The Rise and Fall of the Ming Dynasty
Dan Snow's History Hit

The Rise and Fall of the Ming Dynasty

B2Upper-intermediateSeptember 21, 202655 min
  • History

At its height, Ming China was one of the most powerful states on Earth. Its cities bustled with merchants and scholars, its goods travelled across continents, and its treasure fleets sailed as far as East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. At the heart of this vast empire stood the Forbidden City- a spectacular symbol of imperial authority. But prosperity bred corruption, power created enemies, and rebellion threatened the dynasty from within. In this episode, Dan heads to Beijing to explore how an impoverished peasant founded a dynasty that ruled China for nearly three centuries and how...

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Behind the immense city walls, they're the capital of one of the most powerful empires on earth.

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0:30

Beijing in the early 15th century would have been something to behold. Behind the immense city walls, they're the capital of one of the most powerful empires on earth. Its streets teeming with merchants, soldiers, scholars, officials, carts bringing grain and goods into the city from across China,

0:48

silk, porcelain, tea all flowing around from an empire which was in turn connected to markets which stretched across Asia and all the way to the Middle East and Europe. And at the centre was something extraordinary, the Forbidden City. A vast imperial world of vermilion walls and yellow tiled rooms,

1:10

formidable gates, enormous courtyards and ornate ceremonial halls, all arranged along the great north-south axis. Architecture designed to convey hierarchy, order, the overwhelming, the unshakable authority of the Emperor. To the north, that Emperor's armies campaigned against the Mongols. To the east of

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