AD 1368-1644 Ming dynasty

After the defeat of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, a rebel general, Zhu Yuanzhang (reigned AD 1368-98), founded the Ming dynasty. Ruling as the Hongwu emperor, he strengthened and centralised imperial power. His immediate successors were also strong rulers. The Yongle emperor (reigned 1402-24) personally led five expeditions against the Mongols. He also ordered the construction of the Great Wall (joining earlier smaller walls) and the Forbidden City in Beijing.

In the 16th century, European traders and missionaries arrived seeking the riches of the empire. By the 1550s, Portuguese traders were allowed to settle in Macao; China began trading with the Netherlands; and in the 1580s, the Jesuits established a presence in Beijing. By 1600, the Ming ruled the largest and most advanced nation in the world. China continued to suffer from outside threats, however. Japanese pirates attacked at sea, and Mongols raided the northern frontier.

Later emperors increasingly withdrew from government, leaving it to corrupt officials. Imperial finances collapsed and harsh taxation, combined with famine and catastrophic epidemics, led to widespread rebellion. In 1644, helped by Chinese rebels, Manchurian tribesmen from the north invaded Beijing, the last Ming emperor hanged himself, and the Manchus set up the Qing dynasty.