A closer look
Imagine having the most advanced navy on Earth and deciding to burn it for border security. After the legendary, massive voyages of Admiral Zheng He, paranoia over coastal piracy led the Ming Dynasty to enact the Haijin, or 'sea ban'. Instead of fighting the wokou pirates, the government simply outlawed the ocean. They destroyed their own massive galleons and banned private maritime trade entirely, which ironically just forced more impoverished Chinese fishermen into a lucrative life of piracy.
