MING AND QING CHINA AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH EUROPE AND RUSSIA

1. MING AND QING CHINA AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH EUROPE AND RUSSIA By Nari Choy, Kaitlin Dennison, Dylan Shwan, Jenny Xia

2. Political Ming Empire • Threats on boundaries made the empire suffer. • They were overthrown by rebel Li Zicheng in 1644. Qing Empire • Established in 1644 • A Manchu family ruled the Qing Empire • When Kangxi ruled (1662-1722), he expanded the empire and created stability. • Kangxi also helped incorporate western ideas and technology into the empire.

3. Social and Gender Roles Social Gender • Rural population was low due to economic depression and epidemics • Jesuits tried to convert elites to Christianity and introduced western technology • Franciscans and Dominicans tried to convert the masses to Christianity • During the late Ming, there were a lot of peasant rebellions • During the Qing, the population was three times its size in 1500. (350 million) • Population growth lead to revolts and social issues. • Women were forbidden to bind their feet. • Under Qing rule, women were allowed to talk freely in public places, ride horses, practice archery, participate in hunts, and fight along with men on the battlefield. • Since men were more immature than women, women averaged about 3 years younger than their husbands. • Women were made to dress differently, and men shaved their heads and wore queues. (see picture) • Men were made to wear Manchu-style clothes, but not women were not. http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=57&catid=2&subcatid=2

4. Economy Ming Empire • China was the second-most important trade partner to Europe. • The Ming did not allow trade until 1557. • Spanish and Dutch maintained trading bases in Taiwan until the Indian Trading Company was formed. Qing Empire • Foreign trade was promoted, particularly with Europe, Burma, Vietnam, and Nepal. • The wealthy and the middle classes of Europe demanded luxury items, especially wallpaper.

5. Russia Interactions with China What was happening at the time • During territorial expansions, the Qing and Russians met at the Amur River valley. • This border feud resulted in a treaty in 1689. (Treaty of Nerchinsk) • All Russian slaves were transformed into serfs in 1723. • The Cossacks were allies of the Russians and served as soldiers in their armies. • Russia expanded their empire to extend from Poland to Alaska and from northern Siberia to northern Mongolia. • Peter the Great tried to be influenced more by Europe and less by Asia.

6. Europe Interactions with China What was happening at the time • Europe was eager to trade with China and sent multiple merchant ships over, but were only allowed to trade at Canton. • European merchant ships brought missionaires over. (Jesuits, Franciscans, and Dominicans) • They were inspired by Chinese political philosophy. • Silver from the New World was causing inflation • The New World was being colonized by the British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish. • The British, Portuguese, French, and Dutch were trading in the Indian Ocean. • Russia only traded with Europe.