Civilization Exploration. Issue 1: The Ming Dynasty

Author: Editorial Committee of the "Civilization Exploration" Series
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Civilization Exploration Series ·. The vast ocean has changed, and you and we have gradually drifted apart; exploration and discovery bring us closer to you. Too many memories have become blurred, the brilliance of history gradually becoming as clear as yesterday. This was a strict era. The government's surveillance over society reached the most stringent level in history; the corruption of eunuchs only added to the suffering; scholars were trapped in the imperial examinations, with few independent thoughts. Amidst this atmosphere, the people pursued a rich secular life in various ways. Unable to achieve greatness in governance or military prowess, the scholars focused more on the subtle cultivation of their inner nature. In landscapes, calligraphy, and painting, they found tranquility; on the stage and in novels, they portrayed their dreams. This was also an introverted empire. On this long border, the Great Wall, abandoned for years, was put back into use, both cutting off the raids of nomadic tribes and revealing the lack of martial spirit in the Zhu Dynasty; in the southern seas, there was the magnificent achievement of seven voyages to the Western Oceans, but it was only a fleeting moment.