Dynasty Series - The Ming Dynasty

Duration of the Dynasty

The Ruling Family

Major Events

• In the Early Days of the Founding of the Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang sent Xu Da and others to lead troops to suppress separatist forces and unify the whole country. Later, he strengthened imperial power and centralization, abolished the position of prime minister, and enhanced the power of the six ministries.
• The Battle of Jingnan: After Zhu Yuanzhang's death, his grandson Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne. However, Zhu Yunwen was defeated by Zhu Di, Zhu Yuanzhang's fourth son, who was stationed in Beiping, in the Battle of Jingnan. After ascending the throne, Zhu Di became Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty.
• The Relocation of the Capital to Beijing: In the eighteenth year of the Yongle reign of Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di, he moved the capital to Shuntianfu (present-day Beijing). Part of the reason was to more effectively resist the invasions of the Mongolian nobles in the north. Moreover, the dredging of the Grand Canal solved the problem of food transportation, providing a material basis for Beijing to serve as the capital.
• Zheng He's Voyages to the Western Oceans: In the third year of the Yongle reign, Zhu Di sent the eunuch Zheng He to lead fleets on voyages to the Western Oceans. Zheng He led a fleet consisting of 62 ships and more than 27,000 people, setting off from Liujiagang in Taicang, Jiangsu. They successively visited places such as the southern part of present-day Vietnam, Java Island in Indonesia, Thailand, Malacca, and Sumatra in Indonesia. It took them two years and three months to return to Nanjing in the fifth year of the Yongle reign. From the sixth year of the Yongle reign to the fifth year of the Xuande reign, Zheng He conducted six more voyages, which lasted for more than twenty years in total and passed through over 30 countries and regions.
• The Tumu Crisis: Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen was misled by Wang Zhen and decided to lead the troops to fight against the Oirat in person. However, he was captured by Esen, the leader of the Oirat, during the Tumu Crisis. Later, through negotiations with the Oirat, Zhu Qizhen was released and returned.
• The Prosperity during the Hongzhi Reign: After Emperor Xiaozong Zhu Youcheng ascended the throne, he reformed the court and initiated the "Prosperity during the Hongzhi Reign." However, his son Emperor Wuzong Zhu Houzhao indulged the eunuch Liu Jin in monopolizing power, which led to the corruption of the court affairs.
• Zhang Juzheng's Reform: During the Longqing and Wanli reigns, Zhang Juzheng, the chief grand secretary, carried out reforms. By implementing measures such as the assessment of officials and the Single Whip Law, he alleviated social contradictions to a certain extent.
• The Usurpation of Power by Wei Zhongxian: During the Tianqi reign, Wei Zhongxian organized the eunuch clique to disrupt the court and suppress upright officials. After Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, he eliminated the eunuch clique. However, due to political corruption, the national strength declined, and finally large-scale peasant uprisings broke out, mainly including the "Dashun" regime led by Li Zicheng and the "Daxi" regime led by Zhang Xianzhong. Externally, it also faced military pressure from the Later Jin regime in the northeast.

Important Figures

• Political Figures: Zhu Yuanzhang (Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty), Zhu Di (Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty), Zhu Qizhen (Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty), Zhu Youcheng (Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty), Zhu Houzhao (Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty), Zhang Juzheng, Wei Zhongxian, Zhu Youjian (Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty), etc.
• Cultural Figures: Song Lian, Liu Ji, Gao Qi, Fang Xiaoru, Tang Yin, Wen Zhengming, Zhu Yunming, Xu Wei, Wang Shizhen, Yuan Hongdao, Qian Qianyi, Zhang Dai, Wu Weiye, Li Zhi, Tang Xianzu, Feng Menglong, Ling Mengchu, Li Shizhen, Xu Guangqi, Song Yingxing, etc.

Humanities and Culture

• Thought: In the early Ming Dynasty, after Neo-Confucianism was promoted to the supreme position and the imperial examination system with the eight-legged essay was implemented, Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism became the feudal political dogma. Since the reign of Emperor Yingzong, the Wang School of subjective idealism represented by Wang Shouren has emerged, emphasizing "attaining the innate knowledge" and "the unity of knowledge and action." Wang Gen, a disciple of Wang Shouren, further strengthened the discussion in this aspect and put forward that "the daily life of the common people is the Tao," affirming the significance of the daily life of ordinary people. Li Zhi went further to affirm the value of "human desires," believing that people's moral concepts originated from the needs of daily life, showing the thought of pursuing individual values.
• Literature: Among the Four Great Classical Novels in the history of Chinese novels, "Journey to the West," "Outlaws of the Marsh," and "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" were produced in the Ming Dynasty. There were also three collections of vernacular short stories edited by Feng Menglong, namely "San Yan," and the two collections of short stories compiled by Ling Mengchu, namely "Er Pai." Traditional refined literature continued to develop, and literary schools such as the Former Seven Masters, the Latter Seven Masters, the Gong'an School, and the Jingling School emerged.
• Art: In painting, there were Tang Yin, Wen Zhengming, Zhu Yunming, etc. Tang Yin's works, such as "The Palace Entertainers of the Later Shu," have been passed down to later generations. In the field of traditional Chinese operas, among Tang Xianzu's "Four Dreams of Linchuan," "The Peony Pavilion" (also known as "The Return of the Soul") is the most famous. Besides, there were Gao Lian's "The Story of the Jade Hairpin" and Zhou Chaojun's "The Story of the Red Plum." The legends in the Ming Dynasty broke the traditional norms, and their plots became more complex.
• Science and Technology: Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica" is the peak work of medicine in the Ming Dynasty. Xu Guangqi's "Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration" is a scientific masterpiece that explores agricultural science, summarizes the agricultural works of previous dynasties in China, the agricultural production experience at that time, and absorbs Western science and technology. Song Yingxing's "Tiangong Kaiwu" is known as the "Encyclopedia of Crafts in the 17th Century in China.".

Ming Dynasty Clothing

Characteristics of Clothing

• Strict Hierarchy: The clothing in the Ming Dynasty strictly distinguished the dress of different social classes, which was manifested through aspects such as colors, patterns, and ornaments.
• Diversified Styles: There was a wide variety of clothing in the Ming Dynasty, including men's clothing, women's clothing, and formal dresses for different occasions. Each type of clothing had its own specific style and function.

Specific Types of Ming Dynasty Clothing

• Men's Clothing
  • Hairnet: It was a hairstyle innovated by Emperor Taizu, symbolizing the completeness of national laws.
  • Square and Peaceful Cap: Symbolizing national peace, it was originally worn by servants and later became popular.
  • Beijia: A sleeveless and collarless jacket with a front opening. It became popular in the middle of the Ming Dynasty and was favored mainly by young women.
• Women's Clothing
  • Xiapei: It was a kind of long scarf, like two ribbons, which went around the neck and was draped over the chest, with a gold or jade pendant hanging down. There were strict regulations on the patterns of Xiapei for different ranks of noblewomen.
  • Beizi: Its style inherited that of the Song Dynasty. There were two types, the closed-collar and the front-opening ones. People of all social strata wore it. The front-opening and large-sleeved ones were the formal dresses for noblewomen, while the front-opening and small-sleeved ones were the ordinary clothes for common women.
  • Skirt: In the Ming Dynasty, women often wore red robes with large sleeves. Ordinary women could only wear colors like peach red, purple-green, and some light colors. In daily life, they usually wore short blouses and long skirts.
  • https://jianxihanfu.com/collections/ming-dynasty
  • The clothing of the Ming Dynasty was not just a part of daily life; it also carried rich cultural significance and symbolism. For example, the use of the Xiapei was not only for aesthetic purposes but also served as a symbol of identity and status. Moreover, the design and production techniques of the Ming Dynasty clothing reached a very high level, reflecting the aesthetic pursuits and technological standards of society at that time.

  • The Historical Influence of Ming Dynasty Clothing

    
    
    The clothing of the Ming Dynasty held an important position in Chinese history and had a profound impact on later generations. The design concepts and production techniques of Ming Dynasty clothing were borrowed and developed by the Qing Dynasty and even other dynasties, becoming an important part of traditional Chinese clothing.