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The Forbidden City, Zheng He's treasure fleets, and the Great Wall in stone.

Use the timeline below to navigate through major events and milestones.

Ming Dynasty · 1368-1644 AD
明 · Ming

The Ming Dynasty

From the peasant founder Hongwu who drove out the Mongols through the treasure voyages of Zheng He, the building of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall in stone, and the coming of the Jesuits, to the crises of famine and rebellion that brought in the Manchus in 1644. Slide across the centuries to read the major events of the last native Chinese dynasty.

1368 AD
The Hongwu Emperor
1 / 6

A beggar founds the Ming

Zhu Yuanzhang, born a penniless peasant, drives out the Mongols and founds the Ming as the Hongwu Emperor.

1368 AD

The Hongwu Emperor
  • Political

    A beggar founds the Ming

    The Hongwu Emperor, peasant founder of the Ming dynasty
    Via Wikimedia Commons

    Zhu Yuanzhang, born a penniless peasant, drives out the Mongols and founds the Ming as the Hongwu Emperor.

6 milestones

Meanwhile

Around 1368 AD

Full Chronicle

The Ming Dynasty

From the peasant founder Hongwu who drove out the Mongols through the treasure voyages of Zheng He, the building of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall in stone, and the coming of the Jesuits, to the crises of famine and rebellion that brought in the Manchus in 1644. Slide across the centuries to read the major events of the last native Chinese dynasty.

  1. The Hongwu Emperor

    • A beggar founds the Ming

      Zhu Yuanzhang, born a penniless peasant, drives out the Mongols and founds the Ming as the Hongwu Emperor.

  2. The Yongle Emperor

    • Zheng He and the treasure fleets

      The admiral Zheng He leads vast fleets across the Indian Ocean, reaching Arabia and the coast of Africa.

  3. The Yongle Emperor

    • The Forbidden City and the move to Beijing

      The Yongle Emperor moves the capital to Beijing and builds the Forbidden City as the seat of imperial power.

  4. The Middle Ming

    • The Great Wall rebuilt in stone

      Facing renewed Mongol raids, the Ming rebuild the Great Wall in the mighty brick-and-stone form seen today.

  5. The Late Ming

    • Matteo Ricci and the Jesuits

      Jesuit missionaries reach China, exchanging Western science and clocks for a place at the Ming court.

  6. The Fall of the Ming

    • Rebels and Manchus bring down the Ming

      A rebel army takes Beijing and the last Ming emperor hangs himself; the Manchus sweep in to found the Qing.