[Dave Wright]

I only saw the trailer and I couldn’t understand the dialogue due to the bizarre accent so I had to skip the movie. The whole idea that a technologically advanced civilization could thrive under a centralized tribal monarchy conflicts with what we know from history. China tried to remain isolated and centrally controlled and was soon eclipsed technologically by the West once the Enlightenment and Democratic revolutions freed human minds and capital to achieve their individual potential. The premise of this movie is a throw back to the divine rights of kings and rule by tribes and castes. Sorry my King but this isn’t how human progress works.

[Rummyfan]

The whole idea that a technologically advanced civilization could thrive under a centralized tribal monarchy conflicts with what we know from history.

Again, a comic book....

[Cronos]

I think China fell behind the West NOT due to democracy or the Enlightenment

Rather China fell behind because:

1. For 300 years it was ruled by foreigners - the Manchu/Jurchens who crushed local Chinese and initially tried to stay apart from the ruled
   
2. They had a centralized state that frowned on businessmen or entrepreneurs (due to these possibly leading to local uprisings agaisnt the foreign Manchu overlords)
   
   
3. The Industrial revolution was stomped out due to the same reason

If china had retained its multiple warring kingdoms period along with the technology and openness of the Tang and early Ming dynasties, they would have gone very far.