Please talk about the prosperity and decline of the Ming Dynasty.

The territory of the Ming Dynasty, which was called Yuanmai Han and Tang Dynasties by later generations, actually surpassed the meaning of the Han and Tang Dynasties. At the height of the Ming Dynasty, it reached Sakhalin Island in the east. The whole northeast region plus Khabarovsk and Vladivostok are Ming territories. There is still a stone tablet in Vladivostok that records the establishment of Nuergandusi here in the Ming Dynasty. West reaches the present western Gansu and eastern Xinjiang, almost in Hami. South includes today's northern Vietnam. In fact, I don't think such a territory can be compared with the heyday of the Tang Dynasty.

when it comes to the prosperity and decline of the Ming dynasty, it is worth mentioning. Because the Ming dynasty has never had the heyday of the Tang dynasty, which lasted for 14 years, but it has not had the decline and separatist regime in the second half of the Tang dynasty. Ming did not completely solve the harassment of nomadic people in the north, and small domestic civil strife continued. But there has never been a big disaster. There are most peaceful periods that last for a long time. Generally speaking, the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty can be divided into three periods. First, from 1368 to 1449, it experienced Hongwu, Jianwen, Yongle, Hongxi, Xuande and Orthodox for about 8 years. During this period, from the restoration of the founding of Hongwu, the development of Jianwen, the prosperity of Yongle to the rule of Renxuan, it can be said that all countries came to Korea. From Emperor Yongle's five expeditions to Mobei, taking Annan (Vietnam), Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas, and the peaceful governance of Hongxi and Xuande, they are all prosperous and prosperous times that can really rival Han and Tang Dynasties. And this period is also the pioneering period of the unique "cabinet" system in the Ming Dynasty.

However, in the orthodox (Ming Yingzong) period, with the death of Sanyang and his favor for eunuchs, the Ming Dynasty became increasingly corrupt and the society became increasingly chaotic. Finally, the 14-year-old civil fort change happened. In this war, the emperor was captured and the main force of the Ming Dynasty was completely lost, and he almost followed in the footsteps of the Northern Song Dynasty. Fortunately, the loyal minister represented by Yu Qian stood firm, resisted the threats and attacks of Wala, and repelled the enemy in the defending battle of Beijing to save Daming Jiangshan. Even so, the Ming dynasty fell silent from the glory of the first half of the 15th century. Military self-protection, politics is not as clear as before. But the whole society is pregnant with unprecedented changes, that is, the embryonic stage of civil economy.

in p>1488, emperor xiaozong of the Ming dynasty ascended the throne, with the title of Hongzhi. He vigorously reformed the political malpractice and appointed virtuous people, which made the declining Ming Dynasty flourish again, and was called "Hongzhi Zhongxing" in history. This era can also be described as a prosperous time, but unfortunately it is only 18 years. The next Emperor Zhengde of Ming Wuzong favored eunuchs and treacherous court officials in the early stage of debauchery, and the court affairs once again entered a dark period. Fortunately, the famous ministers such as Li Dongyang, Yang Yiqing and Yang Tinghe kept the country from dying. Later, due to the young death of Emperor Zhengde, his cousin Zhu Houzong acceded to the throne with the title Jiajing. This man is brilliant and did make a difference in his first 1 years in office. However, due to the belief in Taoism and distrust of ministers, the Ming Dynasty lost a great opportunity for development. And because of the late appointment of treacherous court official Yan Song, it caused social chaos and political darkness for more than 2 years.

in p>1566, emperor jiajing collapsed. Qin Long ascended the throne, and his performance was mediocre for six years, but with the assistance of Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng and others, the country once again returned to the right track. It is the beginning of the reform of Longwan University. Especially after Emperor Wanli ascended the throne in 1573, the Ming Dynasty once again entered its heyday because of the reform of appointing Zhang Juzheng, the first record. From the first year of Wanli to the tenth year of Wanli, it was called "Renaissance of Wanli". During this period, the financial resources of the Ming Dynasty were abundant, surpassing any era before the Ming Dynasty. The military took office with Tan Lun, Qi Jiguang, Li Chengliang and other valiant soldiers, and the border was quite peaceful. But the good times didn't last long. After Zhang Juzheng died in the 1th year of Wanli (1582), the emperor began to liquidate Zhang. Especially after fifteen years of Wanli, Ming Shenzong began to refuse to go to court for more than 2 years. In addition, after the end of three major wars in Wanli 2 years ago (namely, Bobai in Pingning Ningxia, Yang Yinglong in Southwest China and Wanli in aiding Korea and resisting Japan). Although they all won, they spent a lot of money, which made Wanli lose all the weather. In the same period, due to the outbreak of the "struggle for the country's foundation" incident about the establishment of the reserve, many cabinet members resigned or were ousted, which made Emperor Wanli unwilling to be in the political affairs. A large number of officials were not appointed and promoted, and the command of Li Chengliang in Liaodong region to build a state defense made Nuerhachi indulge, which eventually led to great disaster. During this period, the political situation in the Ming Dynasty was almost paralyzed (but the people were very prosperous), and Nurhachi in the northeast rebelled against the Ming Dynasty. In 1616, it was called the post-Golden Destiny Khan, and in 1619, Salhu wiped out the Ming Army's five-way siege. Take Liaoyang, Shenyang and other places in the next few years. It brought a huge border threat to the mainland of the Ming Dynasty. Wanli died in the palace of the Ming Dynasty, and his successor, Emperor Taichang, died a month later.

in p>1621, the apocalypse emperor ascended the throne. This man loved carpenter's work, but he ignored state affairs and used Wei Zhongxian's disastrous platform. In the end, the seven years of the apocalypse sent the Ming Dynasty to the point of no return. Later Emperor Chongzhen, though diligent and loving the people, could not change the situation of party struggle, natural disasters and the chaos in northwest and northeast China. The 17 years of Chongzhen was also the last 17 years of the existence of the Ming Dynasty as a unified political power. During this period, there was an all-round victory over the northwest peasant army and a brief appeasement of the late Jin Dynasty (later Qing Dynasty) in Northeast China. However, everything was irretrievable. Finally, the Ming dynasty fell in the spring of 1644.

the Ming dynasty had a hardness from beginning to end that was rare in the central plains dynasty. As we know, there were relatives in the Han Dynasty and old coins in the Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, however, no gifts or women were ever given to the invaders, and even if the emperor was captured, he could fight to the end. This is indeed a fact, and it is a respectable moment. However, sometimes, under this aura, the monarch and his subjects in the Ming Dynasty were unable to slow down Xu Tu according to the situation and lost the opportunity to turn defeat into victory again and again. For example, during the Chongzhen period in the late Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty did not win the ability and ideas of the Central Plains. In the Ming Dynasty, in the face of two-front operations, there was also a strategy of concentrating troops and then rushing outside. However, after these ideas were exposed, they were unanimously opposed by the ministers. They have always regarded themselves as the kingdom of heaven, but they are very ignorant of the current affairs. And the emperor didn't have a firm will, but once executed the negotiator to cover up his intention to negotiate, which is really a bit self-deception. However, it is worthy of respect that the Ming Dynasty did have a kind of backbone and a determination to fight to the end. And the Ming army, from the founding of the people's Republic to its demise, has a strong fighting capacity (the troops of Tianxiong Army, Chi Bing, Hong Bing, Ning Guan Tieqi, Zuo Liangyu and Qin Liangyu in the late Ming Dynasty), which is very rare. I don't know how many times it was stronger than the humiliation of the Qing Dynasty.

no matter its prosperity and decline, no matter its glory and humiliation, it is the past, but it is worth pondering. Isn't it? All the places in the Ming and Qing dynasties are "one-on-one", all under the influence of an emperor and his family, and the people are fundamentally less happy. However, there are differences after all. For example, during the apocalypse, Wei Zhongxian eunuchs persecuted Zhongliang, and an official from Suzhou was escorted to Beijing. Because of this man's loyalty and love for the people, the people have donated money to help him, so that the East Factory that took him away should not persecute this man. However, after the bullying and abuse of the running dogs in the East Factory, Suzhou citizens were excited and killed several of them. Also, in the Ming Dynasty, officials were proud of being brave and straightforward, and ashamed of obeying orders. It is a kind of glory for anyone who is beaten by the emperor and sentenced to exile for speaking out.

that's all I can think of. Wu Han's Great History of Ming Dynasty and Meng Sen's Sixteen Lectures on Ming History are recommended. And the works of Mr. Fan Shuzhi, Mr. Mao Peiqi and Mr. Nan Bingwen. The most recommended is "Those Things in the Ming Dynasty"