when did the ming dynasty rule
The Ming dynasty (1368â1644), founded by the peasant rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang (known posthumously as Emperor Taizu), was an imperial dynasty of China. It was the successor to the Yuan dynasty and the predecessor of the short-lived Shun dynasty, which was in turn succeeded by the Qing dynasty. Scholars have traditionally divided Ming history into three distinct periods: Early (1368â1436), Middle (1436â1573), and Late (1573â1644).