Southern Ming: Map & History
The Southern Ming, also known in historiography as the Later Ming, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China and a series of rump states of the Ming dynasty that came into existence following the Jiashen Incident of 1644.
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The Southern Ming, also known in historiography as the Later Ming, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China and a series of rump states of the Ming dynasty that came into existence following the Jiashen Incident of 1644. Peasant rebels led by Li Zicheng who founded the short-lived Shun dynasty captured Beijing and the Chongzhen Emperor committed suicide. The Ming general Wu Sangui then opened the gates of the Shanhai Pass in the eastern section of the Great Wall to the Qing banners, in hope of using them to annihilate the Shun forces. Ming loyalists fled to Nanjing, where they enthroned Zhu Yousong as the Hongguang Emperor, marking the start of the Southern Ming. The Nanjing regime lasted until 1645, when Qing forces captured Nanjing. Zhu fled before the city fell, but was captured and executed shortly thereafter. Later figures continued to hold court in various southern Chinese cities, although the Qing considered them to be pretenders.
Modern Countries Once Part of Southern Ming
At its mapped extent, Southern Ming covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Southern Ming's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Southern Ming in Depth
Background
The fall of the Ming and the Qing conquest that followed was a period of catastrophic war and population decline in China. China experienced a period of extremely cold weather from the 1620s until the 1710s. Some modern scholars link the worldwide drop in temperature at this time to the Maunder Minimum, an extended period from 1645 to 1715 when sunspots were absent. Whatever the cause, the change in the climate reduced agricultural yields and cut state revenue. It also led to drought, which displaced many peasants. There were a series of peasant revolts in the late Ming, culminating in a revolt led by Li Zicheng which captured Beijing in 1644.
Ming ideology emphasized authoritarian and centralized administration, referred to as "imperial supremacy" or huángjí.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Southern Ming (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Southern Ming: Key Facts
| Capital | Nanjing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1644 |
| Dissolved | 1661 |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
- Qing dynasty
Facts from Wikidata Q1198163 (CC0).
Southern Ming Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 2,179,980 km² in 1646 CE.
Southern Ming: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Southern Ming exist?
Southern Ming is dated to 1645 CE – 1682 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of Southern Ming?
The capital of Southern Ming was Yingtian (1644–1645), Tianxing (1645–1646), Guangzhou (1646), Zhaoqing (1646).
How large was Southern Ming at its peak?
At its peak in 1646 Southern Ming covered about 2,179,980 km².
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