“… even when the great civilizations developed, they set their bound aries somewhere.
…. the Chinese Empire had no Foreign Affairs Department, since it was civilization, and all else barbarism – they recognized the existence of life beyond the lines, but only barbarian life.
The line where civilization ended was patrolled by armed men, guarded by Roman and Chinese walls. As to what lay beyond, they were not too interested…”
— Worsley, Peter. (1967). The Third World.