The Ming Dynasty Essay -- Chinese Empire China History Essays

The Ming Dynasty The Chinese Empire was large and controlled most of Asia at one point in time. One of the dynasties that ruled the empire was the Ming Family. Ruling from 1368-1644, almost three hundred years, the Ming Dynasty impacted Chinese history very much. The purpose of this paper is to tell the history of the Ming Dynasty’s impact on the Chinese Empire, and to explain why the Chinese Empire was in fact an empire. The Ming Dynasty had created an empire. They had the government, the military, and the economic system to prove it. At different points in time, The Chinese Empire was the greatest in the world, for trade, military, and other key factors in a society. The main reason for the creation of the Ming Dynasty was the collapse of the Yuan dynasty. The word Ming means â€Å"brilliant† and â€Å"bright.† The creator and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty was Chu Yuan-chang, who later changed his name to suit him and his new government. Chu Yuan-chang was the youngest of the Yuan dynasty and due to the collapse of the dynasty; Chu never got to rule, and was left as a peasant. So after the fall of the Yuan Dynasty, Chu created the Ming dynasty. Chu’s new name, Hongwu, was made to describe the new government that he wanted to create. The name Hongwu means, Vast Military and it reflects the increased prestige of the military during his reign. Due to the fact that Hongwu was a peasant before his reign, he established rules and laws that applied only to those who were peasants. The laws sort of boosted their lives; he kept the land tax low, and the granaries stocked to guard against famine. During his reign he also attempted and succeeded in building up the class of those of the peasant and working class. Hongwu’s new government did not cause any change for those in other social classes. Hongwu’s reign affected the government of China greatly. In Hongwu’s government, he felt that â€Å"Principle was the diffusion of the imperial government.†(www.travelchinaguide.com). So in order to correct the situation of the government, he tried to strengthen rule into absolute rule by emperor. One of the single most important innovations that Hongwu made to the Chinese government was the abolishment of the Chief Minister. By eliminating the Chief Minister, Hongwu essentially took over the administration. In a way he was proclaiming absolute... ...lmost all of Asia, and is the largest empire that Asia has seen. If the Chinese Empire is not considered a true empire, then I will ask you this: Why has the Chinese Empire been called one of the most powerful empires of its time? Author Unknown. Empires Past: China: Ming Dynasty. 9 Dec. 2004 http://library.thinkquest.org/16325/c-min.html . Author Unknown. Ming China, 1368-1644. 9 Dec. 2004 http://www.stockton.edu/~gilmorew/consorti/2feasia.htm . Author Unknown. Ming China(1368-16440). 8 Dec. 2004 http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/ming.htm . Davis, Richard L. Ming Dynasty. 9 Dec. 2004 http://www.virtualology.com.virtualmuesamofnatuarlhistory/hallofanthropology/china/themingdynasty.com/ . Hall, John Whitney and Rene Grousset. â€Å"The Establishment of the Ming Dynasty.† 1300’s Headlines in History. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc., 2001. 241-261 â€Å"Ming Dynasty(1368-16440† World Eras. Imperial China. Volume 7, 2003 Richard Hooker. Ming China. â€Å"The Decline of the Ming.† 8 Dec. 2004 http://www.wsu.edu:800/~dee/MING/DECLINE.htm . Richard Hooker. Ming China. â€Å"Ming China.† 8 Dec. 2004 http://www.wsu.edu:800/~dee/MING/MING.htm .