> China conquered China, unifying a large area of territory under one government The land between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers is relatively flat, making it e

> China conquered China, unifying a large area of territory under one government The land between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers is relatively flat, making it easier for the Han to unite. When the grand canal was built, the economies of scale of trade made the Tang prosperous. > Historically, they have not shown much inclination to capture foreign territory and colonize it (even when they could have done so easily) I don't know if they could have captured foreign territory easily. The hilly southern areas weren't always part of China, but they took it over when they were able. China's surrounded by forests to the southwest, mountains to the west, deserts to the north, and ocean to the east and south, all hard barriers to penetrate. It's easier for nomadic cavalry from the desert to come down and raid, they often did and even ruled China for 100 yrs. The Chinese then built a navy and probably would have taken over various ports along the coast from Vietnam to Tanzania, but the Ming leaders were so afraid the Mongolians (or similar) would re-invade, they closed down the entire navy and diverted all military resources to securing the northern border, building the Forbidden City and Great Wall. Like all governments, if they can take over more land, they will.