Age of the Sea Dragons (Sea Dragons)

Written By Dr. Wong professor of history from the Guangzhou University of Social Sciences, produced in 1996 translated into English 1999.

Abstract
The Age of The Sea Dragons lies deep in the memory of the Sinosphere and indeed the world for diverse reasons. Economically and socially the order insular middle kingdoms was broken down and replaced with modernity. For decades historians have argued from different sides on the relevance of Sea Dragon piracy in transforming coital East Asia. Regardless Sea Dragon piracy opened a new dawn, traumatically through violence and disorder.

This piece The Age of the Sea Dragons is about defining just who and what consists of a Sea Dragon as the term has sometimes been used vary widely to identify any vaguely oriental outlaw with nautical actives. The origins of the Sea Dragons will be explored as well their culture and their way of life. Contrary to popular perception Sea Dragons were not a single nationality and quite often had origins from Austronesian peoples as much as they had Chinese, Korean or Japanese ancestry. Under particular scrutiny will be viewing the role of Sea Dragons not just as raiders but also of explorers and colonizers. Some of those termed Sea Dragons even engaged in what could be called interstate activity and were viewed by Europeans as state powers that had to be dealt with in the view of international relations as opposed to just being criminals.

The farthest overreaching consequence of Sea Dragons was the resulting acceleration of biological and technological diffusion. In the chaos that accompanied the rise of the Sea Dragons technologies religions and crops transmitted between the East and West and on a more equal playing field compared to turn of the 16th centuries, when Europeans had been proactive but not oriental hermit kingdoms. Sea Dragons too introduced new diseases and crops in the ensuing exploration of Oceania.

Defining Sea Dragons
Histories (Sea Dragons)