The Chinese were being ruled by increasingly inexperienced and younger leaders whose vision of life outside the Forbidden City was virtually non-existent. As a result, the best solutions - ones that would have ensured smooth management of relations with the tribes of the [G 22 / steppe] - were passed over.
By the turn of the century, the attitude that promoted the split between the 'civilized' Chinese and the so-called [G 03 / 'barbarians'] was resurfacing. North and South rivalled one another for positions at court. The dynasty started moving further and further away from reality and the necessary practicalities required to formulate policies dealing with its neighbors. Officialdom was divided into two camps: the first promoted attacking the nomads and rejected all types of relations with them; the second, which included people with first-hand experience in dealing with the nomads, advocated a more tolerant attitude. Political deadlock meant that vital decisions were not made - a characteristic of Ming leadership for many years.
