Why China was Not an Isolated Country?

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Justify why China was not an Isolated Country
China is one of the historically richest countries in the world. The country’s history dates back thousands of years ago, and almost every major event or change in, for example, leadership is recorded. Sima Qian is a name that rings many bells in the ears of a Chinese historian. Qian is considered the father of Chinese history, and through his Shiji or historical records, he provided a structure of early Chinese history (Lee 16). It is through Qian’s records that the three “pre-imperial dynasties” were recorded. These three dynasties include the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Even though these three were dynasties, they did not have control over the whole of China. Therefore, there was no empire during these three dynasties. The collection of historical records or the tracing that Qian was doing had its challenges. As Lee (16) indicates, Qian admitted to facing difficulties in reconstructing the chronology of the previous leaders that ruled over the Chinese land. However, even with the little information in his hands, Qian was able to provide information on the Xia-Shang-Zhou chronology and thus pave the way for a greater understanding of the country’s history. However, with regard to isolationism, there is conflicting information on China and whether the country assumed an isolation policy long before the start of the Ming dynasty. Various reports appear to indicate that ancient China also took an isolationist approach. For example, while quoting Becker, Price (40) notes that “there seems rather good evidence for the belief that Chinese culture, indigenous from a very early period as it was, remained relatively indigenous throughout the thousands of years during which its main lines were becoming fixed.” However, even though China’s culture remained indigenous for a long time, the assumption that the country remained isolated throughout its dynasty periods is untrue, as will be showcased in this paper.
Xia-Shang-Zhou Period
Ancient China recorded these periods as instances when the country was not under any imperial rule. Also, there is a widespread belief that China was greatly isolated during this period. However, there is evidence that suggests that China was not as isolated as is believed. For example, the start and development of metallurgy that gave birth to the Bronze Age in China, especially during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, had outside influence. Meicun and Liu (1) note that metallurgy started in Central Asia before spreading to other areas. In addition, the researchers note that the Seima-Turbino Culture started in the Altai Mountains (1) before it found its way to China, thereby influencing the rise and growth of the Bronze Age in the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The evidence of the above is greatly captured through the spearheads that were collected from Northern China. Therefore, even though the country was relatively isolated and maintained its cultures throughout this period, it still borrowed from those around it.
The Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty is the first known empire of China. Before the ascension of the Qin Dynasty into power, the Zhou dynasty experien...