The Ming Dynasty, officially known as the Ming Dynasty, was a unified dynasty in Chinese history after the Yuan Dynasty and the last ancient dynasty ruled by the Han Chinese. From 1368, when Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, to 2022, 654 years have passed. This is a rough calculation, and the actual number of years may vary depending on the specific date. Then in 1644, the Ming Dynasty fell, after 12 and 16 emperors, and the state lasted for 277 years.
The establishment of the Ming Dynasty marked the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Yuan Dynasty and proclaimed himself emperor in Yingtianfu (now Nanjing) as the Taizu of the Ming Dynasty. He devoted himself to centralizing power, killing meritorious officials, increasing imperial power, and abolishing the prime minister and the Zhongshu Province, and dividing power into six ministries. This series of policies and reforms laid the foundation for the stability and development of the Ming Dynasty.
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, after the rule of Hongwu, the prosperity of Yongle, the rule of Renxuan, etc., the social economy of the early Ming Dynasty was restored and developed, and it was the heyday of the Ming Dynasty. Among them, Ming Chengzu Zhu Di, as the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, implemented a series of important policies and reforms during his reign (1402-1424), including moving the capital to Beijing and ordering the compilation of the Yongle Canon. These policies and reforms had a profound impact on the development of the Ming Dynasty.
However, the development of the Ming Dynasty was not all smooth sailing. The Civil Revolution of 1449 was the beginning of the middle of the Ming Dynasty, with a situation of long-term stability and conservatism, and the dispute between the eunuchs and the first assistant was very fierce. After the middle of Jiajing, the trend of reform became stronger and stronger. However, these reforms did not stop the decline of the Ming Dynasty.
In 1582, the Mingshen sect was in charge and began to enter the late Ming Dynasty. Political corruption and various taxes led to peasant uprisings, during which the Jurchen Houjin rose from the northeast. In 1644, Li Zicheng invaded Beijing, Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself, and the Ming Dynasty fell. This marked the end of the Ming Dynasty and also the end of the ancient dynasties in Chinese history that were ruled by the Han Chinese.
The history of the Ming Dynasty is an important part of Chinese history and has had a profound impact on China's development. From the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, to the development of the Ming Dynasty, to the decline of the Ming Dynasty, each stage reflects the changes and development of Chinese history.