这一时期，东西方经济文化接触日益频繁，新航路的开辟使世界密切联系起来。由于西方国家的工业革命，资本主义发展迅速。相比之下，中国却未能同步发展。由于封建制度的束缚，生产力发展受到严重阻碍，商品经济发展艰难。随着西方殖民主义侵略势力的到来，改变了中国封建统治者对外部世界的态度。

  During this period economic and cultural contacts between the East and the West became more and more frequent. The opening of new navigation routes linked almost all corners of the globe. With the Industrial Revolution in the West, capitalism progressed rapidly. However, China was left behind during this phase of history, due to the restrictions imposed by the feudal political and economic structure, which hampered the development of commerce. Aggression by Western colonialists forced the Chinese feudal rulers to change their attitude to the outside world.