“It is better to lose your hair than to lose your head”, China’s government said this to the people after the Ming dynasty’s fall. China’s cultural, social and economic beliefs, ideas, and diversity changed between the years 1368 to 1911.  During this period, the Chinese government had a political, economic, social, environmental and a cultural intellectual impact on China.

Confucian ideas about the government influenced the economy.  The merchants made a lot of money and some of the Confucianists did not like this. The Confucianists were angry and this had an economic effect which impacted the Ming dynasty in China. China was trading between 1405-1433 with other countries.  The Chinese got new items and information about the outside world. Many of the Confucianists did not like the idea that the government got a lot of money and the people thought that the trading activities were unworthy and the merchants were not respected.  The Confucian rulers helped to end the voyages.

best and failed monologue going on After the Ming dynasty fell there were children who became the emperor and the people did not like them because they did bad things and did not know what they were doing.  The Manchu government prepared to attack the people who did not like the government and who did not adopt their dress and hairstyle. The government said, “lose your hair or lose your head” (Spielvogel). The rulers were making high taxes, caused by the government’s dishonesty, and this led to peasant unrest. The people did not like the government because the government had bad rules and this had a political, social and economic impact on China.  

The diversity of China’s religions increased when Kangxi ruled China for 61 years from  1661 to 1722. He liked the arts and he accepted the Christian missionaries and let them live in China. This impacted China’s culture because during that time there were just the Chinese and then the Christians came. During Kangxi’s reign, the efforts of the Christians had the biggest number of people that changed their religion to Christianity. Three hundred thousand ordinary Chinese people plus hundreds of government officials converted to Christianity having an intellectual and social impact on China.  

 The Chinese people reacted to what China’s government did to their society. Confucian ideas ended the seven voyages, child emperors controlled China, and Kangxi accepted Christianity which impacted China’s political, economic and cultural ideas between 1368  and 1911. It is better to keep your head and hair by listening to the government.

sources:

Spielvogel, Jackson J. Glencoe World History Modern Times. New York, NY: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print.