The Ming Dynasty's Destructive Appetite For Silver | Empires of Silver | Absolute History

In 1581, China's Emperor sparked a global demand for silver, changing the course of history forever. This was how Spain's silver trade with China shaped the New World, funding America's Industrial Revolution and driving the growth of cities worldwide. Uncover the conflicts and consequences as silver becomes both a source of power and a catalyst for China's 'century of humiliation.' Join us on a journey that reveals the intricate connections between China and the rest of the world.

#AbsoluteHistory

[pdruiz]

Fun fact: the modern word in Chinese for bank, 銀行, means "silver repository" or "silver case." That's how central silver was to Chinese civilization and history.

[pdruiz]

At 1:44. Fun fact: This silver smithing that created jewelry with silver threads as fine as human hairs--that started in China during the Tang Dynasty between 600 AD and 900 AD. At a museum (forget which one) I once saw a crown of one of the Tang emperors that had been discovered by archeologists. Wow! That crown had threads of gold and silver so fine that they did look like human hairs. I was mighty impressed that such sophisticated techniques could be discovered over 1, 500 years ago.

[lt]

Fun fact - in Mongolia 🇲🇳 silver also means money. So when someone asks " Do you have silver" means Do you have money 💰.

[DragonsAndDragons]

This channel is a million million times better than the History channel on TV

[annleeloveskitten]

I'm sorry to point out that the historical figures at 5:18 are wearing the wrong custumes if it is Ming Dynasty (1368-1644AD) that you are talking about. Ming Dynasty, like the vast majorities of dynasties in China's thousands-year-long history, was established by Han Chinese who had their own costumes and hairstyles that were totally different from that of Manchurians who established Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD).

[crazyquilt]

This is part 2 of a series called Empires of Silver, which is really good, but my favorite part in the entire series is the silver lacework shown near the end of this episode. Absolutely mindboggling work, and not to be missed!

[SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

The Chinese did not wear tails until the Manchu, the Ming did not wear them...

[cdfdesantis]

Fascinating. Knew silver was integral to China's imperial economy, but not how it all started. Thanks.

[algrand]

Fantastic documentary. I'm from the Philippines but knew little about Manila's role in Spain's trade of silver with the Ming Dynasty. The annual run of the galleons from Manila to Acapulco and back was known as the Galleon Trade and continued uninterrupted for 250 years.

[TheSmarq]

Ulterior motives are always more interesting than the face story. I love studying history for this exact reason. It's amazing how connected the world already was before even the "discovery" of the Americas, but once the value of this was figured out, the world just grew beyond the imaginations of the people of the time. Certainly looking back now it's something very intriguing to see and try to understand.

[PoisonelleMisty]

The Ming Dynasty was a period of Chinese history known for its advancements in art, culture, and architecture. Some key features include:

1. The construction of the Great Wall of China was expanded and strengthened during the Ming Dynasty.

2. The development of porcelain production reached new heights, leading to the creation of exquisite art pieces known as Ming porcelain.

3. The establishment of the Forbidden City in Beijing, a vast imperial palace complex that served as the home to emperors for centuries.

4. The flourishing of literature, poetry, and drama during this time, with notable authors such as Tang Xianzu and Wu Cheng'en.

5. The voyages of the explorer Zheng He, who undertook several expeditions to Southeast Asia, India, and Africa, showcasing the Ming Dynasty's naval prowess.

Overall, the Ming Dynasty is celebrated for its cultural achievements, architectural masterpieces, and exploration, making it a significant period in Chinese history.

[olefella]

The fact that we get free documentaries on YouTube by Absolute History is truly a gift. 👏👏👏👏👏
May I also remind you the fact that our Native American population in our motherland, the Continent of America before the European Colonizers arrived, was around 15 millions, while the European population in their motherland, the Continent of Europe was around 25 millions.
Today, Native American population is 15 million, while the European population, in the Continents of America + Europe, is a staggering TWO BILLION! A shocking sad truth. 😔
In my humble opinion, it's about time to decolonize the Colonized lands, and return it to rightful owners Native American people.
Notorious global cardinal crimes the Christian West has committed, and benefited a great deals, such as Slavery & Colonialism had long been over, why on earth is notorious Colonization still lingering on, may I ask? 😔

[calisthenicsnoob]

Yong Le encyclopedia created in the Ming dynasty has been the largest encyclopedia in the history of the world until surpassed by wikipedia- in the internet age.
This shows how impressive China was in the past.

[marcusestube]

This is great, but you can start at 5:10. Everything before that is just teasers of points that are covered later.

[mistertok]

Brilliant documentary. Instant classic for me. I def learned something new. Wow, can’t wait to watch part 2. Great job!

[pdruiz]

At 39:31. This is also the first time I've heard of this "Tea Road." Fascinating. It started in southern China and ended in the glittering Russian capital of St. Petersburg. The Russians definitely have a tea culture, with those elaborate, exquisite samovars heating up the water with the tea. I can imagine all the fine ladies and gentlemen of St. Petersburg getting their tea fix on fine porcelain in gorgeous little tea rooms. More civilized a picture than the grungy teahouses of dank London. LOL.

[Philomats]

Wow. What a history. Very engrossing. Thank you.

[lewis]

This was facisnating. Hope we get part 3

[mrs_faragonda]

Huge thank you for such a deep researching of the topicccc

[vegamoonlight]

The Century of Humiliation started during the Qing Dynasty after this. The period of the Ming Dynasty was also a beginning period of the West in establishing itself as a naval power in which kingdoms in Europe were looking for the gold and spices of the Far East including China. The title seems intriguing and the introduction is somewhat debatable as to the role of the Ming Dynasty's alleged obsession of silver that 'purported' to have attracted a slew of European colonials to the Far East.