China's long-term maritime history has been overlooked by the scholarly world, creating a misconception that the Chinese were sea- or ocean-phobic. This image has been promoted rather deliberately because a sailing-aversive China would fit in well with the non-capitalist development framework. This study shows that from 2100 B.C. to A.D. 1900, the Chinese were as enthusiastic about and capable of seagoing activities as other peoples. But maritime activities in China raise two paradoxes: these activities were incompatible with the agrarian dominance of the Chinese premodern economy, and there was a huge gap between Chinese maritime potential and maritime growth.

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