Two Centers

Archeological findings of crops and, domesticated animals have been found as early as 8500 BCE in Southwest Asia (Fertile Crescent) and as early as 7500 BCE in China. (There may older Chinese sites that have not been found.) In contrast, similar developments did not occur until 3500 BCE in the Americas and until 5000 BCE in Africa. ([GGS], p. 100) Egypt and southern Europe followed relatively soon when the practices of the SW Asia spread to them. We have two independent centers of civilization: Eastern Mediterranean and China, roughly 3000 years ahead of everybody else. However Western Europe benefited from its proximity to the first center.

The first large Chinese empire is the one of the Qin dynasty at roughly 220 BCE. We may date the establishment of the first large Roman at around 150 BCE (after the third Punic War). Two "super states" came into existence at roughly the same time in two different areas of the globe.

The Roman empire became totalitarian (one official religion) while China was less so (Confucianism did not have as strong a hold as Christianity). Dark ages in Europe, development in China. The magnetic compass and gunpowder (before 1100 CE) were invented in China and spread eventually to Europe.

Chinese sea exploration stopped as European sea exploration was starting. The first trip of Columbus took place in 1492 and Vasco da Gama reached India in 1497-99 after circumnavigating Africa. See also [MORR] for more on that topic.

Europeans were motivated by the spice trade. The original route going through the Middle East became unattractive after the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1453 and took control of the routes to India. Therefore Europeans had to look for alternatives. At the end they achieved far more than expected.

A Closer Look at China

Sui dynasty (589–618). Instituted Imperial Exam (605).

Tang dynasty (618–907). Empress Wu Zetian expanded imperial exam.

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960)

(Northern) Song Dynasty (960-1177). Capital Kaifeng. First emperor Taizu reunited China. Shift from military to civilian government. Backlash against Buddhism. Monasteries had accumulated wealth that was confiscated by the state. The Chinese Renaissance of 1100 that went past Buddhism to Han dynasty culture and Confucianism (Morris pp. 376-377). But why that movement did not do what the Italian Renaissance did at around that time? (p. 419)

Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). Capital Lin’an, modern Hangzhou (near Shanghai). Foot-binding imposed on women (pp. 424-425). Paper money.

Mongol Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). Kublai Khan. Paper money became dominan means of exchange. The “barbarians” became Chinese as opposed to the Turkish conquest of the Byzantine Empire. WHY?

Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Last dynasty to be ruled by ethnic Han Chinese. Capital Nanjing and (since 1403) Beijing. From 1405 to 1433 large Chinese fleets (commanded by Admiral Zheng He) explored the Indian Ocean but then the enterprise stopped. Sea exploration was considered too expensive and it did not seem to bring any profit. See [MORR pp. 405-420] about Chinese fleets.

[GGS] Jared Diamond Guns, Germs, and Steel, Norton, 1997-2005.
[MORR] Ian Morris Why the West Rules - For Now, Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2010. Subtitled: The Patterns of History and what they Reveal about the Future.

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