Conquest of Beijing: Hidden Contributions of Climate Change to the Tumu Crisis, 1449–1450 Translated title: Arcadia: Explorations in Environmental History, Atumn 2016, no. 12: Conquest of Beijing: Hidden Contributions of Climate Change to the Tumu Crisis, 1449–1450

Abstract

In this study, the hidden contribution of climate change has been analyzed with regard to the Tumu Crisis during China’s Ming Dynasty to supplement current knowledge. Historical documents and proxy-based paleoclimatic reconstruction are both adopted to support the opinions. This interdisciplinary approach and view of climate change could provide a new perspective to interpret this famous event in Chinese history. Although climate change should not be regarded as the only explanation, the impacts from the natural environment deserve more attention especially in a past society with a low technological level.