Editing Yongle Emperor (section)

===General characteristics===
During the Yongle era, Ming China was considered the strongest, wealthiest, and most populous country in the world.{{sfnp|Wang|2011|p=111}} The Yongle Emperor, along with the Xuande Emperor to a large extent, stood out from their predecessors and successors due to their active and expensive military and diplomatic efforts.{{sfnp|Chan|1988|p=256}} Their main goal was to expand the influence of the Ming dynasty beyond the borders of China. In just over twenty years of the Yongle Emperor's reign, his envoys visited to numerous nearby and distant countries, seeking to establish at least a symbolic recognition of the Ming emperor's supremacy and sovereignty.{{sfnp|Needham|1971|p=491}} Similar to his father, the Yongle Emperor had hoped to conquer Mongolia in order to resolve security concerns in the north. To the east and south, the Ming dynasty controlled the seas from [[Japan]] to the [[Strait of Malacca]].{{sfnp|Wang|2011|p=111}} Chinese naval forces maintained peace on trade routes in [[Southeast Asia]] and regularly visited the [[Indian Ocean]], a region that had previously been rarely explored by the Chinese.{{sfnp|Tsai|1996|p=151}} In addition to Mongolia, Ming missions also ventured into [[Manchuria]] in the north and the [[Timurid Empire]] in the west.

In an effort to incorporate countries from around the world into the tributary system of subordination to the Ming dynasty, the emperor utilized a combination of military force, diplomatic contacts, trade exchange, and the spread of Chinese culture.{{sfnp|Chan|1988|p=222}} According to Confucian political thought, China was to be seen as the center of civilization by other nations and states. These missions not only demonstrated the power of the Ming dynasty, but also enforced recognition of the Yongle Emperor's supremacy and brought valuable local products.{{sfnp|Wade|2004|pp=7, 10}} The strength of the Ming dynasty is evident in the number of rulers from Asian states who made the journey to China. It was rare for monarchs to leave their own country, highlighting the immense pressure they were under.{{sfnp|Wade|2004|p=13}}