Chapter 1
The ancient roots of global trade
Chapter 2
The rise of the world's factory
Chapter 3
Inside the modern supply chains
Chapter 4
The high-tech future of Chinese design
Ch 1 · The ancient roots of global trade
chino Ancient China Global Trade
Silk Road stretched so far, From Chang'an to Rome afar, Goods and ideas across the world.
chino Long before the Industrial Revolution, ancient Chinese artisans used standardized parts to mass-produce bronze weapons.
Fun Fact
Ancient porcelain: The English word 'china' for porcelain plates comes directly from the country's name, as it was the sole source of high-quality ceramics for centuries.
chino Chinese potters perfected porcelain, creating a global obsession that European alchemists spent centuries trying to copy.
Glossary
silk road (noun)
An ancient network of trade routes that connected East Asia with the Mediterranean and Europe. During the Han dynasty, Chinese merchants used these paths to trade silk and spices with Western empires.
An ancient network of trade routes that connected East Asia with the Mediterranean and Europe. During the Han dynasty, Chinese merchants used these paths to trade silk and spices with Western empires.
Quiz
Which ancient Chinese dynasty first established the trade network known as the Silk Road?
BETA
chino Decode product names to understand the linguistic influences of "Made in China".
Quiz
In 119 BCE, which two industries did the Han Dynasty nationalize to fund military campaigns?
Quiz
What did ancient Chinese ironworkers use to produce cast iron centuries before Europe?
Quiz
Which Chinese city has been known as the 'Porcelain Capital' for over a thousand years?
Quiz
Which material, invented in China, was guarded so closely that its production methods remained a mystery to Europe for millennia?