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In 1364, Zhu Yuanzhang united China again and established the Ming Dynasty. It was after 20 years of hard work that China is back in the hands of Han Chinese. Zhu Yuanzhang founded one of the longest dynasties in China history, but the peasant-born emperor did so by killing thousands of followers, old friends and adversaries. This was the only way known to him that could secure the empire. China under Ming's rule developped an autocratic government. Zhu Yuanzhang's cruelty also got adopted by his descendents.
Above: --> Zhu Yuanzhang (graphic courtesy of China-Window.com)
The Yuan dynasty that proceeded the Ming was vastly open to foreign influences. But the Ming closed all of it. Zhu Yuangzhang purged his literati twice, and claimed that nothing from the outside barbarian world was needed in China. As a result, arts flourished within China. Ming dynasty is known for its porcelain vases.
left: Pearl Shaped Vase (graphic courtesy of China-Window.com)
Ming first had its capital in Nanjing then was moved to Beijing. Chinese navy sailed in the Chinese seas and Indian Oceans, and went as far as the coast of Africa. But sea voyages stopped abruptly after 1433.
In 1563, one of Emperor Shenzong's chief officers, Zhang Juzheng started a reform, and improved the economy for awhile. But after Zhang Juzheng's death, Emperor Shenzong cancelled daily meetings with his officers and subjects for the next 30 years. From this point on, Ming declined.
After Emperor Shenzong, in the late-Ming rule, corruption, court intrigues and incapable emperors followed one after another. Peasant uprise was common. The ethnic group of Nujin posed a big threat to the government while invasions from outside weakened Ming even more. In 1627, Ming had its second large-scale peasant uprise. In 1644, the Manchus invaded Beijing from the north and took over China. They established China's last imperial dynasty -- the Qing (1644-1911)