China and Japan’s Reaction to Western Exploration

The Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644)

The rulers of the Ming Dynasty drive out the Mongols and bring peace and prosperity back to China

The Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644)

1368 Hongwu became the first Chinese emperor of the Ming DynastyHe Brought Stability to China by:

• Increasing China’s prosperity• Erasing traces of the Mongols• Increased the imperial administration by restoring merit-based civil

service exams• Used respected traditions and institutions to promote stability, such as

the return to Confucianism

Agricultural Reforms

• Increased rice production• Began fish farming• Began cash crop production of cotton and

sugar

Only the Ming Government Was Allowed to Trade with Foreigners: Why?

Official trade policies of the 1500s reflected isolation with the government controlling all trade through a few official portsThis was done to keep foreign influence limited

How did Foreign Trade Affect Ming China?

Merchants traded anyway as European demand for silk and ceramics was very high

Manufacturing and commerce increased but China did not industrialize

Christianity and European inventions introduced to China

Commerce was against Confucian beliefs

Chinese policies favored agriculture

The Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911)

Manchus (people of Manchuria)

1644 Manchus invade a weakened China and take the Chinese name Qing and begin the Qing Dynasty

How did the Manchu Rulers Gain the Respect of the Chinese People?

Kangxi (1654- 1722)

1661- he became ruler and ruled for about 60 years

He supported the intellectuals and lowered taxes

Quian- long (1735- 1795)

China reached its greatest size and prosperity under him

How did they Gain Respect?•Upheld Confucian beliefs and values•Made frontiers safe•Lowered taxes•Offered the scholar gentry government positions

How Were traditional Styles Reflected in Chinese Culture?

Development of agriculture pays off and rice production increases leading to a population boom (by 1800 the population is about 300 million!)Most families farmed landHigh quality ceramics (porcelain) and dramaArt favors technique over creativitySons were favored over daughters leading to increase in infant mortalityMen dominated the householdFootbinding continued because of women’s inferior status

Restrictions on Foreign Trade

All Europeans wanted to trade with China but they had to comply with China’s demands including kowtowing to the Chinese emperor

Why did the Chinese Accept the Dutch and not the British?

Dutch

Accepted China’s rules of paying tribute and doing a kowtow

British

Wanted to trade but wouldn’t comply with all the restrictions

The Voyages of Zheng He

Very curious about the world and in 1405 he begins exploring the world with all voyages led by Zheng He, a Chinese Muslim admiral

He showed Chinese superiority everywhere he went by distributing gifts, which led other nations to pay tribute to the Chinese

1433, after 7th expedition, the Chinese withdraw into isolation

Exit Ticket on Ming and Qing China

Write a summary of what you learned today about the Ming and Qing dynasties in China. Consider the following questions: What was the goal of both the Ming and Qing

rulers What was their opinion about foreign trade How did they react to the Europeans?

Japan Limits Foreign Contacts

Japan: Where the Daimyo rule…..

1467 civil war shatters Japan’s feudal system and the country drives deeper into chaos

1467-1568- Sengoku or Warring States period Powerful Samurai, known as daimyo, took control of

old feudal estates and the daimyo became lords of a new type of feudalism in Japan

Japanese Leaders

Oda NobunagaDefeated rivals and seized Kyoto in 1568Unable to unify JapanCommitted suicide in 1582

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Nobunaga’s best general)Wanted to destroy the rest of the daimyo that remained

hostileBy 1590 controlled most of the country1592 invaded Korea1598 died and troops withdraw from Korea

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Completes the unification of Japan1600 defeated rivals in the battle of Sekigahara and becomes sole ruler three years laterMoved capital to Edo (later renamed Tokyo)Used an “Alternate attendance policy” to keep daimyo under his control

Tokugawa Shogunate

• Would continue through 1867 and Japan would experience more than two centuries of stability, prosperity, and isolationism

• Population increased• Merchants and rich

benefitted

Portuguese

1543 Portuguese sailors wash up on shore and want to get in on Japan’s trade with China and Southeast Asia

Europeans introduce firearms to the Japanese, whose Daimyo really want them to help reunited Japan

Christian Missionaries

1549 Christian missionaries begin arriving in Japan and successfully convert a lot of Japanese

1612- Japan bans Christianity and focused on ridding the country of foreigners

1637 peasants rebellion in the south, which led to persecution of all Christians and push to rid entire Japan of Christians

Closed Country Policy

In reaction to the peasant rebellion and the growing number of forign influences in Japan, the Shogun seals the borders in1639

For almost 200 years Japan developed a self- sufficient country, free from European attempts to colonize or to establish their presence

Japanese Culture

Even though economic times were hard, the Japanese developed a high level of culture during this time

Haiku- poetry that presents images

Traditional theater- noh dramas- tragic

Kabuki theater – dramas with elaborate costumes, dance, and mime

Discussion Question

How was the treatment of Europeans different in Japan and China?

How was it similar?