History Of China: The Ming Dynasty Revolution Of China

Ming Dynasty Revolution of ChinaBy (Name)TutorDate
The Ming Dynasty Revolution of China
The Ming dynasty was the ruling power in China for more than 276 years following the sudden collapse of the Yuan dynasty that was led by Mongol from 1271 to 1368. The Ming dynasty started gaining its power when the demise of the Yuan dynasty became evident. This earlier dynasty faced challenges of ethnic discrimination, over taxation of some areas and the abandonment of irrigation projects which resulted into flooding which formed the basis of its sharp criticism and an eventual rebellion from different groups of Chinese. Thus, the Yuan dynasty fell from fights by rebel groups that were seeking the control of the country. In the fights, Zhu Yuanzhang successfully won his wars through his Ming soldiers and managed to drive Yuan emperor to the North capital of Shangdu. During the reign of the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a revolution and dramatic change in the economic growth and development ranging from the industrial growth, the manufacturing sector, the agricultural sector, the commercial sector and several other related aspects that led to the growth of the Chinese economy. This paper will focus on the reign of Ming Dynasty and address of its economic growth aspect and later on focus on how it ended.[Atwell, William S. 2002. ""Time, Money, and the Weather: Ming China and the 'Great Depression' of the Mid-Fifteenth Century"." The Journal of Asian Studies.]
Governance
The Ming dynasty was an imperial dynasty that was led by Han Chinese from the year 1368 until the year 1964 when it first began its fall after it experienced a rebellion from the Shun dynasty. The leader of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang famously known as Emperor Hongwu who came into power in 1938 led the society whose main focus was the development of the state of which they considered broken by the previous leadership CITATION Atw02 \l 1033 (Atwell 2002). Thus, it is during this era that there were significant efforts made to rebuild the infrastructure of the state. Through the leadership of Zhu Yuanzhang, a 48 kilometer wall that was built around Nanjing, the military was also more organized and new palaces and halls were built.[Brook, Timothy. 1998. The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China. University of California Press.]
The Ming dynasty was very effective in governance and social stability which was effected by a secretariat. This department was headed by a minister who was in charge of six ministries whereby its daily activities were monitored by a director. All these people were under a direct control of the Emperor. This ministries were responsible for the various administrative functions ranging from the allocation of resources and revenue, the performance of justice and the inspection of public works like the construction and maintenance of roads. Through the constant update to the Emperor concerning all the administrative activities of the state, there was a maintenance of good governance.
The Commercial Revolution in the Ming Dynasty
The high food supplies translated into higher population growth and proliferation of small towns. With the loosening of the restrictive commercial laws, China saw a boom in economic growth (Hooker, 1997). Trade with other countries such as in Europe led to growth and commercial revolution; making the Ming dynasty one of the most influential in Chinas history relative to the industrial revolution. 
The Ming dynasty in China has been characterized by the great revolution that occurred in the economy of China. This Chinese revolution was experienced in different spheres of the lives of the Chinese people ranging from mineral exploration, trading activities, agriculture and commerce. It is during this period that China was opened to the outside world for business and other related associations. For instance, the Chinese were able to interact with different people from Europe.There are several activities that motion the changes in the commercial revolution of the Chinese People;[Geiss, James. 1988. "The Cheng-te reign, 1506–1521." The Cambridge History of China: (Cambridge University Press).]
The Maritime Expansion
This is the expansion of trade to involve naval expeditions. There are evidences that show that the Chinese preferred to do land commerce for a long time. However, with the coming of Emperor Yung-lo between the periods of 1403 to 1424, there was a change in business to involve other countries through naval expeditions. This extended business was also adopted by the successors of Emperor Yung-lo like Hung-his in 1425 and Hsuan-te from the consequent year of 1426 to 1435 CITATION Eik04 \l 1033 (Eiko 2004). The Maritime expansion that the Chinese introduced into their country introduced more products into their market. Through the success imports of different goods that continued to enter the state, more people decided to involve themselves in business and thus, the economic status of the state improved steadily. These expeditions involved East Asia, the Southern part of India, Persian Gulf and Africa. Due to its involvement with many countries, China became one of the greatest state in naval power. Thus, many countries opened their products and services to China with the assurance that they would gain much more because China brought together several states in business.
Due to the trading activities that were carried from Africa to Southeast Asia, the expeditions made China to be the greatest commercial naval power in the world at that particular time even more superior than any other European power. It also led to great prestige around the world and it was at this time that China as a country received embassies from major Islamic countries such as Europe CITATION Eik04 \l 1033 (Eiko 2004). The establishment of the Islamic embassies in China was due to the economic growth of the country and therefore it attracted more visitors who wished to establish their businesses in China and trade with the people of China. The embassies played the role of facilitating the settlement of the people from their country in China.[Eiko, Woodhouse. 2004. The Chinese Hsinhai Revolution: . Routledge Publishers.]
However, in the year 1435, the court scholars made efforts in convincing the emperor that the decline of the dynasty under his authority would be signaled by the taste of the exotic wares. As a result, the commercial and maritime expansion efforts that were began by China were contracted.[Geiss, James. 1988. "The Cheng-te reign, 1506–1521." The Cambridge History of China: (Cambridge University Press).]
The Ming dynasty saw some of the most significant maritime expansion. Previously, china had concentrated on exploration and land commerce. It was during the Ming dynasty that naval expeditions became common and formed the basis for the rest of the successors that took on the practice (Hooker, 1997). The emperor wanted to expand trade through exportation and importation of exotic goods.Agricultural Revolution
Emperor Hong-wu was interested in the agricultural sector of his state because he was convinced that it would be one of the greatest motivators in the development of their commerce, thus, he made major changes to improve this sector, immediately he assumed power. Therefore, between the year 1370 and 1398 China was completely revolutionized into a world agricultural center. One of the changes that was introduced in this sector was the improvement of rice production, which was the staple for the people.
The Ming dynasty introduced the use of terraces in the large scale production of rice. This new way of rice production was responsible for the improved harvests that the farmers and governmental ministries made throughout the year. There was an introduction of a type of rice called the Champa rice from South Asia. This rice grew faster than the normal indigenous type of rice and produced better results. It was ready for harvest in a half the period taken by the indigenous type. Thus, with its adoption more profits streamed in not only for the farmers but also the government. Another major innovation during this period was the practice of crop rotation in farming. This innovation helped maintain the fertility of the farming lands throughout different seasons because some of them would be rotationally left uncultivated. Peasant farmers began to plant other cash crops like cotton and cane, which contributed in raising their economic status and improving their living status. The peasants also began using the irrigation pumps and also stocking the rice paddies with fish. It fertilized the rice and increased the production of the rice at the farms. It also added a new item to the diet of the peasants.
Emperor Hung-wu is known as the leader who introduced one of the greatest projects of reforestation which stated in 1390. There are arguments from historians who have suggested that there were an approximate of one billion trees planted in just one decade. In Nanjing alone, 50 million trees were planted in 1391 and became a resource in the building of naval fleets. In 1392 and 1396 the government ordered peasants to plant trees in Anhui and Hunan. The numerous trees that were planted during these different periods provided large amounts of timber and food supply because even fruit trees were planted. The commercial plantations of producing crops such corns, fruits and tea become a massive earner during this Ming dynasty. This change might have also made many the locals to drift from farming to become artisans. The trees were used to provide the lumber that built the naval fleet that was put together by the Yung-lo in the early 1400’s. The reforestation program that was introduced to provide timber that was used in various forms at that time. Some of the timber was exported to other places. Besides, the trees were a source of food and they contributed a lot to the heavy rains that were experienced in China. Farming as an activity was carried out with ease.
It is good also to note that as a result of the Agricultural Revolution urbanization was carried out on a small scale basis. The small urban centers would sell the food to the consumers and they would exchange the food that they were selling with other manufactured material such as pins and oil. There were specific points where the traders would meet at a particular time to exchange the commodities and as a result, they grew into trading centers and alter into urban centers. The traders would look for places to shelter themselves instead of carrying the goods that they were carrying back home and wait for the next day. Shelters and houses were established, though they were temporary at the beginning, they later became permanent places of stay for the traders.
Trading activities
The Ming dynasty is characterized by the growth of the commercial status of the state, it is during this period that many changes occurred in the economy of the state. The increase in the status of the state can be advocated into many different aspects. Firstly, there was a development in industrialization, which was stimulated by the increase in the population of the Chinese people who were extremely advantaged by the proceeds from agriculture. This industrialization was also motivated by the increase in the number of people who started small and slightly large businesses within the cities and towns that were coming up. These businesses majored in paper and cotton. With the increased opening up of China to the outside world like Europe and the loosening of laws and restrictions of governance, industrialization started to grow albeit the challenges that the people faced in business. The Chinese were trading actively with the Portuguese, the Dutch and the Japanese. The Japanese and the Portuguese traded their silver for different Chinese products like porcelain. During this Ming dynasty, the Chinese also used their naval fleets to transport back several goods like tobacco, potatoes and sugar after shipping their products to countries Manila CITATION Har82 \l 1033 (Hartwell 1982). With these developments, China was regarded as one of the most industrialized economy of the world. This commercial development in China played a major role in boosting other extensive developments, especially in different sectors of the economy that had not been improved. Thus, with the fame of being a major industrial, political and agricultural power, the Ming dynasty improved and its external businesses had great positive impacts.[Kolmaš, Josef. 1967. "Tibet and Imperial China: A Survey of Sino-Tibetan Relations Up to the End of the Manchu Dynasty in 1912." The Australian National University, Centre of Oriental Studies.]
As the trading activities increased, the Ming on the other hand had built their own merchant by the use of the trees that were planted by the Hong-Wu Emperor in the 1390s CITATION Eik04 \l 1033 (Eiko 2004). They used the merchant so that it would match that of the European power. They used it for shipping the silks, cotton, porcelain to Manila in the Philippines and there it would be traded with the Spanish people for exchange with items such as silver, firearms and the American goods such as sugar, potatoes and even tobacco. It is also due to the trade that the Chinese porcelains which were marked by the Ming style of blue painting on a white ceramic background became so widespread in Europe during the seventeenth century. On the other hand, the Dutch began importing other commodities such as tea, which became so popular in Europe.[Hartwell, Robert. 1982. ""Demographic, Political, and Social Transformations of China, ." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies.]
The trading activities that were carried out during the Ming dynasty made China to be recognized as one of the leading manufacturing economies in the whole world. We can also approximate that due to the exchange of raw goods such as silver, probably half of the silver that was mined in America from mid 1500s-1800s ended up in China. This is because the Chinese on their side, they concentrated more on shipping out the manufactured goods such as textiles and porcelain. In fact, by the mid- 1500’s China as a nation was on its way towards becoming an urban, industrialized and mercantile economy.
The establishment of rural markets during the Ming dynasty helped further in revolutionizing the economy of the state. Due to the constant growth of the population coupled with successful farming activities, trade between the common people improved. People were able to freely exchange and barter goods for those they could not produce or those that could be imported from different countries at a relatively higher cost. There was also a facilitation of the sale of goods to an ever increasing urban population; a factor that motivated internal production. Unlike other dynasties, people who lived during these periods not only produced the products they needed, but they also endeavored to make profits from selling these products to an extended market.[Owen, Stephen. 1997. "The Yuan and Ming Dynasties". New York: Norton Publishers.]
The Security Aspect
The Ming Dynasty has nearly eliminated the possibility of threats from invaders and other dangerous groups by initiating the constructing the Great Wall of China. This great wall is considered as one of the largest construction projects ever done by the ancient China. The wall runs through a distance of about 8,300 kilometers stretching through the East to the West of mount Hu and other hills and mountains CITATION Owe97 \l 1033 (Owen 1997). In spite of the natural barriers that existed in the state of China like rivers and mountains, this dynasty was able to build the great wall to become one of the most remarkable structures on Earth. Some of the wall units that remained throughout the construction were joined up under the Qin dynasty to form a single system. Although the government of China has made several changes on this particular wall in recent times like the inclusion of an advanced system to offer more security services, it still serviced the ancients quite well in terms of protection from the outside world especially from the barbarians.
This wall which was majorly divided into different sections, each which provided a permanent defensive system CITATION Bro98 \l 1033 (Brook 1998). For instance, the southern part of this periphery included the Qi state which was an extensive wall which was created using dykes, earth and stones. For instance, the several raids from the Donghu and the Loufan who were a nomadic people from the north facilitated the construction of this section of the wall CITATION Gei88 \l 1033 (Geiss 1988). Thousands of soldiers and laborers were put specifically to work on this wall. The wall later became a famous route for business people from different parts of the world, thus the Ming dynasty constantly maintained and strengthened it. Through its three fortifications, passes and signals, the wall has manage...