16th Century China

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In the 16th century in China the Ming Dynasty was in power. Though it had several rulers during this time period, it was pretty much the same ethics throughout the century. The Ming followed a program of government that was big into foreign affairs and prospering.
In 1506 Zhu Houzhao begins his reign as Emperor of the Zhengde period. Houzhao was born in 1491 and died in 1521. “Liu Jin, who directed the Zhengde Emperor’s debaucheries while manipulating the government between 1506 and 1510.” (Cambridge 199) Liu was a “notorious eunuch dictator,” (Cambridge 199) that at some point in time dominated the Ming Dynasty.
In 1521 The Jiahing Emperor came into power led by Zhu Houcong. Houcong born in 1507, and took the throne at age fourteen. “Came to the throne unexpectedly, after the death of his childless cousin, the Zhengde Emperor, who had one of the most disorderly reigns in Chinese history.” (Cambridge 202) The new, young, Emperor took his reign very seriously and was relatively good at governing for such a young age. After a while he turned too strictly Daoist ideas and practices. During this time he allowed Grand secretaries to govern the country while he cut himself off from all duties. “He was sternly rebuked for that in 1565 by a minor official Hai Rui.” (Cambridge 202) “The Ming court had never been able to establish a mutually satisfactory suzerain-vassal relationship with Japan, and further official links with it were cut in 1549.” (Asian History 8)
In 1557 the Portuguese set up a trading post in Macao, this helped to open the Ming up to the rest of the west. In the 15th century, the Japanese Shogunate would count on the Chinese for trade. The Japanese needed the Chinese copper coins, silks, ceramics, Buddhist books, and art objects; and in return gave them sulphur, swords, and other materials. This form of trade flourished in the 15th century, and was controlled by a ‘tally system...