It lasted for 276 years from 1368 until 1644 when the capital city of Beijing was captured by Li Zicheng during a rebellion that led into the short-lived Shun Dynasty. In 1644, the dynasty ended at the hands of a peasant rebellion led by Li Zicheng and the subsequent suicide of Emperor Weizong.The Ming Dynasty is one of the most recognized time periods in the history of China because of its social stability and orderly government. Its final years were plagued by corruption and conspiracies by eunuch officials. Wang promoted the Neo-Confucian School, which grew to become a major branch of Confucian philosophy.įollowing the rule of Emperor Shenzong (1573–1620), the Ming dynasty began to decline.
Wang Yangming (1472–1529): A philosopher-official during Emperor Jiajing’s reign. Li Shizhen (1518–1593): A prominent herbologist, acupuncturist, and Chinese medical doctor, Li Shizhen wrote Compendium of Materia Medica, the most in-depth medical book in traditional Chinese medicine, still used today as a key reference. His expeditions helped promote international trade and spread Chinese culture. He took seven voyages during a span of 28 years, visiting over 30 countries and reaching as far as eastern Africa, the Red Sea, and some historians say even America (several decades before Columbus). Zheng He (1371–1433): An admiral who was commissioned by the emperor to explore the Pacific and Indian oceans. Three important personalities epitomize the achievements of the Ming dynasty:
Several Shen Yun performances portray episodes from these classics, including the adventures of the Monkey King. A pious and devoted disciple of the Tao School, he built three famous Beijing temples: the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Earth, and the Temple of the Moon.Īmong the most lasting contributions of the Ming era were three novels, written in the vernacular, whose stories remain some of the most well-loved pieces of Chinese literature today: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the Marsh, and Journey to the West. Taoism flourished, particularly during the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1521–1567). Religion and philosophy were an important part of Ming dynasty life. The completed text exceeded 3.7 billion words, and preserved countless ancient works, though today only select portions of it have survived. Ming Chengzu gained the name Yongle, meaning “perpetual happiness.” This title reflected the prosperity of his era and the cultural and military achievements that rivaled those of the great Han and Tang dynasties.Īmong Ming Chengzu’s contributions to Chinese culture was the completion of the Yongle Encyclopedia, a monumental volume that covered subjects ranging from astronomy to medicine to the yin-yang theory. He moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, excelled as a military strategist, constructed the Forbidden City, and made important contributions to global exploration and the humanities. The Ming dynasty reached its peak during the reign of its third emperor, Ming Chengzu (1403–1424). Over the next two centuries, China’s regional and global influence grew, three of the four classics of Chinese literature were written, and the magnificent palaces of the Forbidden City were built. In 1368, several years after his forces conquered Nanjing, Zhu proclaimed himself emperor and founded the Ming dynasty, returning ethnic Han rule to China. But, as the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty weakened amidst internal rivalries, Zhu joined an emerging rebellion and soon came to lead a powerful army. Born a Chinese peasant named Zhu Yuanzhang, he first pursued life as a Buddhist monk. The Ming dynasty’s first emperor, Ming Taizu, did not begin life destined for royalty.
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