Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368 - A.D. 1644)

The insurrectionary army led by Zhu YuanZhang captured the capital of Yuan Dynasty – Beijing in August of 1368, declared the extinction of Yuan Dynasty. Zhu YuanZhang set up Ming Dynasty. This is the dynasty that the Han nationality set up again, this has paved the way for China further development in the future.

Zhu YuanZhang alleviated peasant’s burden and resumed economic production of the society after Ming Dynasty setting up. He reformed the unreasonable administration of local official that Yuan Dynasty left and punished the government official of corruption. The society developed in various fields in the Ming Dynasty. No matter the tool of production, or the yield, the development of agriculture has already exceeded the former dynasty in the middle period of Ming Dynasty. The development of agriculture has liberated more workforces, have further promoted the development of handicraft industry and commerce. The blue-white porcelain and Xuan De censer etc. of the Ming Dynasty has already become the rare work of art today. In addition, it was rapid that the science and culture of the Ming Dynasty developed, three in China four great famous books were written out in the Ming Dynasty (Three Kingdoms, Heroes of the Marshes, Journey to the West). Famous Chinese seafarer Zhen He once led ocean fleet and was send to other countries as an envoy, reached the east coast of Africa farthest, Thus has strengthened the economy exchange the Ming Dynasty with other countries in the world.

The economy scale of the Ming Dynasty was the first in the world at that time, but the political system of the Ming Dynasty was the most extreme autocratic system of centralization in ancient China history, Emperor and minister were not harmony, lead to the fact minister and official slack off and corrupt finally. Ming Dynasty was eliminated by Qing Dynasty in 1644. The Ming Dynasty went through 17 generations altogether, 16 emperors, amounted to 276 years.