Chinese Ming Dynasty Timeline

1351 Red Turban Rebellion
The Red Turban Rebellion was an uprising much influenced by the White Lotus Society members that targeted the ruling Yuan Dynasty. Since the 1340s, the Mongol-ruled Yuan Dynasty was ex...
1368 Chinese Unification under Ming Dynasty
The Hongwu Emperor (Chinese: 洪武帝; Wade-Giles: Hung-wu Ti; October 21, 1328 – June 24, 1398), known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang (Chinese: 朱元璋; Wade-Giles: Chu Yuan-chang) and ...
1368 Jan 23
to 1398 Jun 24
 Reign of Hongwu Emperor: The First Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Hongwu Emperor (Chinese: 洪武帝; Wade-Giles: Hung-wu Ti; October 21, 1328 – June 24, 1398), known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang (Chinese: 朱元璋; Wade-Giles: Chu Yuan-chang) and ...
1370 City Walls of Pingyao Constructed
Pingyao (Chinese: 平遥; pinyin: Píngyáo) is a Chinese city and county in central Shanxi province, China. It lies about 715 km from Beijing and 80 km from the provincial capital, Taiyuan. Du...
1398 Jun 30
to 1402 Jul 13
 Reign of Jianwen Emperor: The Second Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Jianwen Emperor (Traditional Chinese: 建文; Simplified Chinese: 建文; pinyin: Jiànwén; Wade-Giles: Chien-wen) (5 December 1377–13 July 1402), with the personal name Zhu Yunwen, reigned as...
1402 Jul 17
to 1424 Aug 12
 Reign of Yongle Emperor: The Third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Yongle Emperor (Traditional Chinese: 永樂; Simplified Chinese: 永乐; pinyin: Yǒnglè; Wade-Giles: Yung-lo; IPA: [jʊ̀ŋlɤ̂]) (May 2, 1360 – August 12, 1424), born Zhu Di (Chu Ti), was the th...
1405
to 1433
Yongle Emperor Sponsorship of Chinese Worldwide Exploration
As part of his desire to expand Chinese influence, the Yongle Emperor sponsored at least seven epic sea-going expeditions between 1405 and 1433, led by the great admiral, the Muslim eunuc...
1408 The Yongle Encyclopedia is Completed
The Yongle Encyclopedia (traditional Chinese: 永樂大典; simplified Chinese: 永乐大典; pinyin: Yǒnglè Dàdiǎn; literally “The Great Canon or Vast Documents of the Yongle Era”) was a Chinese compila...
1420 Forbidden City Completed
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. ...
1424 Sep 7
to 1425 May 29
 Reign of Hongxi Emperor: The Fourth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Hongxi Emperor (洪熙 [xʊ̌ŋɕí]; August 16, 1378–May 29, 1425) was an fourth emperor of the Ming dynasty in China. He succeeded his father, Yongle, in 1424. His era name means "Vastly bri...
1425 Jun 27
to 1435 Jan 31
 Reign of Xuande Emperor: The Fifth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Xuande Emperor (宣德 [ɕɥántɤ̌]; February 25, 1398 – January 31, 1435) was Emperor of China (Ming dynasty) between 1425–1435. His era name means "Proclamation of virtue". Born Zhu Zha...
1435 Feb 7
to 1449 Sep 1
 First Reign of Zhengtong Emperor: The Sixth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
Zhu Qizhen ( 29 November 1427 – 23 February 1464) was an emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He ruled as the Zhengtong Emperor (正統 IPA: [tʂɤ̂ŋtʰʊ̀ŋ]) from 1435 to 1449, and as the Tianshun Emper...
1449 Sep 1 Tumu Crisis
The Tumu Crisis (simplified Chinese: 土木之变; traditional Chinese: 土木之變; pinyin: Tŭmù zhī Bìan); also called the Crisis of Tumubao (simplified Chinese: 土木堡之变; traditional Chinese: 土木堡之變; pin...
1449 Sep 22
to 1457 Feb 11
 Reign of Jingtai Emperor: The Seventh Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
Zhu Qiyu ( 21 September 1428 – 14 March 1457) was, as the Jingtai Emperor (景泰 IPA: [tɕìŋtʰâɪ]), a Ming Dynasty Emperor of China from 1449 to 1457. His era name means "Exalted view". Zh...
1457 Feb 11
to 1464 Feb 23
 Second Reign of Zhengtong (Tianshun) Emperor: The Sixth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
Zhu Qizhen ( 29 November 1427 – 23 February 1464) was an emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He ruled as the Zhengtong Emperor (正統 IPA: [tʂɤ̂ŋtʰʊ̀ŋ]) from 1435 to 1449, and as the Tianshun Emper...
1464 Feb 28
to 1487 Sep 9
 Reign of Chenghua Emperor: The Eighth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Chenghua Emperor (pronounced [tʂʰɤ̌ŋxwâ]; December 9, 1447 – September 9, 1487) was Emperor of the Ming dynasty in China, between 1464 and 1487. His era name means "Accomplished chang...
1487 Sep 22
to 1505 Jun 8
 Reign of Hongzhi Emperor: The Ninth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Hongzhi Emperor (弘治 IPA: [xʊ̌ŋtʂɨ̂]) (July 30, 1470 – June 8, 1505) was emperor of the Ming dynasty in China between 1487 and 1505. Born Zhu Youtang, he was the son of the Chenghua Em...
1505 Jun 19
to 1521 Apr 20
 Reign of Zhengde Emperor: The Tenth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Zhengde Emperor (正德 [tʂə̂ŋtɤ̌]) (October 26, 1491 – April 20, 1521) was emperor of China (Ming dynasty) between 1505-1521. Born Zhu Houzhao, he was the Hongzhi Emperor's eldest son. H...
1521 May 27
to 1567 Jan 23
 Reign of Jiajing Emperor: The 11th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Jiajing (or Chia-ching) Emperor (嘉靖 IPA: [tɕjɑ́tɕîŋ]; 16 September 1507–23 January 1567) was Emperor of China from 1521 to 1567, the 11th emperor of the Ming dynasty. Born Zhu Houcong...
1567 Feb 4
to 1572 Jul 5
 Reign of Longqing Emperor: The 12th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Longqing Emperor (隆慶 [lʊ̌ŋtɕʰîŋ]; March 4, 1537- July 5, 1572) was the 12th emperor of the Ming dynasty in China between 1567-1572. His era name means "Great celebration". Born Zhu Za...
1572 Jul 19
to 1620 Aug 18
 Reign of Wanli Emperor: The 13th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Wanli Emperor (4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620) was emperor of China (Ming dynasty) between 1572 and 1620. His era name means "Ten thousand calendars". Born Zhu Yijun, he was the Lo...
1597 Dec 23
to 1598 Jan 4
 Siege of Ulsan
The Siege of Ulsan (Hangul: 울산성 전투, Hanja: 蔚山城戰鬪) was an unsuccessful Korean and Chinese attempt to capture Ulsan Castle from the Japanese late in the Imjin War. The Japanese suffered hea...
1620 Aug 28
to 1620 Sep 26
 Reign of Taichang Emperor: The 14th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Taichang Emperor (Zh: 泰昌, Pinyin: Táichàng; 28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620) was the fourteenth Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He was born Zhu Changluo (Zh: 朱常洛), the eldest son of E...
1620 Oct 1
to 1627 Sep 30
 The Tianqi Emperor: The 15th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Tianqi Emperor (23 December 1605 – 30 September 1627) was the 15th emperor of the Ming dynasty from 1620 to 1627. Born Zhu Youjiao, he was the Taichang Emperor's eldest son. His era n...
1627 Oct 2
to 1644 Apr 25
 Reign of Chongzhen Emperor: The 16th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty
The Chongzhen Emperor (traditional Chinese: 崇禎; pinyin: Chóngzhēn; Wade-Giles: Ch'ung-chen/old spelling: Ch'ung-cheng) (February 6, 1611 - April 25, 1644) was the 16th and last emperor of...
1644 Apr 25 End of Ming Dynasty
The collapse of the Ming Dynasty was a protracted affair, its roots beginning as early as 1600 with the emergence of the Manchu under Nurhaci. Originally a vassal of the Ming emperors, Nu...