During the Ming Dynasty: A Flourishing Economy and Art
During the Ming dynasty, China emerged as a world power. During this period, the economy developed and expanded at an unparalleled rate. Ming dynasty art, including paintings and porcelain, flourished greatly. In fact, the Ming dynasty is often considered to be the best of all Chinese dynasties in terms of art.
The Wu School of Painters
Painting reached its climax in the Ming dynasty, when traditional techniques were refined and many new schools of artists began to emerge. One of the most important groups of painters was the Wu school, which originated in the town of Suzhou. The painters of this school studied the work of masters such as Shen Zhou, who was also a calligrapher and poet. They pictured landscape subjects in pale pink and blue, incorporating calligraphy to enrich the picture.
Social Change and Identity
The Ming dynasty was a time of intense social change. The wealth of the emperor, his family, and the court was vastly increased. Ming dynasty emperors were often portrayed in paintings, and these portraits served as an important source of identity for the rulers. Self-portraits were also common in Ming dynasty society. Artists would paint themselves as well as their families and friends. These works of art often elicited positive reactions from the audience.
Intellectual Developments and Challenges to Confucianism
Throughout the Ming dynasty, Neo-Confucianism continued to dominate Chinese thought. However, during the Ming era, there were some intellectuals who began questioning Confucianism and developing their own theories. For example, Wang Yangming (1472-1529 CE) proposed a system of innate knowledge that could lead to virtuous behavior. He also believed that all people should be able to develop their own innate morality through contemplation.
Government Initiatives and Policies
A major policy of the emperor Hongwu (1368-1398 CE) was to build up the state through educational initiatives. The emperor's government was staffed with high-ranking officials who passed the Imperial Examinations. The emperor also aimed to encourage peasants to farm by providing them with land, and he reorganized provincial governments with imperial family members at the head of each. In addition, the emperor sought to prevent foreign merchants from taking over China by restricting private maritime trade and coastal settlement. This became known as haijin.
A Powerful Bureaucracy and State Affairs
The emperor was aided in this by a new and powerful bureaucracy, the Neige, which assisted him in ruling the empire. The Neige also set up six ministries to deal with the various aspects of state affairs and to oversee the execution of imperial orders. These ministries included the Censorate, which investigated official misconduct and corruption; the Bureau of State Affairs (zhongshusheng); and the departments of Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, Public Works, and State Finance. The emperor also appointed Neige officers in each province to supervise local governments and to ensure compliance with the emperor's policies.
Armed Forces and Literary Revival
Another policy was to establish an armed force. This was not a direct military force; it was more like an elite militia, consisting of well-educated, disciplined and hardworking soldiers who could be deployed at a moment's notice to defend the emperor. The Ming dynasty was also a time when China's ancient literature was rediscovered and revived. Some traditional plays had survived in the South but were banned by the Mongols, and the Ming restored these forms of drama as chuanqi and kunqu.
