Chapter 542
Joseon wasn’t the only one experiencing growth in foreign trade.
Ming’s Chinese merchants also gradually spread outward.
Already established in Southeast Asian regions like Dai Viet, Siam, and Luzon since ancient times, they expanded their external reach even more actively with added support from the Ming court.
Additionally, Ming possessed geographical advantages that Joseon lacked.
They had land routes utilizing their vast territory that bordered multiple countries.
Most notable was the Ancient Tea Horse Road[1], which started from Yunnan Province and crossed the Tibetan Plateau.
This trade route was established to connect to Central Asia, India, and the Middle East while avoiding Mongol forces represented by the Oirat.
Using these land routes, Ming could secure stable market dominance. Though they couldn’t transport as much cargo at once as ships could, they could maintain steady supply lines.
The same applied to merchandise. Though they had fewer premium goods than Joseon, they could secure customers with reasonable quality at low prices.