Understanding Imperial China: Dynasties, Life, and Culture

Ming Dynasty Trade and Spanish Silver (1x17)

Air date: Sep 22, 2017

Visit the teeming port of Manila, where the 16th century influx of Spanish silver made the city a vibrant hub of East-West exchange. Observe how the import of New World silver and crops to China sparked a remarkable period of prosperous living. Note the proliferation of restaurants, travel guides, fashion, leisure activities, commercial sex, and popular religion that characterized the era.