The last of the outstanding dynasties, the Ming was vibrant during its first half but racked with internal discord during its second. Scores of workers constructed the renowned Forbidden City, an imperial palace of staggering proportions and opulence. Ming leaders revived a sense of cultural identity and respect for traditional artifacts and craftsmanship. For example, bronze incense burners resembling those of the Shang and Chou dynasties were cast, and bright green and gold ceramic funerary objects recalled the T’ang. Three distinct schools of painting emerged: the Che echoed the formal approach of the Sung; the Wu consisted of, and appealed to, the intelligentsia; and the Eccentric fostered spontaneity and freedom of expression.
