Ming dynasty
Coverage of Ming dynasty in the Nexus archive.
- Tai chi practitioners seek balance and well-being in fast-paced Beijing
Tai chi practitioners in Beijing practice at the Temple of Heaven to seek balance and well-being. Retirees like Ye Guirong and Zu Hong lead and join groups, emphasizing the practice's philosophical and health benefits rooted in traditional Chinese concepts of qi and Daoism.
- Did volcanic eruptions ruin China’s Ming dynasty and undermine the Qing?
The Ming dynasty fell in 1644 when Li Zicheng's rebel army invaded Beijing, leading to Emperor Chongzhen's suicide. The dynasty's decline was attributed to internal issues like eunuch dictatorship, factionalism, and peasant uprisings, as well as external threats from the Manchus.
- Discovery of ancient Chinese anaesthesia reveals advanced early surgical practices
In the 14th century, Ming dynasty surgeons used a toxic plant concoction as an anaesthetic, developed by Xia Quan. This discovery provides physical evidence supporting ancient texts about early surgical practices in China.