Inventing something does not make you great. The Roman short thrusting sword and pila spear was invented by the Spanish (Iberians), but it was the Romans that developed tactics to use them effectively that allowed their Legions to dominate the battlefield. The Chinese invented crude steel, gunpowder, rockets and cannons, but the Europeans kept improving them that by the Opium War in the 1840's, British guns on iron clad steam ships outranged the Chinese guns and decimated the Imperial forts. Inventing something is like graduating from college, it means nothing if you do not apply it effectively.
Absolutely correct. 3000 yrs ago, China was the most civilized, prosperous nation in the world. Once the kings became isolationist, Europe/America with their free movement of information surpassed them.
I suspect this is based on the Caucasian mummies found in China.
The mummies were dressed in fabric identified as "plaid" and from there, the Chinese have made an amazing quantum leap of [deranged] logic that since ancient plaid was found in China, golf must have therefore been born there as well since the two often are found together.
[it's all I can figger and the last bit I'm just makin' up as I go along]....;D