Legacy of the Mongol Empire and Ming Dynasty in Chinese History

1. Chapter 14 Discussion and Review

2. Mongol Empire

4. Mongolian Steppes

5. Xinjiang Region – Typical Uygher [Mongol] “Yurt”

6. Mongol Invasions

7. Mongol Warriors

8. Mongol Archer

9. Gold Saddle Arch – Mongols, 13c

10. Gold Saddle, Front View – Mongols, 13c

11. Genghis Khan’s Tax Laws: • If you do not pay homage, we will take your prosperity. • If you do not have prosperity, we will take your children. • If you do not have children, we will take your wife. • If you do not have a wife, we will take your head. • Used cruelty as a weapon --> some areas never recovered from Mongol destruction!

12. Mongol Nobleman, late 13c

13. Robe of a Mongol Nobleman, early 14c

14. Yuan Golden Bowl, 13c

15. Yuan Empire (1279-1368) • Khubilai Khan • Declared Great Khan in 1265 • founded the Yuan empire in 1271 • Moved capital to Beijing • Incorporated Chinese traditions • Confucian laws and public policies • Government • Western Asian Muslims as official • Hierarchical system • Legally defined status groups • Confucians had a weak role • merchants and doctors elevated

16. Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty, 1279-1368 C.E. • Kublai Khan [r. 1260-1294] • Pax Mongolica [“Mongol Peace”] • Tolerated Chinese culturebut lived apart from them.  • No Chinese in top govt. posts. • Believed foreigner were moretrustworthy. • Encouraged foreign trade & foreign merchants to live and work in China. • Marco Polo

17. Marco Polo (1254-1324) • A Venetian merchant. • Traveled through YuanChina: 1271-1295 • “Black Stones” [coal] • Gunpowder. • Noodles.

18. Marco Polo’s Travels

19. Yuan Dynasty • Economy / Trade • Tax farming • Used paper money and copper coins • Revitalized trade • Cultural Diffusion • Encouraged sharing and exchange of ideas • Medical information, Science, Mathematics, warfare, etc.

20. Yuan Porcelains & Ceramics

21. China’s last native imperial dynasty!

22. Ming Dynasty - 1368 – 1644 • Closed borders to foreigners • severed relations with Middle East and Central Asia • moved capital to Nanjing; later moved backed to Beijing • The Ming were nationalistic and turned toward Confucianism.

23. 2 How Did the Ming Restore the Chinese Government… • Restored the civil service system and made the exams more rigorous than ever • Revived Confucian learning • Repaired the canal system that linked regions and made trade easier • Supported a revival of arts and literature

24. The Forbidden City: China’s New Capital

25. Revived the Civil Service Exam

26. Ming Cultural Revolution • Printing & Literacy • Cheap, popular books: • woodblock printing. • cheap paper. • Examination system. • Leads to explosion in literacy.  • Leads to further popularization of the commercial market. • Culture & Art • Increased literacy leads to increased interest in cultural expressions, ideas, and things: • Literature. • Painting. • Ceramics. • Opera.

27. Ming Silver Market • Spanish Silver Convoys • Triangle route: • Philippines to China to Japan. • Silver floods Chinese Market: • Causes devaluation of currency & recession • Adds to reasons for Chinese immigration overseas. • Reduces price of Chinese goods in Europe • Increases interest in Chinese culture & ideas in Europe. • Helps fund conquest of New World  • Encourages Europeans in conquest & trade.

28. Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644 C.E. • Golden Age of Chinese Art • Moderation • Softness • Gracefulness • Hundreds of thousands ofworkers constructed theForbidden City.

29. Ming Emperor Tai Zu(r. 1368-1398)

30. The Tribute System

31. Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho) • Ming “Treasure Fleet” • Each ship 400’ long & 160’ wide • China’s “Columbus?”  1371-1435

32. Admiral Zheng He’s Voyages • First Voyage: 1405-1407 [62 ships; 27,800 men]. • Second Voyage: 1407-1409 [Ho didn’t go on this trip]. • Third Voyage: 1409-1411 [48 ships; 30,000 men]. • Fourth Voyage: 1413-1415 [63 ships; 28,500 men]. • Fifth Voyage: 1417-1419 • Sixth Voyage: 1421-1422 • Emperor Zhu Gaozhi cancelled future trips and ordered ship builders and sailors to stop work. • Seventh Voyage: 1431-1433 • Emperor Zhu Zhanji resumed the voyages in 1430 to restore peaceful relations with Malacca & Siam • 100 ships and 27,500 men; Cheng Ho died on the return trip.

33. Zheng He’s Mission • Mission • To reestablish trade links with the Middle East • Bring Southeast Asian countries and their overseas Chinese population under its influence • Accomplishments • Acquired Ming tributary states • 50 new tributaries • Overall not very profitable

34. Shape of the World Video Clip…

35. 1498 --> Da Gama reached Calcutta, China’s favorite port.

36. Why did Ming emperors turn their back on overseas exploration? • Confucian scholars had little interest in overseas ventures. To them, Chinese civilization was superior to all others. • The Chinese wanted to preserve ancient traditions, which they saw as the source of stability. • Fleets of seagoing ships were costly and did not produce any profits.

37. Ming Empire: Technology • Ming technological innovation slowed after 1400, though the economy continued to grow. • The causes of the slow-down were complex • growth in population, large labor supply lowered the need for mechanization • Revival of civil service exam • scarcity of metals for the building of new machines • relative lack of technological challenge from military enemies were all contributing factors.

38. Ming Vases, 18c

39. Ming Carved Lacquer Dish 15c

40. Ming Scroll Painting“Travelers in Autumn Mountains”

41. Ming Painting – “Taoist Scholar”

42. Ming Painting – “Birds and Flowers”, 16c

43. Ming Painting and Calligraphy, early 16c

44. Ming Empire Vs Mongols • Similarities • Ming China was built on a Mongol foundation • political structure and administration • including the military system and a hereditary system of social stratification. • Differences • More ideological than structural • Closed borders to foreigners, severed relations with Middle East and Central Asia, moved capital to Nanjing • The Ming were nationalistic and turned toward Confucianism.

45. Geography of Japan • The surrounding seas have both protected and isolated Japan

46. Here come the Mongols • Only Severe threat to Japan Prior to World War II • Attracted by gold, pearls and power the Kublai Khan sent a letter demanding submission and tribute in 1268 • Two Attempts were made in 1274 and 1281 Mongol Armour, 1271.

47. Japan Defeats the Khan’s Army!! • First attempt 900 ships and 40,000 men • Surprisingly a strong wind came up “kamikaze” or the divine winds • Destroyed 200 ships and 13,000 men • By 1281 the samurai had built a stone wall and the Khan’s army was fought off from the wall! A stone barrier 20 km long bordering the coast of Hakata Bay at Fukuoka

49. Vietnamese LegendKublai Khan, the Mongol leader of thirteenth-century China, sent an army to conquer Vietnam. The Mongols smashed the Vietnamese capital but were repulsed by a Vietnamese guerrilla counter-offensive. A second Mongol invasion followed that consistedof 500,000 soldiers. The Mongols were met by a Vietnamese force of 200,000 men led by Tran Hung Dao who is today considered to be Vietnam’s greatest national hero. According to a legend that reminds us of England’s King Arthur story, a magical turtle arose from a lake and gave Tran an enchanted sword. He used this sword to again defeat the Mongols and then returned it to the turtle in the lake.

50. Han Conquest • Han conquered the southern “barbarians” in 111 B.C.E. by always had trouble controlling the area. • Why? Geography • Viet elite adopted the bureaucratic ways of the Chinese. • Adopted Confucianism. • Adopted ancestor worship and extended family concept. • Buddhism became a dominant influence in the religious and cultural life of the people. • Position of women was stronger than in China • Trung sisters