Preview

China Isolated to Western World in 1400s

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
423 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
China Isolated to Western World in 1400s
Beginning in the 1400s, China was isolated from the world's influences for hundreds of years. China had long considered the Europeans to be Babarians and were not interested in goods and ideas in Europe. When the Portuguese first showed up off the coast of China trying to establish trade relations, the Chinese ran away from them calling the Europeans as "Ocean Devils". From the emperor's view, rulers from other countries were "younger brothers" of him. The Chinese recquired the Portuguese for having paid tribute, but the Portuguese refused to offer more tribute, so they were expelled from Guangzhou. The local Chinese officials allowed the Portuguese to settle in Macao and use it as an outpost from which they could trade with China, but direct trade between Europe anfd China remained limited.
Qianlong served from 1736 to 1795, he brought China to its largest size, increased its wealth, and sponsored an increase in artistic production. QIanlong had to deal with the matter of trade, the Chinese insisted that Europeans had to follow certain rules in order trading with them. The Dutch were willing to do so, and they carried on the largest share of trade with China. The British, though, did not agree to follow these rules. This disagreement later led to conflict that broke up China's empire.
Europeans began to arrive in Japan in 1543. The Portuguese were the first, they brought goods like clocks, eyeglasses, and guns. Japanses merchants and the Daimyo welcomed them at first. Christian missionaries arrived in 1549, some missionaries scorned traditional Japanese beliefs and destroyed local thrines, though. Hideyoshi issued an edict in 1587 prohibiting Christians activities in his lands. Over the next 20 years or so, Japan managed to get rid the country of all Christians, and Japnese Christians were persecuted. This effort became part of a larger plan to protect the country from European influences. Leaders in Japan sealed Japan's border except for one port city -

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The structures and values of Portugal and Spain differed greatly. This contributed to how each explorer is remembered. The Portuguese, relied heavily on foreign supplies. Portugal’s capitalist economy allowed many people to conduct and go on explorations. This made Henry’s voyages heavily supported and made expansion possible. Unlike Portugal, China did not have a high demand for foreign supplies. It was a largely self-reliant empire and many citizens believed it was higher than all others. Therefore they did not believe that exploration was necessary. In addition, Confucian scholars believed it was “demeaning” to rely on any other nations. Consequently, Zheng He’s voyages were barely supported, and he was considered to be a “servant” of the emperor with little to no independence. Moreover, China relied heavily on their land army while Portugal relied on their navy. Soon, China burnt Zheng He’s works and banned the creation of ships. Throughout Portugal, Prince Henry was highly renowned while in China Zheng He was…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gunpowder Empires

    • 1376 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The impeccable Christian influence wasn’t great. After the additional adoption of the religion it centers the Japanese power and later declined and eventually became prohibited.…

    • 1376 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    opposed to trade and merchants (while, paradoxically, it made China rich for so many years),…

    • 640 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Trade between Africa and Eurasia remained constant during 300CE. Egypt would rise in power becoming an empire in Africa while Eurasia was a combination of states with the Mughal Empire. They traded back and forth using trading cities like Timbuktu with raw goods from Africa and Persian goods from Eurasia. Since trading is what allows people to come to an understanding with various other people, it became highly valued in Africa and Europe due to the luxury goods. However, China doesn't consider merchants as the middle class in their system. Merchants are considered the lowest class despite of the money they make which has been to same treatment from 300CE-1450CE. Trade was used to show off to other nations their rich raw materials and goods that only they could get unlike elsewhere which is why China started its isolationism due to this trade. Trading also spreads the nation's culture making scholars everywhere have more knowledge about the world around them…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    European Exploration Dbq

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The immense diffusion of European culture and technology eventually lead foreign countries to reject Westernization and restrict confrontations between themselves and the West. Although many countries continued to adopt the Spanish's silver currency and participated in the Atlantic Slave trade, they dismissed the revolutionary philosophies and selectively chose the Europeans advancements in technology. Tokugawa Iemitsu, a Japanese shogun, issued and Closed County Edict to two commissioners of Nagasaki in 1635, it read, "No Japanese is permitted to go abroad," "If there are any Southern Barbarians who propagate the teachings of padres, or otherwise commit crimes, they may be incarcerated in prison," Iemitsu further writes a list if rules outlining how the Japanese deal with foreigners and procedures for those who confront them, all resulting in negative enforcement.…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    He increased China’s foreign trade by building roads and expanding the Grand Canal. The Chinese economy was also helped by the visit of European merchant Marco Polo in 1275. He was employed by Kublai Khan for 17 years in the government. When he returned to his home country of Italy in 1292, European and Asian trade increased. Even after the Ming took over China in 1368, overseas trade was still encouraged.…

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    4. One of the three impacts of European contact with Japan was on Japanese military technology. Within the first thirty years of the arrival of the first Portuguese in 1543, the daimyo were fighting with western-style firearms, copied and improved by Japanese armorers. Another one of the impacts of European contact with Japan was in trade. Japan welcomed trade from distant Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and England, but the government closely regulated their activities. The third impact of European contact with Japan was the import of Catholic missionaries. Ordinary Japanese people found the new faith deeply meaningful and a lot of Japanese converted to Christianity but Japanese elite opposed it as disruptive and foreign.…

    • 323 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    When China Ruled the Seas

    • 1535 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The reason that we are reading, “When China Ruled the Seas” by Louise Levathes is in order to help us create a better understanding of the Chinese rule and how they became such a great dynasty. It helps us to see how China rose to become a great maritime power and also how it its navy disintegrated. “When China Ruled the Seas” shows us why the Chinese emperors decided to destroy its navy. It helps us learn more about China’s voyages of exploration, including how long they lasted, the reason for them, how far they extended and the impact they had on China itself and foreign countries. This book provides great details that we are not able to see in the book or in class. It gives us a closer look at China’s history and the explanation of why they isolated themselves when they were in a position of great power. This book also helps to point out China’s advancements at the time including the greatness of their treasaure fleets.…

    • 1535 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    World History Dbq

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Between the years of 1500 and 1750, the seclusion laws of Japan were a major turning point in terms of contact with other states in social and political ways. Although Japan remained in contact with the Dutch which was their only contact with Europe, nevertheless this became successful for them in terms of wanting to be a state that was independent of European culture. For example starting in the year 1635, as Japan grew increasingly xenophobic in order to end the spread of Christianity, they closed all ports and connections to Europe and the New World. This was with the exception of only one port open called Nagasaki in order to maintain trade with the Dutch. This way, they could still stay up-to-date with limited contact with the European technologies and knowledge through books. This was a social and political turning point because it limited Japan’s contact with European culture and…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1543, shipwrecked Portuguese sailors washed up on the shores of southern Japan. Merchants soon followed them. Their intentions were to involve themselves in Japan’s trade with China and southeast Asia. They brought clocks, eyeglasses, tobacco, firearms and other unfamiliar items from Europe. Japanese purchased weapons and soon started their own production. Cannons especially had a huge impact on Japan’s warfare and living situations. They started to build fortified castles to withstand the destructive force. These castles attracted merchants, artisans, and other surrounding lands. These lands are now converted into towns and cities. Europeans entering Japan is very important in their history because it introduced more advanced weapons which benefited Japan’s warfare.…

    • 894 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The European arrival in both Japan and China significantly affected both societies. Following the isolation of the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, the Christian missionaries attempted to further penetrate the population of China. In Japan, with the rule of emperor Nobunaga, the Christian missionaries were encouraged to convert populations of Japanese. When the Christian religion was seen as a threat to the social hierarchy of Japan, the missionaries were either expelled or persecuted. The missionaries from Europe were some of the first Europeans to influence society in Japan and China. In Japan and China, the European arrival affected the technologies and economies of both societies similarly, whereas the integration of the Christian religion differed in these societies.…

    • 1070 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At the time 1000-1400, Europe was under a feudalist system and had no centralized government. Lords were fighting other lords to gain wealth and power. Government was largely influenced by Christianity and non-Christians were being persecuted throughout Europe, which led to a decline in manpower and unity. On the other hand, China centralized government, its prospering trades, and the empire's wealth strengthened the political stability of the empire. The vast empire had one leader, there were little internal conflicts, and the empire had a strong enough defense to defend themselves from invaders. Under a strong government, the empire was protected, trade flourished, and the China's wealth grew. While China was flourishing, Europe was falling apart. The region was politically unstable; religion caused a lot of deaths, adding to that, the Black Death arrived in Europe which further weakened the…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Atlantic worlds welcomed the Caribbean and the Americas in early-modern era. After that they then opened up contact with many other regions. These regions included the Caribbean, the Americas, and west Africa. By way of these additions they also received major changes and continuities to both socially and economically . Economically, the Columbian exchange helped transport many of items and goods across the Atlantic also China still remained a major exporter of fine goods from 1492 to 1750. Socially, the kongos social structure was changed after being conquered by the Portuguese also in the 1492 to 1750 period.…

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    As China had recuperated their land after the Mongol rule, they undertook the largest maritime expeditions. They launched six major excursions throughout the fifteenth century. However, one might be surprised to find that the Europeans also launched such voyages. The Europeans initiated these journeys in 1405. Although both empires led them, these voyages contrasted from each other in several different ways. A few of these differences include size, motivation, and time periods.…

    • 248 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The official arrival of Portuguese was recorded in 1543, the lead missionary Fr. Jerome de Angelis arrived in Japan for his Far East expeditions where he and his evangelist delegation prepared for their maiden Christian excursion in 1602 (Reischauer 215). Furthermore, Reischauer indicates that this was the beginning of the Christian spread into the ancient Japan expanding the religions to three main philosophies, Buddhism, Confucianism, and now the Christianity. However, towards the end of Toyotomi Hideyoshi period, Emperor Nobunanga is seen as one leader who allowed the most cultural exchange with the Europe in the entire Japanese history. The first mission was conducted in a modest way in which the Portuguese first learned the Japanese language…

    • 942 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays