What was the area of the Ming Dynasty's territory?
The territory of the Ming Dynasty varied greatly in different periods, and it is difficult to give an exact value. In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, during the reign of Zhu Yuanzhang, the territory of the Ming Dynasty reached the maximum, according to the "Ming Historical Chronicles" record, "from Korea in the east, according to Tibet in the west, Baoan in the south, north from the moraine, east and west 11,705, north and south 10,940 li." This period refers to the period of Yongle Xuande, and the territory of the Ming Dynasty was quite extensive.
Yongle the Great
However, over time, the Ming Dynasty's territory gradually shrank.
After the middle of the Ming Dynasty, due to the influence of internal political turmoil, frequent external troubles, and economic recession, the territory of the Ming Dynasty gradually decreased.
By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the territory of the Ming Dynasty had retreated to the eighteen inland provinces.
What were the characteristics of the territory of the Ming Dynasty?
The characteristics of the territory of the Ming Dynasty can be summarized as follows:
1. Inheritance and development of the territory of the Han and Tang dynasties: On the basis of inheriting the traditional territories of the Han and Tang dynasties, the territory of the Ming Dynasty was further expanded through warfare and diplomacy. The territory of the Ming Dynasty encompassed the eighteen provinces in the interior, and institutions such as the Guardian Guards were set up in the border areas to strengthen their control over the border areas.
2. Relatively weak control over the frontiers: Although the Ming Dynasty set up institutions such as detention guards in the border areas, the Ming Dynasty's control over the frontier areas was relatively weak due to the limitations of its ruling policies and military power. There are many ethnic groups in the border areas and the geographical environment is complex, and the Ming Dynasty often maintained contact with the border ethnic groups through canonization, tribute, etc., rather than directly carrying out territorial expansion.
3. The territory of the Ming Dynasty changed greatly: The territory of the Ming Dynasty changed greatly in different historical periods. In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, the territory was relatively vast, including the Sea of Japan in the northeast, the Outer Khingan Mountains, the Gobi Desert in the north, Hami in Xinjiang in the northwest, and the Bay of Bengal in the southwest. However, over time, the Ming Dynasty's territory gradually shrank, especially in the north and northwest, and eventually formed a relatively stable territory.
4. Prosperity of frontier trade and mutual markets: During the Ming Dynasty, frontier trade and mutual markets flourished, especially with Mongolia, Tibet and other regions. The Ming Dynasty set up a number of trade markets and mutual markets in the border areas, which promoted the economic development and cultural exchanges in the border areas.
To sum up, the characteristics of the Ming Dynasty's territory are mainly manifested in the inheritance and development of the Han and Tang dynasties, the relatively weak control of the frontier, the great change of the territory, and the prosperity of the frontier trade and mutual market. These characteristics reflect the uniqueness of the Ming Dynasty in terms of territorial governance and frontier policy.
Disclaimer: Personal opinion, for informational purposes only