The Ming Dynasty, the last Han dynasty in Chinese history, experienced 276 years of ups and downs from its establishment in 1368 to its collapse in 1644. The founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, was a great statesman and military strategist who went from a poor peasant uprising leader to rule the world, restore China, and create the Hongwu Dynasty. However, the emperors after him did not inherit his diligent and loving people and wise and decisive style, but indulged in extravagant pleasures and feudal autocracy, which led to the internal and external troubles of the Ming Dynasty and its gradual decline. So, why did the Ming dynasty die? Let's analyze the three reasons that led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty.
1. Land annexation and corruption among officials
Land annexation and official corruption were the first major causes of the demise of the Ming Dynasty. Because the Ming Dynasty implemented the "One Whip Law", that is, the silver taels were used instead of taxes in kind, and it was stipulated that each household only needed to pay a fixed amount of silver taels every year, regardless of the amount of land and harvest. In this way, wealthy landlords and gentry could acquire land in large quantities by purchasing, leasing, mortgage, etc., and only pay taxes according to the minimum standard; Poor peasants, on the other hand, were forced to sell or give up their land because they could not pay taxes, and became tenants or hired laborers. As a result, the gap between the rich and the poor in society widened day by day, and the peasants lost their means of production and living security, and had to revolt and resist.
At the same time, because silver is the only currency in circulation, it is in short supply in domestic and foreign markets, causing deflation and soaring prices. Officials, on the other hand, used their power to loot the people's fate, often doubled their demands when collecting taxes, and embezzled and accepted bribes, engaged in favoritism, and bullied the people. Especially in the border areas and in times of war, officials are lawless, rampant, and brutal. As a result, the people lost trust and dependence on the government, and developed a deep hatred and antipathy towards officials.
Second, imperial autocracy and closed thinking
Imperial autocracy and closed-mindedness were the second important reasons for the demise of the Ming Dynasty. Since Emperor Hongwu abolished the Zhongshu Province and the chancellor system, the emperor became the only person with supreme power in the country's political center, and set up secret agencies such as Dongchang and Jinyiwei to monitor speech, suppress dissent, and purge opposition. On this basis, the emperors of the late Ming Dynasty were even more addicted to pleasure and monasticism, ignored political affairs, and handed over state power to eunuchs and traitors. This has led to political corruption, the abolition of the DPRK, the lack of rule, lax armaments, and boiling public discontent.
At the same time, the Ming Dynasty was also a closed-minded dynasty. Although Zheng He's voyage to the West in the early Ming Dynasty showed the splendor of Chinese maritime culture, it was also stopped by Emperor Xuanzong of Ming because it consumed too much. Since then, the Ming Dynasty has been closed to the country, reducing foreign exchanges, rejecting foreign culture, and suppressing internal innovation. In this way, the Ming Dynasty was disconnected from world civilization and lost the motivation and opportunity to keep pace with the times.
Third, internal and external troubles and civil mutiny
Internal and external troubles and civil unrest were the third important reasons for the demise of the Ming Dynasty. Due to the above-mentioned reasons such as land annexation, official corruption, imperial autocracy, and closed thinking, it led to the socio-economic decline of the Ming Dynasty and the hardship of the people's lives. Under these circumstances, peasant uprisings broke out continuously, such as the large-scale anti-Ming armed struggle led by Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong and others leaders of the peasant uprising in the late Yuan Dynasty, which set off a huge revolutionary storm throughout the country. Under the banners of "eliminating violence and good health" and "dividing the world equally", they attacked cities and plundered land, and fought to the death with the Ming government.
At the same time, the Ming Dynasty also faced threats and aggression from external enemies. In the northeast, the Jurchen chief Nurhachi with his outstanding military talent and political wisdom unified the Jurchen ministries in just a few decades and established the Houjin regime. He fought the Ming army several times and achieved major victories such as the Battle of Salhu, establishing a powerful force in northeast China and threatening the city of Beijing. In the northwest, Mongol tribes also constantly harassed the border and allied with Houjin, captured Ming Yingzong in the Tumu Fort Revolution, and launched several invasions during the Chongzhen period. In the south, countries such as Annam (Vietnam) and Burma constantly resisted or challenged the feudal rule imposed on them by the Ming Dynasty.
Mixed with internal and external troubles, although the Chongzhen Emperor was diligent in his administration and loved the people, and tried to carry out reforms to save the crisis, he was no longer able to return to heaven. In the early morning of April 24, 1644, after the city of Beijing was attacked by the peasant army led by Li Zicheng, the Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself on the coal mountain, and the orthodox regime of the Ming Dynasty was declared dead. At this time, Wu Sangui, a general of the Ming Dynasty, did not hesitate to bring in Qing troops into Guan in order to fight Li Zicheng. The Qing army took advantage of the opportunity to occupy Beijing and quickly expanded its sphere of influence, eliminating anti-Qing forces everywhere. Although there were still some Ming dynasty widows and loyalists in the south who organized the struggle against the Qing and restored the Ming Dynasty and established the Southern Ming regime, due to internal divisions, external enemies, and dispersion of the people, they could not stop the Qing Dynasty's great cause of unification. At this point, the Ming Dynasty completely perished.
The above is an analysis of the three major reasons that led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty. We can see that the demise of the Ming Dynasty did not happen overnight, but a process of long-term accumulation and outbreak. The demise of the Ming Dynasty was not caused by a single factor, but was the result of the interaction and influence of multiple factors. The demise of the Ming Dynasty was not an inevitable event, but had the characteristics of a combination of chance and inevitability. In short, the fall of the Ming Dynasty was a major turning point in Chinese history, marking the decline and crisis of Chinese feudal society, and laying the foundation for the subsequent transformation and development of Chinese society.