Fall+-+Research+-+Ming

  

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  - First emperor was Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu emperor) (4) - imperial government kept increasing taxes, which led to a rebellion, which led to more taxes, and ultimately, no money. (2) - Hongwu’s grandson took over as the Jianwen Emporer after Hongwu died, and began a rivalry with his uncle Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan (1) - Zhu Di plotted a rebellion and became emperor, reversing many of Hongwu’s policies (Yongle Empire) (1) - Yongle emperor seen as the "second beginning" of the Ming Dynasty, also as one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history (4) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 80%;">- Yongle decided to move the capital from Janjing to Beijing to permit closer control over military forces (3) <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Zhengtong Emperor was imprisoned by the Mongols, almost causing the dynasty to collapse (5) - Zhengtong Emperor's brother was named the Jingtai emperor (6) - Hongzhi Emperor was the only monogamous emperor in Chinese history (no concubine)(7) - Several emperors abused their power, including emperor Zhengde, who disregarded his job and instead engaged in activites at brothrels and with exotic animals (8) - Many emperors relied heavily on eunuchs (castrated men they hired to be civil servants)
 * 1. Events/Leaders:**

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Roberts, J.A. G. A History of China. 2nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> [|2) "Ming China: The Decline of the Ming Empire." __Washington State University - Pullman, Washington__. 25 Apr. 2009] 3 )Craig, Albert M. The Heritage of Chinese Civilization. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2007. 4) Roberts, J.A. G. A History of China. 2nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.

5) Chua, Amy. Day of Empire: How Hyper Powers Rise to Global Dominance - and Why they Fall. New York: Double Day, 2007. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center; display: block;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">6 <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Roberts, J.A. G. A History of China. 2nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">7) [|"HONGZHI EMPEROR Articles The Hongzhi Emperor (July 30, 1470–)." Author Publishing and Free Article Database. May 2009] <span style="color: rgb(38, 42, 44); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 20px;"> 8) <span style="color: rgb(38, 42, 44); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 20px;">Wintle, Justin. __Rough Guide Chronicles of China__. New York: Rough Guides, 2002. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center; display: block;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**2. Climate & Geographic Factors:** - Little Ice Age caused crop failures, etc, and caused the flow of silver into China to decrease (1) - The natural barriers of China (Pacific Ocean, Gobi Desert, Himalayan mountains, etc) contributed to much of China’s isolation from the rest of the world during the Ming Dynasty (2) - <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">When Emperor Yongle moved the capital from Nanjin to Beijing; Grand Canal was used as a courier route, grain shipment route & trade route <span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> (3) -Post Little Ice Age, general climate was warm; led to increased grain production <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 80%;">- Between 1626 and 1640, China experienced severe weather (low temperatures, drought, floods) (5) - Population then declined, which caused trade to decrease, peasant rebellions, and ultimately contributed to the Ming’s fall (5) [|1)"][|Ming Dynasty -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 25 Apr. 2009]<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">   [|2) "China and Isolation Activity." __Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD__. 25 Apr. 2009] <span style="color: rgb(38, 42, 44); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 20px;">3) [|Grand Canal (canal, China) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 2009. 03 May 2009] <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> [|4) "SpringerLink - Journal Article." __SpringerLink Home - Main__. 03 May 2009]<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">    5) Roberts, J.A. G. __A History of China__. 2nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center; display: block;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">**<span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">3. Art, Literature & Music **<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> - artists mostly repeated what had been done in the past, but with added detail (1) - Art resembled that of the Sung dynasty (bird and flower paintings, realistic paintings landscapes) (2) - major Ming art achievements were painting & pottery (6) -ceramics developed greatly, glazing & decoration became more intricate(6) - beautiful pottery and lacquer comes from this time, most in “white & blue” style(2) - Third emperor Yongle(1402-1424), built the Temple of Heaven, which is the only Ming building in Beijing to survive its original structure (3) - Bookstores flourished; they cold Confucian classics, novels, coloured prints, erotica etc. - Novels’ plots were usually from earlier story-tellers, and were mostly written by failed scholars, under a pseudonyms(4) - Opera developed rapidly (5) - chuanqi developed (a form of musical theatre with contemporary plots)(5) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Xuande Emperor was a patron of the arts, seen as the only artistically talented Ming Emperor (7) - Through Buddhism, religious literature began being used by monks and priests (8) - Four Ming novels are most famous: The History of the Three Kingdoms,Shui Hu Chuan, Chin P'ing Mei and Hsi-yu Chi (Journey to the West) (8) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center; display: block;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> [|1) "Ming Dynasty Chinese Art - History for Kids!" __Kidipede - History and Science for Kids - Homework Help for Middle School__. 25 Apr. 2009] [|2)"Ming Dynasty - The Art of Asia - Chinese Dynasty Guide." __Minneapolis Institute of Arts__. 23 Apr. 2009] 3) Gascoigne, Bamber. __The Dynasties of China : A History__. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2003. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 4)  Craig, Albert M. __The Heritage of Chinese Civilization__. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2007. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 5) [|"Chinese Music, Musical Instrument, Lute, Chime Bell, Flute." __China Travel Guide,China Tours,Tibet Beijing Packages,24/7 Service__. 25 Apr. 2009] 6) [|__"Ming Dynasty" - Britannica Online Encyclopedia__. 25 Apr. 2009] 7) <span class="wiki_link_ext">  Elliott, Jeannette. __The Odyssey of China's Imperial Art Treasure__. Washington: University of Washington P, 2005.<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span class="wiki_link_ext"> 8)  Michael, Franz. __China Through The ages__. Colorado: Westview P, 1986.

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">** 4. Socio-political structure: ** - Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu) drafted a Confucian law code/social class (1) - Emporer Hongwu enforced a ‘four occupations’ social class structure that included gentry scholars, artisans & craftsmen, peasant farmers, and merchants & traders. (1) -By mid Ming era, the emporers abandoned this and the elite and wealthy reigned (1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Women were secluded – possibly because of the need to protect them from Mongol soldiers (2) - Some women had more wealth than their husbands, in some cases this led to women having main control in the household (3) - By Late Ming Dynasty, merchants seen as valuable & blurred social lines (1) -Ming dynasty was stable but autocratic (4) -Some women were encouraged to commit suicide after commiting sinful acts to express their regret(5)

1) <span class="wiki_link_ext">  [|"Hongwu." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. May. 2009] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2)   Gascoigne, Bamber. __The Dynasties of China : A History__. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2003. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 3) [|"Women in Late Imperial China." __Life In Motion__. 25 Apr. 2009]<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 4) [|__"Ming Dynasty" - Britannica Online Encyclopedia__. 25 Apr. 2009]<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 5) [|"An Ethical Analysis of Woman Suicide in Ming Dynasty." __Centre for Applied Ethics, Hong Kong Baptist University__. 25 Apr. 2009]<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**<span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">5. Industrial and Artistic Technology ** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Jingdezhen became an important centre because kaolin & china-stone were found nearby (their chemical affinity & behaviour at 1400 degrees Celsius creates porcelein) (1) - Clay was quarried in mines and washed in a series of ponds to separate particles from impurities (4) -The 2 porcelein materials quarried in mines outside Jingdezhen by specialized mills and transported by river boats to the potteries (4) - Very few specialist suppliers were in operation during Ming dynasty (4) - The blue colour of famous Ming Dynasty Blue & White Porcelein comes from cobalt obtained from trading with other countries (2) - Iron production increased and developed (3) - Zinc began to be used in metal smelting (3)

1)  Gascoigne, Bamber. __The Dynasties of China : A History__. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2003. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 2) [|"Mohammedan Blue." __Taimantis.com - TAI MANTIS KUNG FU :: Shifu Newton__. 03 May 2009]<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 3) [|"Iron Making History in China." 26 Apr. 2009] 4)[|Sjostrand, Sten. "Jingdezhen, The porcelain centre of the world." __Ming porcelain, kraak porcelain and other Asian pottery from The Wanli Shipwreck.__ 26 Apr. 2009]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Plague was called wenyi ( pestilence) - An outbreak in 1641 wiped out a large proportion of Chinese population <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">- Physician Wu Youzing made a breaktrhough about epidemic disease - Wu Youzing proposed the theory of liqi (suggesting plague was not caused by wint, cold, etc but caused by infection) - Believed that penetration of the body took place through the mouth and nose, and could be cured by herbs - It was discovered that liqi affected humans differently than animals - Smallpox was bad during the Ming Dynasty, and there was some use of anti-smallpox vaccinations - Largest ancient prescription book published during Ming Dynasty - During 16th century, outbreaks of syphillis all over the country ; many physicians worked to treat it - Chen Sicheng devoted an entire work to the treatment of syphillis, using substances that preceded Western use by about 300 years
 * 6.<span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Plagues and Diseases **

Source: [|"TCM history." Shen-nong.com - traditional chinese medicine information, references & applications. 2005. 03 May 2009] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">

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