Asian Century: Imagine the world without China

THIS column celebrates the Asian Century and shall feature a series of articles that celebrate the contributions of the East to the universe and promote Eastern cosmology that transforms towards harmony (not homogenization) and that allows co-existence amid diversity. This article is all about China.

As the world was Europeanized in the 19th century and Americanized in the 20th century, it is being Asianized in the 21st century. Global leaders acknowledged that the Asian Century is set to begin (Financial Times, 2019) and there is no turning back (WEF) and there are reasons to be optimistic (Nikkei). Asia’s rise has been swift. Looking ahead, Asia is expected to rebound faster, post-pandemic (IMF). The region is home to 21 of the world’s 30 largest, and four of the 10 most visited countries.

Home to more than half of the world’s population, the region has climbed from low- to middle-income status within a single generation. By 2040, it is likely to generate more than 50 percent of world GDP, and could account for nearly 40 percent of global consumption.

China in numbers

Central to the Asian Century is China. Forty years of economic growth, at an average of nearly 10 percent a year, has transformed the country into a global leader in technology and manufacturing. China is home to six of the world’s megacities, and its economy is now second only in size to the United States — larger if trade is taken into account. Life expectancy has risen to 75 for men and 78 for women (WHO), with a mean age of 38.4 for a population of 1.41 billion.

China’s consumer spending is about $6 trillion per year (2020) and it has everything for the world. Over 35 percent of the global luxury goods spend comes from China. It is also a major contributor to the global tourism industry, with about $250 billion spent internationally.

China is a world leader in renewable energy. China is home to over 400 electric vehicle companies and leading consumer and manufacturer of the solar power industry with three of the world’s five largest floating solar plants. China accounts for more than half of global electric car sales.

Pioneering China

Many of the things we use in our daily lives were pioneered by the Chinese. From the paper (105 BCE) to the printing press (960–1127) to bristle toothbrush (1498) to kites (1232) and umbrellas inspired by lotus leaves in ancient China. China’s dominant silk market today dates back during the Neolithic period. The earliest porcelain emerged in the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE), matured during the Tang Dynasty (618-906) and improved during the Song Dynasty (960–1279).

Ancient Chinese medicine is known for preventive medicine through food and medicine homology wherein food is the medicine and medicines are food. They have already standardized the unit of measure for medicine. Tea was discovered in ancient China by the Chinese emperor Shennong (2737 BC). Alcohol is known as Jiu in Chinese and is often used as a spiritual offering in ancient China (1000 years before Arabian). Beer was widely consumed in ancient China.

 

The decimal system was a Chinese contribution to mathematical advances (Han dynasty). The earliest binary thought (straight line and broken line) originated in China (2000 BC). The ancient Chinese began to use the decimal counting method with the use of the abacus, which is the first calculator known to humans — and the root of digitalization.

Chang Heng who developed the seismograph, envisaged that the earth is a sphere with nine continents and introduced the crisscrossing grid of latitude and longitude. The compass was invented by the Chinese (2nd century BC) initially for feng shui but became the navigational compass (1000 AD). The mechanical clock was invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk (725 A.D) and later developed by the inventor Su Song to a more sophisticated clock called the Cosmic Empire in 1092.

A pinewood impregnated with sulfur started the match in China (577 CE). Gunpowder was invented by a Chinese Taoist alchemist (1000 AD). The Wei State already used torches attached to arrows to guard against the invading troops (228 A.D). Later, the Song Dynasty (960-1279) adapted gunpowder to make rockets which were widely used in military and entertainment activities in China.

The Silk Road refers to a network of routes used by traders for more than 1,500 years, from when the Han dynasty opened trade in 130 BC until 1453 CE, when the Ottoman Empire closed off trade with the West. Ferdinand von Richthofen first used the term “silk road” (1877 CE) to describe the well-traveled pathway of goods between Europe and East Asia.

The Great Wall of China was built by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (260–210 BC) to protect the country from northern invaders. The 5,500-mile-long wall was built by slaves, criminals and peasants. It is estimated that millions of people worked to build the Great Wall over a period of 1,000 years.

An Iron Age began in ancient China during the Zhou dynasty (1050 BC–256 BC). Wheelbarrows were used in China earlier than in Europe (11th century). The helicopter rotor and the propeller of the helicopter top, called the “bamboo dragonfly” originated in China. Sir George Cayley, the father of modern aeronautics, studied the Chinese helicopter top in 1809. Recently, China’s Space Science has landed a space rover Chang’e-4 on the far side of the Moon.

The first online shopping platform Alibaba (1999) is followed by a fintech solution Alipay (2015). WeChat productively fuses the worlds of social and commercial technology (2019). TikTok originated in China and has invaded social media, including the US.

Intelligent and harmonizing China

China ranks as the fifth country with the highest IQ in the world with an average IQ of 104.1. China’s innovation score is among the highest in the world, lagging only Germany, the US and Switzerland.

China’s education system is highly competitive, with students facing intense pressure to perform academically, which has led to a culture of diligence, persistence and academic excellence. Confucianism was at the center of education in China from the Han Dynasty (221–206 BC). The basic ideas of Confucius still play a role in Chinese education today. Confucius divided the aims of teaching into individual and social aims. The “small tranquility” is the first stage of society and the “great harmony” is set as the highest stage of ideal society. The substance of teaching includes moral, intellectual and religious teaching. Social harmony is paramount.

Even Sun Tzu, the Chinese military general and strategist (771-256 BC) summarized the sublime victory in the Art of War as winning the war without fighting.

Chinese logograph is the only surviving lexigraphic language in the world and is unique. The Chinese characters embody everything — philosophy, history, norms, arts — are all inside the character. The etymology of a character can be seen in the character itself.

Now, imagine the world without China.

Next week: Imagine the world without India