Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Great Ming

1368 CE 1644 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 cn_ming_dyn / CnMing*

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1271 CE 1368 CE Great Yuan (cn_yuan_dyn) [absorption]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1644 CE 1796 CE Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1) [continuity]

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General Description

After 300 years of rule by outsiders, the Ming Dynasty, lasting from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries CE, restored Chinese rule to the region. ^[1] The dynasty was founded by a peasant rebel general, Zhu Yuanzhang, later known as Emperor Taizu or the Hongwu Emperor. ^[2] Taizu destroyed the Yuan capital in Beijing, forced the Mongols to retreat to Mongolia, and founded the Ming capital in Nanjing in 1368 CE. ^[3] The period saw a resurgence of Chinese intellectualism and economic activity, ^[4] but Ming emperors often struggled to control their massive empire and they do not tend to number among the Chinese emperors considered ’great’ by historians. ^[5]
The Ming expanded their territory to the southwest during their rule. ^[6] However, they never expanded into Mongolia - conflict with the Mongols in the north led the Ming emperors instead to carry out restorations works on the Great Wall. ^[7] The Dynasty came to an end in 1644 CE, when the region was re-captured by descendants of Jin Dynasty’s Jurchen rulers from Manchuria known as Qing.
Population and political organization
Ming emperors were not consistent in their style of rule. While Emperor Taizu ruled as an autocrat, some Ming emperors left the governance of the nation in the hands of officials and eunuchs. ^[5] The emperor presided over the central government in concert with various levels of chief ministers and imperial officials, and the central government structure was replicated on a smaller scale at the provincial level. ^[1] Officials were recruited through an examination system. ^[1]
The period was marked by increasing openness to non-Confucian ideas and an increase in literacy among the lower levels of society. ^[7] Intellectual culture flourished among the elites ^[4] and the publishing industry expanded greatly in the Lower Yangtze region. ^[6] Novels, including The Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin, and the play Peony Pavilion were written in the Ming period. ^[1]
The rapid growth of the international trading system along with foreign desire for Chinese porcelain and silk led to large increases in foreign trade and an influx of silver into the Ming economy. ^[7] In the later Ming period, trade conflicts impacted China’s foreign silver supply, leading to massive deflation. The Ming government, near bankruptcy, could not fund military campaigns against the rebellion spreading through the nation. ^[8]
The Ming population was between 60 million and 66.5 million in 1400 CE and 90 million and 110 million in 1600 CE. ^[9] ^[10]

[1]: (Theobald 2000) Theobald Ulrich. 2000. ’Ming Dynasty Government and Administration’. Chinaknowledge.de. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Ming/ming-admin.html. Accessed 16 March 2017.

[2]: (Brook 1998, 8) Timothy Brook. 1998. The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

[3]: (Ebrey 1996, 191) Patricia Buckley Ebrey. 1996. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[4]: (Mote, Twitchett and Fairbank 1988, 1) Frederick W. Mote, Denis Twitchett and John K. Fairbank. 1988 ’Introduction’, in The Cambridge History of China, Volume 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, edited by Frederick W. Mote and Denis Twitchett, 1-10. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[5]: (Ebrey 1996, 216) Patricia Buckley Ebrey. 1996. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[6]: (Ebrey 1996, 190) Patricia Buckley Ebrey. 1996. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[7]: (Ebrey 1996, 212) Patricia Buckley Ebrey. 1996. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[8]: (Ebrey 1996, 215) Patricia Buckley Ebrey. 1996. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[9]: 《明太祖實錄卷140》

[10]: (Weatherhead East Asian Institute 2008) Weatherhead East Asian Institute. 2008. ’Issues and Trends in China’s Demographic History’. Asia for Educators. Columbia University. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1950_population.htm. Accessed 16 March 2017.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

2 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

3 Population of the Largest Settlement

3 Polity Territory

3 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

2 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Dog

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

16 Power Transition

Instability Events

39 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn) was in:
(1368 CE 1643 CE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Original Name	Great Ming	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Capital	Nanjing	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Capital	Beijing	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Alternative Name	Empire of the Great Ming	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Alternative Name	Great Ming	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Temporal Bounds Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[1450 CE ➜ 1480 CE]
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Duration	[1368 CE ➜ 1644 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	kr_joseon nominal allegiance to cn_ming_dyn	1392 CE 1567 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	cn_ming_dyn alliance with kr_joseon	1592 CE 1598 CE
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Supracultural Entity	China	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[4,000,000 to 5,000,000] km²	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	cultural assimilation	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Preceding Entity 1271 CE 1368 CE	Great Yuan (cn_yuan_dyn) [absorption]
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Succeeding Entity 1644 CE 1796 CE	Early Qing (cn_qing_dyn_1) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Language Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Language	Chinese	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Religion Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	150,000 people	1400 CE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	672,000 people	1500 CE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	706,000 people	1600 CE
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Polity Territory	3,900,000 km²	1400 CE
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Polity Territory	[3,900,000 to 5,200,000] km²	1500 CE
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Polity Territory	3,655,000 km²	1600 CE
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Polity Population	[60,545,800 to 66,598,300] people	1400 CE
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Polity Population	50,908,700 people	1500 CE
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Polity Population	[90,000,000 to 110,000,000] people	1600 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	7	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Religious Level	3	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Military Level	7	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Administrative Level	5	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Professions Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent	1368 CE 1570 CE
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Professional Soldier	Present	1570 CE 1644 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Merit Promotion	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Examination System	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Law Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Judge	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Court	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present Inferred	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Port	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Canal	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Bridge	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Information / Writing System Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Script	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Philosophy	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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History	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Fiction	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Calendar	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Information / Money Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Precious Metal	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Paper Currency	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Article	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Information / Postal System Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Courier	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Information / Measurement System Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Modern Fortification	Unknown Suspected	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moat	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Fortified Camp	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Ditch	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Long Wall	[6,259 to 6,700] km	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Military use of Metals Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Iron	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Copper	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Bronze	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Projectiles Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Present Inferred	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Sling	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Self Bow	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Javelin	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Crossbow	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Handheld weapons Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Sword	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Spear	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Polearm	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Dagger	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Animals used in warfare Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Dog	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Armor Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Shield	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present Inferred	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Plate Armor	Present Inferred	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Limb Protection	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present Inferred	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Helmet	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Chainmail	Present Inferred	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Breastplate	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Naval technology Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	1368 CE 1644 CE
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Human Sacrifice Great Ming (cn_ming_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More