Why Ancient China Failed

Most people in the west mostly think of Europe when they think of the period of time known as the middle ages, but the truth is China was a very dominant power in those times. China was wealthier and more advanced than the Europeans, but over time, China fell off its climb and became poor and basically ruled by the Europeans that came to "trade". The reason was China became so powerful that they didn't think it needed to advance any more. For example, they had gunpowder, but the weapons they used were so unreliable that they were more likely to cause damage to the user than the target, while Europeans built cannons and rifles that were much more reliable and effective, leading them to dominate China.