Final answer:
The end of Ming-era exploratory voyages was due to economic pressures, isolationist policies, and internal stability concerns, combined with a general trend of limiting interaction with foreign entities that prevailed in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The later Ming emperors put an end to the voyages of exploration for several interrelated reasons. Among these, the economic instability and financial strain of sustaining such large expeditions were significant factors. Additionally, there was a prevailing spirit of isolationism within the Chinese court notably under Zhu Zanji, which led to a focus on internal affairs and concerns about internal stability and rebellion. Historically, China's turn toward isolationism was also influenced by Neo-Confucian prejudice against expansion and the extravagances of previous rulers like Yung Lo. Furthermore, the Ming Dynasty limited foreign trade by restricting it to tribute exchanges, reflecting a broader policy of trade control and isolation. The eventual overthrow of the Ming Dynasty in 1644 contributed to a fluctuating but generally isolationist stance on foreign trade and interactions under the subsequent Qing Dynasty.