Why was China viewed as the "Middle Kingdom"?
2 Answers
They thought they were the center of all civilization.
Explanation:
The Chinese name for China is 中国 which translates into middle kingdom or middle state. Just as every civilization does, they thought that they were the center of all civilization.
China felt that they were between the heavens and the earth.
Explanation:
The religions of China like Daoism and Confusionism were basically animistic. The animistic religions are based on ancestor worship. the Chinese felt that their culture and ancestors, were superior to all other people and cultures.
The Chinese felt that China existed in a place half way between heaven where the ancestors lived and earth where other people lived. China then was the middle kingdom, superior to all other cultures and people.
The Ming Empire destroyed their fleet which had explored the world and dominated the world's oceans. The Ming felt that the rest of the world had nothing to offer the Chinese. This belief and action illustrates the strength of the idea of being the middle kingdom.
Being the middle kingdom being half way between heaven and earth, caused China to regard themselves as superior to all other people, and to isolate themselves from the rest of the world.
