Wanli era

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The Wanli era was the period in Chinese history corresponding to the reign of the Wanli Emperor of the Ming dynasty, spanning from 1573 to 1620. It was preceded by the Longqing era and was succeeded by the Taichang era, upon the accession of the Taichang Emperor. The Wanli era saw a significant boom in industry, particularly in the production of silk, cotton, and porcelain, and agriculture and trade also experienced growth. Increased trade had the strongest impact in Jiangnan, where cities such as Suzhou, Songjiang, Jiaxing, and Nanjing flourished. Despite the economic growth of the empire, state finances remained in a dire state, and while wealthy merchants and the gentry enjoyed lavish lifestyles, the majority of peasants and day laborers lived in poverty. Culturally, the period is regarded as one of great flourishing. The color woodblock prints and porcelain produced at the time were celebrated for their high artistic quality. Several of the most influential works of Chinese literature were composed during these years, including Water Margin (1573), Journey to the West (1590), and Jin Ping Mei (1610). The painter Xu Wei achieved particular success at this time. His expressive and highly emotional artistic style attracted a wide circle of admirers.