reign
Revered as greatest emperor
Christianity flourished
Emperor Qianlong
Expanded China to its greatest physical size
Corruption, high taxes, population growth lead to unrest
White Lotus Rebellion , weakens government

9. 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.

10. 16.2: Chinese Society and Culture

11. Economy and Daily Life Agricultural society – 85% farmers
Increase in population
million
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

12. Family oriented
Confucian ideals
Elderly very respected
Women were subordinate to men
Footbinding – status symbol

13. Chinese Art and Literature
More books purchased
Realistic social novels written
Architecture and art
Imperial City
Complex of palaces and temples
Blue and white porcelain