ABSTRACT
Doing business with China involves engaging with the modern manifestations of an ancient civilization. This chapter reviews the historical background and the impact it has on the attitudes and perspectives of Chinese people today. While the Yellow Emperor is probably mythical, the Emperor Qin Shi Huang was not. By the time of the Qin, Chinese technology far surpassed the West. The Ming era was another of Chinese greatness, not least in respect of sheer size. While the Ming era was one of Chinese pre-eminence, it also saw the beginnings of decline. The Opium Wars marked the beginning of China's collapse and dismemberment at the hands of foreign powers. Technology is a key determinant of power and prosperity and China had been technologically superior to the West for millennia. Chinese people are deeply aware of their history. In government policy, the past is drawn upon as a source of inspiration and legitimacy.
