DBQ #3 - Isolationism and the Ming

Dynasty

7.26 Draw evidence from informational texts to analyze the contributions made during
the Ming Dynasty such as building projects, including the Forbidden City and the
reconstruction of the Great Wall , isolationism, and sea voyages.

Directions: Review the following documents and answer the questions provided.
Afterwards, you will use this information to answer the essay prompt.
Essay Prompt:
Based on the information provided about the Ming Dynasty
and your knowledge of world history, explain what the
isolationist policies of the Ming government were and how
they affected Ming China. Be sure to include in your essay:
 A summary of the reasons for the Ming Dynasties
isolationist policies
 An explanation about how things were different after
isolationist policies took effect
 How did the Forbidden City, Great Wall, and voyages
of Zheng He show Chinese isolationism
 Document 1 - Wall Building During the Ming Dynasty
Despite its long history, the Great Wall of China as it is exists today was constructed mainly
during the mighty Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Like the Mongols, the early Ming rulers had
little interest in building border fortifications, and wall building was limited before the late
15th century. In 1421, the Ming emperor Yongle proclaimed China’s new capital, Beijing,
on the site of the former Mongol city of Dadu. Under the strong hand of the Ming rulers,
Chinese culture flourished, and the period saw an immense amount of construction in
addition to the Great Wall, including bridges, temples and pagodas. The construction of the
Great Wall as it is known today began around 1474. After an initial phase of territorial
expansion, Ming rulers took a largely defensive stance, and their reformation and extension
of the Great Wall was key to this strategy.

Question 1 - Why did the Ming originally ignore the Great Wall?
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Question 2 - What made the Ming rulers decide to rebuild the Great Wall?
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Question 3 - Draw a conclusion about how you think the Great Wall was used by
Ming China to enforce its isolationist foreign policies?
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Document 2 - Why China Instead of Europe?

When in 1368 the new Chinese emperor inaugurated a native (Ming) dynasty to replace the defeated Mongol
invaders, he ascended the throne in Nanjing as the Hongwu ("Vast Martial") emperor. Let not the name deceive the
reader: Hongwu's goal was anything but war. He wanted rather to immobilize the realm. People were to stay put
and move only with the permission of the state-at home and abroad. People who went outside China without
permission were liable to execution on their return. The Ming code of core laws also sought to block social
mobility, with severe penalties for those jumping professional and occupational barriers.

In this regard, Timothy Brook (1998, p. vii) cites in epigraph one of the Hongwu emperor's favorite moral dicta:

Let the state be small and the people few;

So that the people... fearing death, will be reluctant to move great
distances
And, even if they have boats and carts, will not use them.
So that the people... will find their food sweet and their clothes
beautiful,
Will be content with where they live and happy in their customs.
Though adjoining states be within sight of one another and cocks crowing
and dogs barking in one be heard in the next,
Yet the people of one state will grow old and die without having had any
dealings with those of another.

These matters reached a wretched climax under the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), when the state attempted to
prohibit all trade overseas. Such interdictions led of course to evasion and smuggling, with concomitant corruption
(protection money), searches for contraband, confiscations and punishment. All of this necessarily acted to strangle
initiative, to increase risk and the cost of transactions, and to chase talent from commerce and industry.
Question 1 - According to the text above, what were the isolationist Chinese policies
of the Ming emperor?
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Question 2 - According to the text above, what were the outcomes of some of these
policies on the Chinese people?
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Question 3 - Do you feel that these policies were good or bad for China? [Use
evidence to support your answer]
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Document 3- Map of Zheng He's Voyages

Question 1 - Based on the map above, what can you conclude about the success of
Zheng He's voyages?
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Question 2 - What cultures did he come into contact with and how might this have
been beneficial to the Chinese?
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Document 4 - Record of Ming Chinese Tribute from Voyages

Question 1 - Based on the information in the chart above, what can you conclude
about the amount of tribute collected from 1400 to 1500?
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Question 2 - Why do you think this change occurred?
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Document 5 - Why did China Stop Zheng He's Voyages?

Emperor Yongle had several reasons for sending Zheng He on this epic mission. He
wanted to explore new lands and establish new trade relationships. The emperor also
had a strong desire to show the world the greatness of both China and himself. What
better way to do this than to appear on the horizon with hundreds of gigantic ships,
thousands of soldiers, bundles of Chinese silk and the promise of friendship? To avoid
military conflict, local leaders typically responded by offering tribute in the form of
gifts and sending emissaries to pay their respects to the emperor. On only three
occasions during the seven voyages did Zheng He's fleet encounter serious armed
resistance-once from pirates.
Despite these glories, Zheng He's story ends with obscurity. Not long after both
Zheng He and Emperor Yongle died, Chinese officials dismantled the fleet and
destroyed the records of the seven voyages. One explanation is that building and
maintaining the fleet while fighting costly wars against the Vietnamese and the
Mongols had bankrupted the Ming treasury. Also, there was a strong feeling by some in
the government that China did not need trade and diplomatic contact with the world.
Zheng He's expeditions, they concluded, were a big mistake.
Question 1 - According to the excerpt above, why did Emperor Yongle originally
send Zheng He on his famous voyages?
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Question 2 - According to the text, what were the main reasons that Chinese officials
decided to end these voyages?
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