I previously read that China will be represented by Zhou, Ming and PRC in the game. But I have a sense that the Sòng Dynasty (960–1127, 1129–1276) is a better representative Chinese culture.

Ming is famous for its naval exploration, the treasure voyages, but that only lasted for 28 years, and ended after the second major Emporer, Yongle Emperor died. Following that was the beginning of self isolation and sea ban during the rest of Ming and Qing dynasties. But throughout Sòng Dynasty, shipbuilding and maritime trade was actively developed, and the Sòng coins were spreaded out all over Southeast Asia through trades. Ming was also famous for firearms in fight in Korean Peninsula with Japanese Shogun. But firearms were heavily used for the first time in Sòng. Gunpowder came into military usage during the last years of Tang, but was widly adopted in battlefields during Sòng.

Sòng is marked by the first currency note, merchandised economy(instead of feudal agricultural economy), masive coal mining, metallurgy(which is why Sòng could keep domestic economy growing even when large amount of silver and copper coins outflew abroad), the invention of printing(Movable type), and most populated megacity with around 1.5 million population(the capital Kaifeng, and Lin'an, which was not surpassed untill late Qing Dynasty)

The cultural peak of China was also around Tang and Sòng. Sòng Cí(Song poetry) is emblematic for Chinese literature.

Sòng co-existed during the medieval Europe, but based on its economy's emphasis on commerce, its cultural prosperity with printing and firearm usage in battlefields, it can be categorized as a Renaissance culture.