China was historically dominant in its neighborhood except against Japan, which only successfully invaded once during WWII. This success came from Japan's unique position as the region's sole industrialized power (remember that they also beat Russia), also exploiting China's division during the warlord era.
China was historically dominant in its neighborhood except against Japan, which only successfully invaded once during WWII. This success came from Japan's unique position as the region's sole industrialized power (remember that they also beat Russia), also exploiting China's division during the warlord era.
While a strong current in Chinese tradition does frown on militarism - there's a Neo-Confucian saying, 'good men don't become soldiers' (好男不当兵) - many effective soldiers came from dissenters or ethnic minorities (for example, Ma Bufang, a Muslim, helping with the Tibet Question). Another Muslim eunuch lead the 'treasure voyages' that reached Africa until the Ming dynasty shut it down, burned the ships, and became isolationist.
China was historically dominant in its neighborhood except against Japan, which only successfully invaded once during WWII. This success came from Japan's unique position as the region's sole industrialized power (remember that they also beat Russia), also exploiting China's division during the warlord era.
While a strong current in Chinese tradition does frown on militarism - there's a Neo-Confucian saying, 'good men don't become soldiers' (好男不当兵) - many effective soldiers came from dissenters or ethnic minorities (for example, Ma Bufang, a Muslim, helping with the Tibet Question). Another Muslim eunuch lead the 'treasure voyages' that reached Africa until the Ming dynasty shut it down, burned the ships, and became isolationist.