China & TibetAsiaMajor empire

Ming dynasty

1368 – 1644 CE · about 276 years

The Ming dynasty restored native Chinese rule after the Yuan, rebuilt the Great Wall in its familiar form and built the Forbidden City. The Muslim admiral Zheng He led seven great maritime expeditions in the early 15th century. Rebels took Beijing in 1644, opening the way for the Qing.

Key facts

Dates	1368 – 1644 CE
Region	China & Tibet
Continent	Asia
Capitals	Nanjing, Beijing
Founder	Hongwu Emperor
Religion(s)	Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism
Peak extent	≈ 6.5 million km² (c. 1450 CE) – source

Before & after

Preceded by

Yuan dynasty Hồ dynasty

Followed by

Qing dynasty Later Lê dynasty Shun dynasty Southern Ming

Sources

Wikipedia – Ming dynasty
Wikipedia – List of largest empires

Dates follow widely used reference works; many ancient dates are approximate or debated. Neutral summary for general reference.