China established a static culture, government, beaurocracy, and ruling class. Change was destabilizing, therefore descouraged. With no upward mobility (outside of classical pursuits) there was no reason to "capitalize" inventions.
The bow was superior to gun powder weapons into the early 1800s, if you had the trained, disiplined, motivated bowmen.
What drove European weapons developement was the political need for canon. Siege and naval.
The Moslems made a similar choice, for polical reasons. The clergy declared the Koran the only book worth studying, the rulers approved because it restricted rule and dominance to the aristocracy and those who could fight their way into it. More or less.
Egyptian Janasaries (look it up) asked why the Europeans insisted on using such unmanly weapons.
The US colonies were escentially independent states, they weredriven to unity and revolt, and succeeded because men choose to support the interests of most over themselves, a rare thing indeed.
When I see some of our political "statements" I wonder where the compromise and nation building went.
There are politicians here and now who would fit that chinese court very well.
Change isn't always comfortable, especially now as we have to make the rules as we go.