Trade during the Ming Dynasty

                             

In July of 1405, Emperor Yongle assigned Zheng He and 27,000 other employees to go on a "sea exploration" all over the western hemisphere. This caused trading during the Ming Dynasty to flourish. Zheng He would go around to different countries and ask for them to pay tribute to the Ming and in return they would trade with China. This was a sort of win-win situation for both countries and China, but mostly for China because they got more tributes and trades. Zheng He got 36 nations to pay tribute. The ambassadors were able to trade markets and China was allowed to get some valuables that they needed. New merchandise like Ming Porcelain was created and that was a valuable trading item for them to sell. In 1434 when Zheng He died, the government needed money to protect them from the Mongols, so scholar officials stopped the expensive voyages. The Ming rulers wanted their people to be protected from foreign influences so they blocked travel to China. The government had trouble conforming to these conditions and sooner or later, the Ming Dynasty ended in 1644.