In the seventh century how did china differ from Europe?

* China: Ruled by an emperor who claimed the Mandate of Heaven, which gave him the right to rule over all of China. The emperor was assisted by a bureaucracy of civil servants who were selected through a merit-based exam system.

* Europe: Ruled by a variety of kings, queens, and other nobles who inherited their right to rule. There was no central government, and each lord ruled over his or her own territory.

Economy

* China: Primarily agricultural, with a strong emphasis on rice cultivation. Also significant trade and commerce, both overland and along the coast.

* Europe: Also primarily agricultural, but with a greater emphasis on wheat and barley cultivation. Also some trade and commerce along the river systems and the Mediterranean Sea.

Religion

* China: Primarily Buddhist and Taoist, with some Confucianism.

* Europe: Primarily Christian, with some Paganism.

Social Structure

* China: Highly stratified, with the emperor at the top and the peasants at the bottom. Women were subordinate to men.

* Europe: Also stratified, but with a greater degree of mobility between classes. Women had more rights in Europe than in China.

Technology

* China: More advanced in many areas, including gunpowder, the compass, and papermaking.

* Europe: Lagged behind China in some areas, but was catching up. The printing press, windmills, and watermills were all developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.

Military

* China: Used a variety of weapons, including swords, spears, crossbows, and gunpowder.

* Europe: Used similar weapons, but the development of armor, castles, and siege engines gave European armies an advantage over Chinese armies.

Overall, China was a more advanced civilization than Europe in the seventh century. However, Europe was beginning to catch up, and would eventually surpass China in many areas.