Non European Imperial Power Essay

The era of the 1400s-1700s was a time of great discovery, invention, expansion, and the early establishment of trading routes and alliances. Various European countries and China both began sea expeditions abroad in order to learn about the world and people around them. After a period of naval expeditions, China pulled back and focused on expanding their empire in the eastern world and building their economy. Europe, however, discovered the resources and inventions of the East and developed a lust for them, leading to an era of expansion and trade development. Europe had the military power, but the East had the resources that led to Europe enacting or trying to enact military dominance, leading me to arrive at the conclusion that the non European …show more content…
China was made up of one kingdom with a single emperor that indirectly ruled people through kings and chiefs who showcased their loyalty to the Chinese emperor through a tribute system. In this system, these chiefs would present the emperor an elaborate foreign gift. In exchange, the Chinese emperor would approve of their kingship or ruling and give them Chinese goods such as silk, books, porcelain, and other highly coveted Chinese inventions. The kings and lands they represented were not exactly part of the Chinese kingdom, but through this systematic and symbolic exchange of gifts, they were recognizing the superiority of the Chinese people and the power of the Chinese emperor. These gifts were then brought home to the home country and were traded and sold as luxury items. Chinese products, especially silk, became symbols for the elite simply because these items came from the Chinese emperor himself, who was viewed as superior and divine. This tribute system established China as a superior race and kingdom, and as the heart of trade in the Eastern world. This system of trade led to the spread of Chinese goods, helped shape the development of later Asian inventions, and attracted the eye of the