Life in Ming and Qing
Busy Streets of China
Daily life was different for different types of people in Chinese society during Ming and Qing Dynasty. Men were favored over women and when a child was born, it was better for the wife to have born a female than a male, and sometimes the female infant might be thrown away or killed. People became less isolated and often worked together because of the improved laws and regulations. People worked in 4 main types of jobs, artisans, farmers, workers and merchants. There were so many types of jobs including, restaurants, taverns, teahouses, winehouses, pawn shops, banks, brothels, theaters and clothes merchants. People farmed for different types of crops depending on the region in China. People who lived on the coast of the ocean or even the river had more variety in terms of jobs and different types of goods. Ducks and fish were raised, and millet and wheat can be farmed in the North, where further south there would be fruits, and sugarcane and tea bushes for tea.
During the Ming Dynasty, most of the population was Han Chinese, but it changed a bit when the Manchus stepped in. There were differences between a Han Chinese and a Manchu because of the way they lived, they had different styles of living so it was a bit difficult at first, but eventually they synced into Chinese society, just like the Mongols when they established Yuan Dynasty in China. However, since the foreign contact between the Americas and Europe was more than ever, many of the goods were brought to China, including corn, sweet potatoes and tobacco, which increased production and population.
During the Ming Dynasty, most of the population was Han Chinese, but it changed a bit when the Manchus stepped in. There were differences between a Han Chinese and a Manchu because of the way they lived, they had different styles of living so it was a bit difficult at first, but eventually they synced into Chinese society, just like the Mongols when they established Yuan Dynasty in China. However, since the foreign contact between the Americas and Europe was more than ever, many of the goods were brought to China, including corn, sweet potatoes and tobacco, which increased production and population.
