1368

Más información sobre el libro

This work presents a fresh perspective on China's ascent since the Age of Exploration and its significant influence on the modern world. The establishment of the Great Ming dynasty in 1368 marked a pivotal moment in history. A century prior to Columbus, Beijing initiated diplomatic missions across the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, setting the stage for China's first modern global era. The narrative spans from Admiral Zheng He's embassies to the arrival of European mariners and the upheaval of the Opium Wars. Akhtar draws parallels between China's historical rise and its current trajectory, offering insights into Beijing's future. Vivid accounts in Persian and Ottoman Turkish depict the opulence of Beijing's Forbidden City, while Malay legends tell of Chinese princesses bringing porcelain and gold to Melaka. During Europe's Age of Exploration, Iberian mariners discovered new routes to China, which were later transformed into profitable tea trade by the Dutch and British East India Companies. However, the British Industrial Revolution shifted the dynamics, enabling the export of goods that were once imported from China. Following the Opium Wars and Commodore Perry's arrival in Japan, reformers in China and Japan sought their own industrial revolutions to advance into the twentieth century. Akhtar's exploration provides essential context for understanding China's resurgence as a manufacturing powerhouse since the 1970s and