Eastern bound Silk Road

China is often credited with several early important inventions that play a profound role in the rise and fall of civilizations. To name a few- the use of paper as a modus for writing, the invention of gunpowder, and the navigational compass, and the rudimentary predecessors to the word press.

So imagine if you will that early in its history China turns toward the East instead of the West. Perhaps the founder of the Qin Dynasty lives longer yet continues to obsess over the Taoist notion of immortality and the mythical island where the immortals sages still live hiding the elixir of life. Perhaps Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty grows weary of the endless wars inherent in any expansion into the Tarim basin and turns his sights to possibilities across the eastern sea. In theory even a primitive vessel could make it to America by hugging the Asian coastline up into Siberia across to Alaska and back down into North America. Set up a series of forts on the asian mainland or along the numerous tiny islands that pop up along the way, and poof you have the makings of a sea born silk road. Alternatively, if your willing to risk attacks by northern nomadic tribes you could move up into what today is Russia's heartland found a city or two on the edge of Siberia, then take a quick ocean voyage to alaska and make your way through the Canadian wilderness into America. Either way numerous tribes might be found willing to trade, and a dedicated search will eventually lead to the more advanced cultures of South America (and their mines of jade).

My question is two fold. Is it possible for the Maya, Inca or Aztecs to experience an industrial revolution given the conditions we know of in that country and a bit of a 'jump start' from the chinese? Second, if trade moves east instead of west, how does that affect Europe? Will they eventually innovate on their own how to make gunpowder or how much better paper works over papyrus, or will they have to wait a few extra centuries (or millenia) for these inventions to trickle through the less well established trade routes of India and the middle east (or maybe rely on the Mongols to bring these advances after they get bored with burning Europe's cities and subjugating its peoples). On a more positive note, might this avoid the spread of plagues viz the Black Death? Could we be looking at a world in which the roles are reversed- advanced MesoAmerican (or north american??) nations discovery and colonize (or conqueror) the nations of Europe and Africa?
 
Well depends on the Mongols. Nothing happens without them. They arguably piqued interest in the east for Europe, so depending on their circumstances, it's very possible Europe remains very much focused inwardly, and to the max, looking at the Holy Land for expansion, giving Asia a big advantage.
 
An interesting but deeply flawed scenario. First of all, there is no incentive whatsoever for the Chinese to risk the long journey in unknown waters around the Siberian and North American coast. This is a route of literally tens of thousands of kilometers past barren coastline just to reach any sign of civilization besides naked savages. Why would the Chinese want to take this route having no knowledge of the Mesoamerican civilizations? It's basically a total waste of time and money, a completely insane venture.

Even if it were to happen, the Mesoamerican civilizations are too far away and too undeveloped to form a counter market to Western Asia and Europe. Chinese goods are going to flow west, because that's where the demand is, and that's where the trade routes are well-established enough to provide adequate supply. A route around the northern end of the Pacific Rim will never see even a tiny fraction of the trade volume of Eurasia's trade routes through Central Asia and the Indian Ocean. If we're talking as far back Qin or Han times this is even more ASB-y given the huge demand for Chinese goods in the Classical world.
 
An update on my old thoughts:

What if a Chinese Emperor, like Huangdi or Emperor Wu, employed a third party to search the Pacific for the legendary Island of the Immortals (supposedly certain emperors were obsessed with this myth and the notion that they could live forever). I'm thinking here specifically of the Polynesians, possibly beginning on the island of Taiwan. With just the stars and some sea bound canoes the Polynesians colonized a remarkably large swath of the Pacific, verifiably as far east as Easter Island and according to some actually made it to the shores of America (supposedly there are certain plants with an origin in America that can be found on some Polynesian islands). What's interesting to me is that there are supposedly guilds on every island populated by the Polynesians that contain the secrets of their navigation and instructions for reaching nearby islands (to be used in case of famine or similar disasters to relocate or trade with their neighbors). So imagine, if you will, a China that turns Taiwan's Polynesians into a client state and tasks them with carting the Easter Sea after the fashion of the Pharaoh Nekau of Egypt employing the Phoenicians to chart the coast of Africa. Armed with truly excellent navigational techniques for the ancient world and chinese shipping technology capable of covering the distance faster than their ancestors, the chances of finding the new world improve dramatically. From there the Polynesians could follow the example of the Persians and later Muslims and become a bridge between China and far away civilization (and profit greatly from the two way exchange to boot).
 
In a way, it happened in roman days , the sea roads, indian traders... Some roman goods ended all the way up to Indochina, China..
 
In a way, it happened in roman days , the sea roads, indian traders... Some roman goods ended all the way up to Indochina, China..

Yes, but I think that was a good example of the OTL silk road; which was two ways, after all (even if there was a definite trade deficiency for the West). What is being proposed here, i gather, would be trade relations between China and the Americas. That I have a bit harder time seeing; I'm not really sure what the Chinese would be interested in from the Americas that would be worth the long travel times (maybe the Polynesian idea makes the most sense but, even there, they traveled in small boats that would make for small cargoes)
 
An update on my old thoughts:

What if a Chinese Emperor, like Huangdi or Emperor Wu, employed a third party to search the Pacific for the legendary Island of the Immortals (supposedly certain emperors were obsessed with this myth and the notion that they could live forever). I'm thinking here specifically of the Polynesians, possibly beginning on the island of Taiwan. With just the stars and some sea bound canoes the Polynesians colonized a remarkably large swath of the Pacific, verifiably as far east as Easter Island and according to some actually made it to the shores of America (supposedly there are certain plants with an origin in America that can be found on some Polynesian islands). What's interesting to me is that there are supposedly guilds on every island populated by the Polynesians that contain the secrets of their navigation and instructions for reaching nearby islands (to be used in case of famine or similar disasters to relocate or trade with their neighbors). So imagine, if you will, a China that turns Taiwan's Polynesians into a client state and tasks them with carting the Easter Sea after the fashion of the Pharaoh Nekau of Egypt employing the Phoenicians to chart the coast of Africa. Armed with truly excellent navigational techniques for the ancient world and chinese shipping technology capable of covering the distance faster than their ancestors, the chances of finding the new world improve dramatically. From there the Polynesians could follow the example of the Persians and later Muslims and become a bridge between China and far away civilization (and profit greatly from the two way exchange to boot).

The problem (as with all Great Man type scenarios) is what happens after the legendary island-obsessed Emperor dies and his successor takes over who might well have other interests entirely? Polynesia has nothing that China needs so absent the obsession of an Emperor there's no reason to continue financing expensive maritime expeditions.
 

PhilippeO

Banned
Polynesia has nothing that China needs so absent the obsession of an Emperor there's no reason to continue financing expensive maritime expeditions.

Tobacco ? Coca ?

rather than one emperor obsession, its better to develop natural trading route :

1. easter islander contact south/mesoamerica
2. coca/tobacco then traded to other polynesian isles (as a luxury trade)
3. westernmost group of polynesian contact ryukyu or fujianese trader.
4. china develop taste for tobacco/coca
5. trade route develop
6. one emperor decide to "cut the middlemen" and send ship to land of tobacco
 
For the original push, you would probably need an expansionist Eastward looking Emperor to get things started. As for the rest...

I'm no economist, but for such a long distance trade to work, you would need a GIGANTIC force of supply and demand on both sides of the Pacific. Cocoa would be one thing, precious metals next. To maintain such a long-term trade, products would need to be diversified such as rare timber, spices, material goods and animal fibers. I can see silk fetching a reasonable price in the Mesoamericas, but for that to happen you need a large middle and noble class to wear them and use them.

However, I seem to recall the reason why China didn't go the ways of the European empires is because they considered themselves "the best nation in the Celestial Kingdom, with all materials in prolific abundance." Make no mistake, they did traded for things like ivory and pepper, but for the most part they thought of themselves having just about everything there is on Earth. You would need to change to mindset of the people first if you want to make this timeline possible.

Also, the introduction of a commerce economy would change the social order of Pre-Colombian North America in incalculable ways with the introduction of an international mass-trading economy.
 
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