In the time of Christ they had a level of pig iron production that wouldn't be matched in Europe until well into the next millenia. Instead of being the groundwork for an industrial revolution, they had a bureaucracy for specifying and standardizing molds for farm implements.
They had the printing press back in the Song. Instead of contributing to a reformation or scientific revolution, they decided to just concentrate on 4 ancient books instead.
No, it didn't really stagnate until later, but the cultural inflexibility was already there. Had they looked out instead of in, they could have completely dominated world history.
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They had the printing press back in the Song. Instead of contributing to a reformation or scientific revolution, they decided to just concentrate on 4 ancient books instead.
No, it didn't really stagnate until later, but the cultural inflexibility was already there. Had they looked out instead of in, they could have completely dominated world history.