The Silver Way China, Spanish America and the Birth of Globalisation, 1565-1815

Long before London and New York rose to international prominence, a trading route was discovered between Spanish America and China that ushered in a new era of globalization. The Ruta de la Plata or "Silver Way" catalyzed economic and cultural exchange, built the foundations for the first global currency, and led to the rise of the first "world city." And yet, for all its importance, the Silver Way is too often neglected in conventional narratives on the birth of globalization. Gordon and Morales re-establish its fascinating role in economic and cultural history, with direct consequences for how we understand China today.

Peter Gordon is the founder and editor of the Asian Review of Books. He is a publisher at Chameleon Press and was a driving force behind the Hong Kong International Literary Festival and the Man Asian Literary Prize. Juan José Morales is a regular commentator on Asian art and history, and a frequent contributor to international and regional publications. A lawyer by training, he is a former president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong