Life In China During The Ming Dynasty Rule

After the Mongols collapse, the Ming Dynasty was established. It lasted more than 200 years. Due to their military strength, they were one of the greatest powers. More than 2000 scholars contributed to the organization and compilation of historical writings, geographies and philosophies. They were redesigning and reintroducing China following the Mongolian Imperial. China suffered greatly from the Mongolian Empire. The Ming Dynasty attempted to rebuild and restructure it. Ming Dynasty also moved China’s capital to Beijing. For the wealthy, the Forbidden city was built. Ming Dynasty used its past to rebuild itself after the collapse and fall of Mongolian Empire. They invested in China’s defense. This essay examines China’s Ming rule.

China has not abandoned Confucian thinking, Confucian market principles and the Ming Dynasty 1368 era. Four castes were present in Confucian’s ideal society: the Shi, Nong and Gong, as well as Shang. Every person was born with a role in the economy. They were the most prominent in the food chain. Although they came originally from the warrior caste, the Shi eventually incorporated aristocratic scholars as well as educated bureaucrats into their ranks. Because they had limited access and knowledge, they were respected highly. These farmers, who were Nong- By, were second only the Shi. Farmers were vital to the empire due to frequent famines and the lack of agricultural produce. Gong were mostly landless artisans. Their unique skills could be passed on to the next generation through inheritance, apprenticeship, or other means. The Shang never produced any type of artisanal or agricultural crop. They only traded/or transported products that were made and sold by the Nong/Gong. The Shang were disregarded by society because they did not produce any kind of agricultural or artisanal crop. Instead, they only traded and/or transported products made by the Nong and Gong. Later in history, commercialization began to increase and the Shang became part-owners of land. China’s Ming period saw a boom in economic activity. This was especially true with the development of new agricultural methods and the production of Ming porcelain at lightning speed. China’s farmers were using new methods such as crop rotation and water-powered plowing. This led to a significant increase in agricultural output. The surplus of crop led to the development of a market economy that allowed farmers to cultivate cash crops. These crops were grown to be more profitable than their use as a source of income. It was also very useful in supporting the population. This era saw significant improvements in the production of many products and speed. Iron production was at an all-time high. Tea, salt, as well as other industries, were privatized. However, the most noteworthy development in the porcelain industry was its rapid growth. The Ming Dynasty, although it didn’t start with blue and white porcelain, became famous for them. In China, labor was no longer compulsory and workers were being paid. However the richest and most powerful merchants in the elite managed the industry. China’s ban on maritime commerce was implemented in 1371. China prohibits sea commerce to try and reduce piracy. After the growth of commerce and trade, the Ming built roads, bridges, canals and bridges that made it easier to access faraway markets. This led to the creation of commercial metropolises like Beijing, Nanjing and Yangzhou as well as Suzhou, Guangzhou and Xian. Trade opened up new markets, allowing economic development to flourish. Trade with overseas countries brought in more than 300M Silver tails to China. Seven voyages were made by the eunuch admiral Zheng between 1405-1433 into the so called Western Ocean. These journeys took him from the South China Sea up to the east coast Africa. They were two-year-long, but played an important role in exporting Chinese goods westward.

The Ming government worked very much like the United States’ checks-and-balances system, except for the emperor. However, his Censorate had ministries that were parallel to America’s departments. The Censorate was reestablished in 1403. These bureaucrats became known later as “censors” because they had direct access and control over the emperor. These bureaucrats were the “eyes” and ears of the emperor. They looked after administrators to ensure corruption was under control. However, ironically they were treated with contempt by the public, who heard many stories about righteous censors taking bribes and being corrupt. The grand secretariat’s job was to assist the Emperor with paperwork and work between the six Ministries. Each ministry had its own administrative department, and each one was responsible for a specific task. The Ministry of Personnel dealt with all issues involving government employees. These included firing, hiring, evaluating work, promotion, etc. The Ministry of Revenue managed tax collection, revenue and currency. The Ministry of Rites managed all official state ceremonies and received foreign leaders. The Ministry of war supervised military administration. The Ministry of justice was responsible both for the legal process and the penal system. However, they had no jurisdiction over Censorate. The Ministry of works managed government-related construction projects as well as road maintenance. They were also responsible to standardize weights and measures throughout the country.