Sources
Primary Sources:
The History Of Ming (Nonfiction) - 明史
Draft History Of Ming (Nonfiction) - 清史稿
Four Great Classical Novels - 四大名著
These sources were picked because they represented historical evidence from that time. Everything above was written during the Ming & Qing timeframe. The two nonfiction historical records are one of the few reliable sources about the dynasties as a whole. The Four Great Classical Novels were picked because they represented the evolution of literature and how people began to read into drama and more into folklore.
Secondary Sources -
Ming Dynasty - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_Dynasty
Emperor Hongwu Biography - How he rose up to establish Ming Dynasty and what he did as an Emperor
http://christopher-evan-hearne.suite101.com/emperor-hongwu-biography-a115603
Jianwen Emperor - Wikipedia - His short-lived reign and how he suppressed the warlord relatives that controlled parts of his land
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianwen_Emperor
Yongle Emperor Biography - The man who started a civil war in China and eventually became Emperor
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/china/p/Biography-Of-The-Yongle-Emperor.htm
Zheng He - The Great Maritime Explorer who brought more diversity into China
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22644.htm
Admiral Zheng He (1371-1433) - His relationship with Yongle Emperor and his accomplishments
http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/zhenhe/131897.htm
Foreign Relations Of Imperial China - Wikipedia - How China allowed foreign influence throughout history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_imperial_China#Ming_Dynasty
Opium - Wikipedia - How opium weakened China's population as a whole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium#Prohibition_and_conflict_in_China
Emperor Kangxi - The Emperor Who Reigned for the Longest Period in Chinese History
http://history.cultural-china.com/en/46History211.html
Qianlong - The Emperor who ruled prosperously for 60 years
http://www1.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22924.htm
Empress Dowager Cixi - The real ruler of Late Qing Dynasty
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/known/cixi.htm
Emperor Xuantong - The Last Emperor of Qing Dynasty, Imprisoned and treated as a citizen
http://www.gochinatravel.com/n243c147.aspx
Pu Yi – The Last Emperor of China
http://scott-hayden.suite101.com/pu-yi--the-last-emperor-of-china-a134451
Four Great Classical Novels - Wikipedia - Four major influential novels that still affects us today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Great_Classical_Novels
History Texbook 9th Grade - Ming & Qing's Way of Living
Chapter 19 Section 2
The History Of Ming (Nonfiction) - 明史
Draft History Of Ming (Nonfiction) - 清史稿
Four Great Classical Novels - 四大名著
These sources were picked because they represented historical evidence from that time. Everything above was written during the Ming & Qing timeframe. The two nonfiction historical records are one of the few reliable sources about the dynasties as a whole. The Four Great Classical Novels were picked because they represented the evolution of literature and how people began to read into drama and more into folklore.
Secondary Sources -
Ming Dynasty - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ming_Dynasty
Emperor Hongwu Biography - How he rose up to establish Ming Dynasty and what he did as an Emperor
http://christopher-evan-hearne.suite101.com/emperor-hongwu-biography-a115603
Jianwen Emperor - Wikipedia - His short-lived reign and how he suppressed the warlord relatives that controlled parts of his land
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianwen_Emperor
Yongle Emperor Biography - The man who started a civil war in China and eventually became Emperor
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/china/p/Biography-Of-The-Yongle-Emperor.htm
Zheng He - The Great Maritime Explorer who brought more diversity into China
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22644.htm
Admiral Zheng He (1371-1433) - His relationship with Yongle Emperor and his accomplishments
http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/zhenhe/131897.htm
Foreign Relations Of Imperial China - Wikipedia - How China allowed foreign influence throughout history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_imperial_China#Ming_Dynasty
Opium - Wikipedia - How opium weakened China's population as a whole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium#Prohibition_and_conflict_in_China
Emperor Kangxi - The Emperor Who Reigned for the Longest Period in Chinese History
http://history.cultural-china.com/en/46History211.html
Qianlong - The Emperor who ruled prosperously for 60 years
http://www1.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22924.htm
Empress Dowager Cixi - The real ruler of Late Qing Dynasty
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/known/cixi.htm
Emperor Xuantong - The Last Emperor of Qing Dynasty, Imprisoned and treated as a citizen
http://www.gochinatravel.com/n243c147.aspx
Pu Yi – The Last Emperor of China
http://scott-hayden.suite101.com/pu-yi--the-last-emperor-of-china-a134451
Four Great Classical Novels - Wikipedia - Four major influential novels that still affects us today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Great_Classical_Novels
History Texbook 9th Grade - Ming & Qing's Way of Living
Chapter 19 Section 2