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China's long-term maritime history has been overlooked by the scholarly community, so much so that there is a misconception that the Chinese were sea- or ocean-phobic. This image has been promoted rather deliberately because a sailing-aversive China would fit in well with the non-capitalist development framework. This study shows that from 2100 B.C. to A.D. 1900, the Chinese were as enthusiastic about and capable of seagoing activities as other peoples. Evidence shows that economic interests provided Chinese sailing-related activities with a lasting impetus, and the private sector played a central role.
However, maritime activities in China raise at least two paradoxes: the activities were incompatible with the agrarian dominance in the Chinese premodern economy, and there was a huge gap between China's maritime potential and maritime growth. This situation was symptomatic of both positive and negative effects of technical and economic aspects of premodern China. Technologically, limited maritime growth resulted from climatic and hydrographic conditions favorable to agriculture. Economically, it resulted from low Chinese participation in maritime activities because of safe returns from the agricultural sector. This book provides readers with a long-term analysis of Chinese maritime activities and their economic consequences in industries, infrastructure, trade, migration, and government policies. It shows a new insight into the causes for sterility of capitalist industrialization in premodern China.
List of contents
Foreword by Ramon H. Myers
Preface
Introduction
Background: Environment and Maritime ActivitiesPhysical Environment
Maritime-Activity Types
Evolution of Chinese Maritime TechnologyObservations
Development of China's Maritime Technology
Comparison
Supply of ShipsQuantitative Estimation
Ship Supply and Resource Scarcity
Trade Types and AgentsMaritime Trade Types
Maritime Merchants
Markets and Trade PatternsMarkets and Returns
Trade Patterns
Aftermath of the Change
Nature of the Change
Interpretations of the Change
Urbanization, Migration, and Technological DisseminationUrbanization of the Coastal Region
Migration by Sea
Technological Dissemination by Sea
Conclusion: China's Performance and Path DependencyChina's Overall Maritime Performance
China's Paradoxes and Path Dependency
Final Remarks
Appendix A: Rare Illustrations of Chinese Traditional Ships
Appendix B: Chinese Sea Merchants Trading with Japan, 1641-1772
Appendix C: Monetary Systems in Chinese History
Appendix D: Densely Populated Prefectures in Ming-Qing Times
Glossary
References
Index
About the author
GANG DENG is Lecturer in Economic History at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His earlier books include Development Versus Stagnation: Technological Continuity and Agricultural Progress in Pre-modern China (Greenwood, 1993) and Chinese Maritime Activities and Socioeconomic Development, C. 2100-1900 A.D. (Greenwood, 1997).
