***I remember hearing that China went from a sea-faring nation to one more land-based due to a particular dynasty.***
I remember reading the same thing. They even sent ships as far west as the coast of Africa, so one can believe they also went east to the coast of North America.
When they returned, the emperor shut down all exploration for some reason.
Maybe it wasn’t a storm. Maybe they brought back terrible diseases. Sailers will be sailers. Trips to the New World brought back syphilis, or “the French pox.”