The greatest of all wall builders were the Ming, whose astounding accomplishments dwarfed what had been done earlier by the Qin and the Han. The Ming not only built more wall than any other dynasty, but theirs was also bigger, longer, more ornate and more imposing. Theirs is the wall with which we are familiar.

But the Ming, who came to power in 1368, were much more than master wall builders. They were also the architects of an age during which China became a world economic power. Chinese trade ships sailed as far as  India, Japan, the Persian Gulf, and the South Pacific, carrying endless payloads of porcelain, silk, spices, and a new drink that soon became the rage in Europe -- Chinese tea.

The Ming reign was a time of prosperity and intellectual vigor, but it didn't last. Ming culture had always been susceptible to a deep mistrust and condescending opinion of foreigners. In the mid-15th century, Ming rulers abruptly curtailed foreign trade and began to shun any kind of contact with the outside world.

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