WARNING: China-wank! This timeline was partially inspired by the
Chung Kuo Series by David Wingrove. While I have yet to read any of the books, I look forward to doing so. Essentially, a future history where the Chinese end up ruling the entire planet. All of Earth is divided into seven unitary states, each presided over by a T'ang. There is a state for each of the five habitable continents plus two more for Eurasia. Of course, I have yet to actually READ the book, but the one thing that seems truly implausible is the fact that this uber-China is a resurrected imperial China, when I would expect such an uber-China to essentially be a supersized Peoples Republic of China, and that this world empire would be composed of seven continental
republics. But alas, I need to read. I trust that the author explains how an Emperor was restored.
In the mean time, I have thought of my own Super Chung Kuo scenario, beginning with what I believe to be the most recent time in the past when China
could have begun a globe spanning empire. I will follow the example of
Tony Jones in organizing my timeline.
The DIVERGENCE...
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), China went through a severe decline, and by the end it was raided by European imperial powers (and Japan). Aside from missing out on the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, the Qing dynasty became weak, decadent, and corrupt.
Japan, on the other hand, was similarly disadvantaged initially, but the Japanese were able to accept Western influence and modernize, becoming a major world power in a few decades. Why did Meiji Japan succeed when Qing China failed?
I selected the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864) as a possible turning point. What if they had succeeded? With a huge population and a developing economy, were China to take the major route, the world may never be the same.