During that period, the Emperor became nombrilistic and started to reject anything non-chinese.

They had a huge fleet of merchant ships that created colonies all around the pacific; and one of the major explorer, which is still remembered today as national in those islands (think: like Columbus) was tried for being a traitor when he went back home (when he left things were different)!

That imperial viewpoint stopped the cultural expansion of China and is mostly why we don't all speak Chinese... they spent their might in pharaonic projects (dig a river and a huge boat to go through it) instead of building ships and go meet people.

Chinese history is a lot of fun.






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