China's loss of economic, technical, and cultural supremacy after the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960-1279) has produced one of the greatest enigmas of world history. Why did China fail to undergo an industrial revolution? Explanations relate to deficiencies of Chinese cultural values, social structure, class system, bureaucracy, and technology. This volume examines the subject of technological development, particularly agricultural development, in order to evaluate whether China suffered all-round technological stagnation. Using the example of the nongshu, or agricultural book, the author also examines the role of Chinese values, social structure, class structure, and bureaucracy in the accumulation, preservation, diffusion, promotion, and recovery of knowledge. Nongshu formed an organic part of Chinese agriculture and thus of Chinese economic history. Thus examination of the nongshu phenomenon leads to new insights into the sociopolitical structure and long-term economic development of pre-modern China. The examination also shows that Chinese technology in agriculture, the leading sector of the economy, did not completely stagnate.

Challenging the stereotype of premodern China as an agricultural nation, this book examines the development of the maritime sector, maritime institutions, and sea power in the premodern era. Initially discussing topics related to China's exports, such as ship design and construction, goods produced solely for export, capital accumulation and investment in the maritime sector, and trade networking, the volume goes on to consider the impact of maritime institutions, governmental trade and non-trade policies, and Confucian attitudes toward maritime activities.

Finally, the book shows how China obtained technological, economic, and naval supremacy in Asian waters until the 18th century and goes on to discuss the reasons for the decline of the maritime sector in the 19th century.

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.