A timeline of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) from the rise of the Hongwu Emperor to the rise and establishment of the Qing dynasty.
Background
1320s Year Date Event 1328 21 October Zhu Yuanzhang is born to a family of poor tenant farmers in Anhui
1330s Year Date Event 1332 1 January Xu Da is born in Fengyang County.
1340s Year Date Event 1344 June An epidemic, locusts, and drought kills Zhu Yuanzhang's family, leaving only himself, his sister-in-law and her young son as the sole survivors October Zhu Yuanzhang enters a local Buddhist monastery as a novice to do menial work; eventually he's sent out to beg for food - it's speculated that he ends up joining the army 1347 Zhu Yuanzhang returns to the Buddhist monastery
1350s Year Date Event 1352 15 April Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang becomes a rebel under Guo Zixing's command in Haozhou 1353 Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang receives an independent command from Guo Zixing and captures Chuzhou 1355 11 July Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang crosses the Changjiang Red Turban Rebellion: Guo Zixing dies and his eldest son succeeds him, but he also dies, making Zhu Yuanzhang leader of the rebels 1356 10 April Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang takes Nanjing 1357 summer Red Turban Rebellion: Zhang Shide is captured by Zhu Yuanzhang and starves to death 1358 Red Turban Rebellion: Defending garrisons fire cannons en masse at the siege of Shaoxing and defeat Zhu Yuanzhang's forces
1360s Year Date Event 1360 Red Turban Rebellion: Chen Youliang murders Xu Shouhui and proclaims the Great Han at Wuchang before attacking Zhu Yuanzhang at Nanjing only to be repulsed 1363 30 August - 4 October Battle of Lake Poyang: Chen Youliang's fleet is demolished by Zhu Yuanzhang's forces and dies Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang saves Han Liner and moves the Song court west of Nanjing where it remains militarily insignificant 1365 autumn Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang attacks Zhang Shicheng Zhu Yuanzhang sets up a school with a teaching staff of "Erudites" (boshi) 1367 October Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang's army under Zhu Liangzi takes Taizhou 1 October Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang takes Suzhou and Zhang Shicheng hangs himself; 2,400 large and small cannons are deployed by the Ming army at the siege of Suzhou. November Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Liangzi takes Wenzhou 13 November Red Turban Rebellion: Zhu Yuanzhang issues orders for Xu Da and Chang Yuchun to head north with 250,000 soldiers and Hu Mei, Tang He, and Liao Yongzhong to attack Fujian and Guangdong December Red Turban Rebellion: Fang Guozhen surrenders to Zhu Yuanzhang 28 December Red Turban Rebellion: Hu Mei's forces take Shaowu Red Turban Rebellion: Xu Da and Chang Yuchun conquer Jinan Zhu Yuanzhang reestablishes the imperial examinations 1368 18 January Red Turban Rebellion: Hu Mei captures Fuzhou
14th century 1360s Year Date Event 1368 23 January Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims himself the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty (note that Ming and Qing use the era name rather than temple name) 17 February Ming forces conquer Fujian and capture Chen Youding, who is executed 1 March Ming forces conquer Shandong 16 April Ming forces capture Kaifeng 18 April Ming forces reach Guangzhou and receive He Zhen's surrender 25 April Ming forces defeat Köke Temür and capture Luoyang 26 May Ming forces capture Wuzhou July Ming forces conquer Guangxi 20 September Ming forces capture Daidu (renamed Beiping) and the Yuan court flees to Inner Mongolia; so ends the Yuan dynasty November Ming forces capture Baoding 26 December Ming forces capture Zhaozhou December Ming forces capture Pingding Crouching-tiger cannons are employed by the Ming army. The Guozijian is created 1369 9 January Ming forces capture Taiyuan 3 March Ming forces capture Datong March Song Lian and Wang Yi start compiling the History of Yuan 18 April Ming forces conquer Shanxi and Li Siqi flees to Lintao 21 May Li Siqi surrenders to Ming forces 23 May Ming forces capture Lanzhou 8 June Ming forces capture Pingliang 20 July Ming forces capture Shangdu 22 September Ming forces capture Qingyang Construction of the Central Capital (Fengyang) begins
1370s Year Date Event 1370 January Köke Temür lays siege to Lanzhou but fails to take it Ming forces defeat Köke Temür at Gongchang but fail to capture him 5 June The Hongwu Emperor authorizes the first Ming imperial examinations 10 June Ming forces capture Yingchang June The Hongwu Emperor bans White Lotus and Manichaean sects Gunpowder is corned to strengthen the explosive power of land mines in the Ming dynasty. Cannon projectiles transition from stone to iron ammunition in the Ming dynasty. 1371 18 May Ming forces capture Wenzhou July Ming forces capture Hanzhou 3 August Ming Sheng surrenders Sichuan to the Ming dynasty Registered students at the Guozijian reach 3,728 1372 April Ming forces defeat Köke Temür at the Tuul River Ming forces are routed at Karakorum Ming forces capture Yongchang and conquer Juyan Registered students at the Guozijian reach 10,000 Cannons made specifically for naval usage appear in the Ming dynasty. 1373 March The Hongwu Emperor suspends imperial examinations 29 November Ming forces defeat Köke Temür at Huairou The Hongwu Emperor limits tribute missions from Goryeo to once every three years Ming officials draw up the first "house law" in Chinese history 1375 Ming starts issuing a new note called the Da Ming Baochao The Hongwu Emperor halts constructions at Fengyang due to expenses and waste; construction plans shift to Nanjing 1376 March Ming forces defeat Bayan Temür July Ming forces defeat Bayan Temür again 22 October The Hongwu Emperor announces that he will accept straightforward criticism of his rule from officials Ye Boju is starved to death in prison for criticising the emperor's reliance on harsh punishment The Hongwu Emperor executes all officials connected to the "Case of the Pre-stamped Documents" 1377 May Ming forces invade Qinghai Palace construction in Nanjing is completed and the city is designated "Jingshi" (Capital) 1378 Wu Mian rebellion: The Kam people rebel 1379 February Ming forces defeat Tibetans in Gansu Champa sends tribute to Nanjing
1380s Year Date Event 1380 Hu Weiyong plots to assassinate the Hongwu Emperor but gets arrested; the ensuing investigations lead to the execution of roughly 15,000 people "Wasp nest" rocket launchers are manufactured for the Ming army. 1381 December Ming conquest of Yunnan: Ming forces take Qujing 1382 April Ming conquest of Yunnan: Ming forces conquer Yunnan 1384 April The Hongwu Emperor relocates government agencies from the palace to outside the city walls of Nanjing 1385 Wu Mian rebellion: The Kam rebellion is defeated The imperial examinations are reestablished Guo Huan is executed for embezzling 7 million piculs of grain 1386 January Ming–Mong Mao War: Si Lunfa of Mong Mao rebels 1387 October Ming campaign against the Uriankhai: Naghachu surrenders to Ming forces 1388 May Battle of Buir Lake: Ming forces defeat Uskhal Khan Tögüs Temür Ming–Mong Mao War: Mong Mao is defeated by the Ming artillery corps utilizing volley fire 1389 January Ming forces defeat Yi rebels in Yuezhou December Ming–Mong Mao War: Si Lunfa surrenders to the Ming dynasty
1390s Year Date Event 1390 April Nayir Bukha and Yaozhu surrender to Ming forces 1391 May Ajashiri rebels and is suppressed Ming forces briefly occupy Hami and retreat 1392 5 August Yi Songgye ousts Wang Yo and becomes Taejo of Joseon; so ends Goguryeo 1393 Ming forces sack Hami 1394 Tributary relations between Ming and Joseon are normalized 1396 April Ming forces defeat Bolin Temür 1397 October Lin Kuan rebellion: A Kam rebellion is defeated December Ming–Mong Mao Intervention: Si Lunfa is deposed and requests Ming aid in restoring him to power 1398 January Ming–Mong Mao Intervention: Si Lunfa is restored to power 24 May The Hongwu Emperor becomes ill 24 June The Hongwu Emperor dies 30 June Zhu Yunwen becomes the Jianwen Emperor The Jianwen Emperor eliminates the princedoms of Zhu Gui, Zhu Bo, Zhu Fu, and Zhu Pian Last recorded instance of human sacrifice in China 1399 June The Jianwen Emperor returns Zhu Di's sons July A military official seizes two of Zhu Di's junior officials on the charge of sedition 5 August Jingnan Campaign: Zhu Di launches an offensive on neighboring counties 25 September Jingnan Campaign: Zhu Di defeats a 130,000 strong army sent by the Jianwen Emperor 12 November Jingnan Campaign: The Jianwen Emperor's forces lay siege to Beiping but are forced to retreat three weeks later
15th century 1400s