Post on 26-Dec-2015
transcript
Ch. 16 -The East Asian WorldCh. 16 -The East Asian World1400-18001400-1800
16.1: China at Its Height
The Ming DynastyThe Ming Dynasty
• 1368-1644• Overthrow of Mongol rule• Founded by Ming Hong Wu• Many positive changes
• 1406 – construction of Beijing–“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
• Contacts with the West– 1514 - Portuguese arrive on coast of China
– Chinese are ethnocentric and xenophobic
– Cultural diffusion between Europe and China
• Decline of Ming– Internal power struggles–Corruption, high taxes–Epidemic–Suffering = unrest; leads to peasant revolt
• Peasants take the capital of Beijing; Ming fall
Qing DynastyQing 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)
• Emperor Kangxi–1661 -1722; 61 year reign–Revered as greatest emperor –Christianity flourished
• Emperor Qianlong–1736-1795–Expanded China to its greatest physical size
• Corruption, high taxes, population growth lead to unrest–White Lotus Rebellion - 1796-1804,
weakens government
• 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.
16.2: Chinese Society and 16.2: Chinese Society and CultureCulture
Economy and Daily LifeEconomy and Daily Life
• Agricultural society – 85% farmers• Increase in population
– 1390 - 80 million – 1700 - 300 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
• Family oriented
• Confucian ideals
• Elderly very respected
• Women were subordinate to men
• Footbinding – status symbol
Chinese Art and LiteratureChinese Art and Literature
• Literature–More books purchased–Realistic social novels
written
• Architecture and art–Imperial City–Complex of palaces and
temples–Blue and white porcelain