[VOA]

Chinese map collecter has found a copy of an ancient map he claims proves
controversial theories that famed Chinese mariner Zheng He was the
first person to discover America and circumnavigate the world.

Oh well, just like with gunpowder.
The Chinese discovered it, didn't know what to do with it.

(which is really weird, because all the Chinese I've worked with
are pretty danged smart.)

[Roverman2K]

They are smart but have no imagination at all, it has been bred out of them after centuries of Strict rulers.

[GladesGuru]

The Chinese discovered it, didn't know what to do with it.

(which is really weird, because all the Chinese I've worked with
are pretty danged smart.)

Smart isn't enough to overcome bureaucracy, which the Chinese also invented. It held them back, as it is holding us back now.

[muawiyah]

The story that the Chinese didn't know what to do with gunpowder is in error. They went straight from fireworks and flash powder to large rockets which carried explosive loads used in warfare.

The multi-stage rocket was developed much later by Schmidlapp in Germany or Austria.

It's noteworthy that the broad outlines of cannons were developed by the Turks, and that the Europeans undertook to improve the design substantially. This effort resulted in today's modern handguns (and everything else).