As a result of the peasant uprising, the power of the Mongols was overthrown. The Yuan Dynasty was replaced by the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). From the end of the XIV century. China is flourishing economically and culturally. Old cities begin to develop, new ones appear, in which trade and craft prevail. The process of evolution of the country is reinforced by the emergence of manufactories, where the division of labor is introduced. The best scientists, architects and artists are attracted to the imperial court. The main focus is on urban construction.
Chinese Ming Dynasty: Economic Transformation
Almost immediately after the advent of this dynasty, measures began to be introduced to improve the existing situation of the peasants, since it was they who helped to effect a change of power. The Ming Dynasty revived the allotment system in the North, which eliminated the economic power of the landowning elite (Northern Chinese), who had previously allied with Yuanyamm. And in the South, everything was exactly the opposite - landownership was preserved. The modernization of the existing accounting and tax system, as well as the special attention of the authorities to irrigation, all contributed to rapid economic growth.
There was an increase in the urban economy, the reason for which is regional specialization (inPorcelain production was located in Jiangxi, and mainly railway production in Guangdong), the emergence of new directions, a special place among which was the construction of 4-deck ships.
Commodity-money relations are also gradually developing. On the basis of merchant's capital, private manufactories appeared. Central and South China became the place where handicraft settlements appeared. Subsequently, prerequisites were formed for the creation of a common Chinese market (the number of official fairs was already close to 38).
Reverse side of the coin
Simultaneously with the above progressive phenomena, there were a number of obstacles that hindered the development of entrepreneurship (this was typical for the entire East). These include state monopolies, state-owned manufactories, in which more than 300 thousand artisans worked, state fees from trade and handicraft activities. It was they who did not give the economy the opportunity to switch to a qualitatively different production.
Ming Foreign Policy
The most significant event of this time is the expansion of China, which affected the states of the South Seas.
The Ming Dynasty, in view of the growing need to solve the problem of Japanese, Chinese, Korean piracy, was forced to create a fleet that consisted of 3,500 ships. Further economic growth contributed to the commission of seven expeditions of a detached fleet, led by the chief eunuch Zheng He, to East Africa. This naval commander had at his disposal 60 large 4-deck ships, the length of which reached 47 meters, they had such pretentious names as "Pure Harmony", "Prosperity and Prosperity". Each had 600 crew members, including a group of diplomats.
Excerpt from logbooks
According to them, during the journey to the coast of East Africa, Zheng, speaking in modern terms, acted calmly and humbly at sea. However, occasionally small foreigners did not obey the good intentions of the emperor.
The Ming Dynasty: History
The main focus of Zhu Yuanzhang (the first Chinese emperor) in the period of 70-80 years. made for the final expulsion of the Mongols from their country, the suppression of attempts of social protest among the Chinese peasants through the procedure of improving the economy and strengthening personal power. Such tasks were solved by increasing the army, strengthening centralization, using the most stringent methods that caused discontent in all segments of the population.
At the same time as limiting the powers of local authorities, the emperor relied on numerous relatives who later became rulers - vans (title) of specific principalities due to the fact that, in his opinion, children and grandchildren are the most reliable.
Vanships were all over the country: near the periphery they performed a defensive function against the threat from the outside, and in the center they acted inas a counterweight to separatism, rebellions.
In 1398, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang died, after which the court camarilla, bypassing his direct heirs, enthroned Zhu Yongwen, one of his grandsons.
Zhu Yongwen's reign
He first of all laid eyes on the system of destinies created by his grandfather. This caused a war with Jingnan (1398-1402). The confrontation ended with the capture of the capital of the Nanjing empire by the ruler of Beijing - the eldest son of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di. She was burned in the fire along with his opponent.
The Third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
Zhu-Di continued his father's policy of centralization of the state, while abandoning the existing system of vans (in 1426, a rebellion of discontented vans was suppressed). He besieged the titular nobility and strengthened the importance of the palace secret services in the process of government.
Under him, the issue of the Chinese capital was finally resolved, which significantly influenced the political weight of the South and North. So, the latter, acting as the cradle of Chinese civilization, loses its weight in the III - V centuries. in favor of the first because of the constant threat of nomads. These parts of the country are carriers of fundamentally different traditions and mentalities: the southerners are complacent, careless, and the northerners are resolute, tough, having a higher social status - “han-zhen”. All this was supported by existing linguistic (dialectical) differences.
Yuan and the Songs chose the North as their political base, while the Ming Dynasty, on the contrary, chose the South. This is what gave them the opportunity to win.
In 1403, the new emperor renamed the existing Beiping (translated as "Pacified North") into Beijing ("Northern Capital"). So, until 1421, there were two capitals in China - the imperial one in the north and the government-bureaucratic one in the south. Zhu Di thus got rid of the influence and tutelage of the southerners, at the same time depriving the southern bureaucracy (Nanjing) of excessive independence.
In 1421, the final consolidation of the capital in the North took place. In this regard, the Ming dynasty secured the support of the northern Chinese population and strengthened the country's defense.
Ming Emperors
As mentioned earlier, this dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644. The Ming replaced the Mongolian Yuan in a popular uprising. A total of sixteen emperors of this dynasty ruled for 276 years. For ease of reference, the Ming emperors are listed in the table below.
| Name | Years of government | Motto |
| 1. Zhu Yuanzhang | 1368 – 1398 | Hongwu ("Spill of Militancy") |
| 2. Zhu Yunwen | 1398 – 1402 | Jianwen ("Establishment of Civil Order") |
| 3. Zhu Di | 1402 – 1424 | Yongle ("Eternal Joy") |
| 4. Zhu Gaochi | 1424 - 1425 | Hongxi ("Great Radiance") |
| 5. Zhu Zhanji | 1425 – 1435 | Xuande ("Spreading Virtue") |
| 6. Zhu Qizhen | 1435 – 1449 | Zhengtong ("Legal Heritage") |
| 7. Zhu Qiyu | 1449 – 1457 | Jingtai (Glittering Prosperity) |
| 8. Zhu Qizhen [2] | 1457 – 1464 | Tianshun ("Heavenly Favor") |
| 9. Zhu Jianshen | 1464 – 1487 | Chenghua ("Perfect Prosperity") |
| 10. Zhu Yutang | 1487 – 1505 | Hongzhi ("Generous Rule") |
| 11. Zhu Houzhao | 1505 -1521 | Zhengde ("True Virtue") |
| 12. Zhu Houcong | 1521 – 1567 | Jiajing ("Wonderful Peace") |
| 13. Zhu Zaihou | 1567 - 1572 | Longqing ("Sublime Happiness") |
| 14. Zhu Yijun | 1572 – 1620 | Wanli ("Uncountable Years") |
| 15. Zhu Youjiao | 1620 -1627 | Tianqi (Heavenly Guidance) |
| 16. Zhu Youjian | 1627 – 1644 | Chongzhen ("Sublime Happiness") |
Outcome of the peasant war
It was she who caused the fall of the Ming Dynasty. It is known that the peasant war, unlike the uprising, is not only numerous, but also affects different sections of the population. It is larger, longer, well organized, disciplined due to the presence of the leading center and the presence of ideology.
It is worth analyzing this event in more detail in order to understand how the fall of the Ming dynasty happened.
The first stage of the peasant movement began in 1628 and lasted for 11 years. Over 100 foci failed to unite, which is why they were suppressed. The second stage took place in 1641 and lasted only 3 years. The united forces of the rebels were led by the capable commander-in-chief Li Zicheng. He managed to form a peasant army from the existing numerous randomly arisen detachments, which was distinguished by discipline, had clear tactics and strategy.
Li advanced rapidly under popular slogans among the masses regarding the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty. He promoted universal equality, made a promise regarding the non-collection of taxes after the end of the war.
As it became known, in the early morning of 1644-26-04, absolutely no one came to the ringing of the bell, which called for the ministers to come to Emperor Chong Zhen for an audience. Then he said it was the end, himthose close to him began to sob. The Empress turned to her husband for the last time and told him that for 18 years she had been devoted to him, but he never bothered to listen to her, which led to this. After that, the empress hanged herself on her belt.
The Emperor had no choice but to clumsily kill his daughter and concubine with a sword and hang himself from his belt on an ash tree. Following the emperor, according to the customs of that time, all 80 thousand officials passed away. According to one version, the Great Sovereign left a note on a piece of silk, which was addressed to Li Zicheng. In it, he said that all officials are traitors, which is why they deserve death, they must be executed. The emperor justified his departure from life by his unwillingness to be indebted to the very last, despicable of his subjects. After a few hours, the messengers of the invader removed the body of the emperor from the tree, and then placed it in a coffin, which was intended for the poor.
Tomb of the Great Ming Dynasty
More precisely, the tombs, as the graves of thirteen emperors of this dynasty are located on the territory of the famous memorial. The Ming Dynasty tomb extends over 40 square meters. km. It is located about 50 km from Beijing (to the north) at the foot of the great Mountain of Heavenly Longevity. The Ming Dynasty Tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many come to Beijing just to see her.
Conclusion
The Manchurian yoke of the newly minted Qing Dynasty, one might say,was imposed on the country during the European bourgeois revolutions, which doomed China to as much as 268 years of political and socio-economic stagnation before the growing colonial expansion from Europe.
The two most powerful dynasties are the Ming and Qing. But the differences between them are colossal: the first showed the people the opportunity to enter a new, progressive path, allowed them to feel free and significant. The second destroyed everything that had been created by many years of work, made the state reclusive.
