Scenario: Oriental Dawn

China, blessed with fertile farmland, an abundance of natural resources, and a large population, was arguably the most powerful nation on Earth for centuries. Technologically, it was ahead of everyone else. It exerted political and cultural influence over much of the Asian continent, posessed some of the finest minds of their time, and had trade routes stretching far and wide. However, thinking they had all the world had to offer, the Chinese became isolationist, looked inward, and stagnated. This gave way for the Europeans to dominate the history books. But what if China looked outward instead of inward? What if, instead of penalizing exploration and outside trade, encouraged these practices? Would this change in the course of history lead to an Oriental Dawn?

Points of Divergence

 * The emperors of the Ming Dynasty never adopt isolationist policies, encouraging trade and exploration instead of penalizing and hindering it.