| A universal guide for China studiesChinese History - Ming Dynasty 明朝 (1368-1644) |
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Ming Dynasty |  period before (Yuan Dynasty)next period (Qing)  | ||||||
| Map and Geography | |||||||
 |  Ming Dynasty art can be called the completion of the typical Chinese art style that is known to the west. When the third emperor of Ming, reign motto Yongle, moved the capital to Beijing, he had built a huge palace, the Forbidden City that is well preserved until today and is one of the most popular tourist spots in China. Its red painted buildings with the yellow glazed tiles are typical for Chinese official buildings in late imperial China. The temple halls - that are almost equally constructed like the buildings in the imperial city - are decorated with statues of Buddhist and Taoist legends and myths. Many of these statues were made during Ming Dynasty. Many Ming time imperial tombs are also well preserved. Private gardens were already created during Song Dynasty, especially in the south, but many of the famous gardens in China come late Ming and early Qing Dynasties.Ming chinaware or porcelain keeps up the tradition of the Yuan Dynasty typical white-blue porcelain with its plates, bowls, cups and vases, but other colors are also employed, especially red. The porcelain industry was able to produce even export goods, many of them have been salvaged or excavated sunken Western ships before the cost of Africa or in the Indian Ocean.Carved lacquerware again became popular under Ming Dynasty after lacquerware had been neglected for centuries. Being a material that easily decays or rots, wood or bamboo objects are very rare before Ming Dynasty. now on, we have many well preserved objects in private and state collections, like wooden brush containers, boxes or furniture.Pictorial art of Ming Dynasty painters and artists continues with the traditional motifs of landscape, bamboo leafs, animals, and so on, but for the first time we find many portraits of private patrons or clients. Go back to the Ming Dynasty introduction page and learn more about Ming Dynasty economy, arts, literature, government... |
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