Ming Dynasty

The founder of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, rose from humble beginnings. Under Yuan rule, he was an oppressed Chinese peasant boy, and during the rebellions against them, he called upon the Chinese to take China back for themselves, overthrowing the Mongols. Overall, the Ming dynasty had support because they were overthrowing foreign corruption. Furthermore, they wanted to fight to restore the dignity of their nationality by bringing an end to the chaos of the final Yuan years. For that reason, the rise of the Ming dynasty is defined by the return of unified ‘Chinese’ ideas and philosophy, as opposed to being blended with foreign aspects, as it had been with the Yuan. It brought back many aspects of unique Chinese culture, “restoring …show more content…
The last Mongolian emperor had become extremely corrupt, so the Chinese fought back. In one of his decrees, Zhu Yuanzhang mentions that “During the final years of the Yuan dynasty, there were many...who did not treasure their sons and daughters, but prized jade and silk.” This highlights the class divide and moral instability during the final Yuan years, where the rich cared more for their possessions than their children. Because they had become so immoral, many rebelled against their influence, minimizing it and turning to Chinese tradition under the …show more content…
Confucian and Han dynasty ideas that had been in the background during

the Yuan dynasty made their return. Customary Chinese lifestyle often involved aspects of Confucianism, and the Chinese during Mongolian reign were referred to as the ‘people of the Han’. This shows the cultural connections that these philosophies and methods of ruling had. The similar ideas and values that the Ming dynasty was built on made people more loyal to it, and united the people of the Middle Kingdom under their pride in and love for their culture.
The Ming dynasty brought back customs and principles of the Middle Kingdom, after almost a century of Mongolian aspects being blended with Chinese tradition. The pride in their homeland prompted the people of the Middle Kingdom to rebel against the Mongols, and doing so gave China a new beginning, governed by the Chinese. The unique culture of the Middle Kingdom created a sense of unity, and a bond between the people of the Middle Kingdom that helped it rise. The Middle Kingdom falling back to Chinese tradition influenced values and perception based on culture. It also gave many residents of the Middle Kingdom a sense of identity. Many of the customary Chinese values are still reflected in culture