Raging Sea Dawn

Engineering youth Wang Kai travels through time to 1650, just before the Battle of Zhoushan. Stranded on Jeju Island, he takes in displaced artisans and refugees, building a foothold on the island. Using advanced technology, he mines coal, fires bricks, makes cement, and runs saltworks to accumulate wealth. When the Tamna tribes rebel, he suppresses them with force, building a mound of skulls to intimidate the barbarians and secure his territory. Wang Kai establishes a full industrial production line, manufacturing firearms, cannons, and ocean-going warships, forming a revolutionary army. He wins loyalty by distributing rewards, housing, and supplies; opens free schools for both boys and girls, breaking the old notion that women need not study. He trades with Shanxi merchant Qiao Guifa for profit, keeping heavy industry state-owned while liberalizing commerce, enriching the people. Before the Battle of Zhoushan, he rescues the remnants of the Southern Ming with his firearm-armed navy, using naval power to resist the Qing. When strong enough, he leads a northern expedition, his firearm army crushing the Eight Banners, establishing a new regime with a constitution, where the military only defends against foreign enemies, and both men and women can study and hold office. Eventually, his fleet sails across the seas, spreading Chinese civilization worldwide, ushering in an era of prosperity through industry.