Ming & Qing China
China's last two imperial dynasties — the native Han Ming and the Manchu Qing — preside over periods of extraordinary cultural achievement, economic expansion, and eventual confrontation with European powers.
Ming Dynasty Founded
Zhu Yuanzhang drives out the Mongol Yuan dynasty and establishes the Ming, restoring native Han Chinese rule after nearly a century of Mongol domination.
Zheng He's Treasure Voyages
Admiral Zheng He leads seven massive naval expeditions across Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa — the largest maritime enterprise the world has ever seen.
Forbidden City Completed in Beijing
The Yongle Emperor completes the vast imperial palace complex that will serve as the seat of Chinese government for five centuries.
Silver Trade Transforms Ming Economy
Massive imports of New World silver through Manila fuel China's monetized economy, making the Ming the world's largest consumer of silver.
Qing Dynasty Established
Manchu invaders from the north conquer Beijing and establish the Qing dynasty, China's last imperial dynasty, which will rule until 1912.
Reign of the Kangxi Emperor
The longest-reigning emperor in Chinese history consolidates Qing control, expands the empire into Tibet and Central Asia, and presides over an era of cultural flowering.
Reign of the Qianlong Emperor
The Qing Empire reaches its greatest territorial extent under Qianlong, but internal pressures and European encroachment foreshadow decline.