The Later Ming and Early Qing Empires Chapter

The Later Ming and Early Qing Empires Chapter 20 (p. 516 - 525)

The Ming Empire, 1500 - 1644 Decline of the Ming Climatic change Led to famine, then peasant revolts Nomadic Invasion The Mongols… again Mongols worked with Tibet Named Tibetan leader “universal teacher” or Dalai Lama Decline of Silk Roads Inept rulers Peasant revolts

Ming Collapse & Rise of the Qing 1644, Ming formed alliance with Manchus to defeat Japanese and quell rebellions Manchus used opportunity to seize China and Korea Headed the Qing Dynasty

The Early Qing Empire Strong rule until 1750 Used Mandate of Heaven Continued use of Chinese examination system Recruited military and bureaucratic professions Manchus (new elites) maintained ethnic identity: No intermarriage b/t Chinese & Manchus Chinese forbidden from learning Manchurian language Required Chinese males to shave heads & grow queues to show submission

The Early Qing Dynasty Land-based “Gunpowder Empire” Brief “Golden Age” Kangxi: the philosopher king Publically performed Confucian rituals as a way to legitimize rule Qianlong: actually cancelled taxes on several occasions Peasant labor (silk production) increased

Trading Companies & Missionaries Dutch were the main European traders in East Asia Catholic missionaries (Matteo Ricci) attempted to convert Chinese intellectuals and elite Limited success (under Kangxi) Adopted Catholicism to Chinese cultural traditions Pope condemned “ancestry worship”

Tea and Diplomacy European Easier English Qing trade restricted to Canton for Qing to maintain strict trade restrictions sought more trading rights were producing tea, silk, porcelain, etc. Middle Kingdom view was wary of contact