Four Chinese characters Hong Wu Tong Bao / Blank. 24mm, 3.21 grams. Hartill 20.57.

Type with a one-dot Tong.

The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644 CE and is considered one of the most stable and culturally rich periods in Chinese history. Founded by Zhu Yuanzhang, who became Emperor Hongwu, the Ming overthrew the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty and restored native Han Chinese rule. The dynasty centralized imperial power, revived Confucian bureaucracy, and undertook massive public works, including the completion and fortification of the Great Wall and the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Under the Yongle Emperor, the Ming sponsored the famous maritime voyages of Zheng He, expanding Chinese influence across the Indian Ocean. While early Ming rule was marked by prosperity and artistic achievement, later years saw internal corruption, natural disasters, and peasant uprisings. The dynasty ultimately fell to the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty in 1644.