...Ancient Chinese Contributions Kenneth Smith Professor Maxine Brown HUM 111-World Cultures I November 29, 2012 The Ancient Chinese culture has contributed in many ways to the way of life today as we know it. Upon completion of this paper, I will have identified eight to ten useful inventions or contributions that are used in the world today. Some of these inventions include the compass, gunpowder, row planting, deep drilling, and toilet paper and so on. Within those eight to ten inventions, I will choose four that I believe are the most innovative. Row Planting (Feudal period – 6th Cent BC) The Chinese started planting crops in rows sometime in the 6th century BC. This allows the crops to grow stronger and faster. It facilitates more planting, weeding, harvesting and watering. There is also documentation that they realize that as wind travels over the rows of plants there is less damage. This obvious development was not instituted in the western world for another 2200 years. (Steven H 2009) Compass (Feudal period – 4th Cent BC) The Chinese developed a lodestone compass to indicate direction sometime in the 4th century BC. These compasses were south pointing and primarily used on land as divination tools and direct finders. Written in the 4th century BC, in the Book of the Devil Valley Master it is written: “lodestone makes iron come or attracts it”. The spoons were made of lodestone, while the plates were of bronze. Thermo-remanence needles were being produced for...
Words: 1144 - Pages: 5
...Adam Kvederis Chinese Contributions to the Modern World H. Stansbury HUM111 6/3/13 The ancient Chinese have made many invaluable contributions to both technology and culture. Originally, a tribe of stone tool using hunter-gatherers, this civilization evolved into a sophisticated people who harnessed the command of gunpowder, medicine, and the arts among other things (Sayre, 2012, pg 208). Although little remains from China’s early history, the luxurious items carefully buried with royalty are a testament to the nation’s power. For example, emperor Shihuangdi of the Quin dynasty was buried in 210 BCE with an extensive army of unique terracotta soldiers, each painstakingly created by hand (Sayre, 2012, pg 208). In his book Travels, Italian merchant and explorer Marco Polo exclaimed, “The houses of the citizens are well built and elaborately finished, and the delight they take in decoration, in painting, and in architecture, leads them to spend in this way sums of money that would astonish you” (Sayre, 2012, pg 497). One of the oldest civilizations in history, China is for these reasons revered for its many achievements throughout history. Following Rome’s fall during the beginning of the Common Era, China emerged as the strongest nation in the world (Sayre, 2012, pg 226). China’s many dynasties each brought technological, cultural, and intellectual advances. Included among these are gunpowder, the compass, printing, paper, tea, acupuncture, spaghetti, the utilization...
Words: 1149 - Pages: 5
...Ancient Chinese Contributions Tamara Harris Dr. Dell Belew HUM111 – Assignment #2 1 June 2014 Several civilizations are credited for their contributions to today’s society. However, there is not one like China and winning a trip there would be like a dream come true! Chinese contributions or inventions are the most commonly used amongst society but little credit is given. My family and I decided that there are several items that we depend on daily in order to make our day complete. We asked each other to select one item to research and give reasons why this contribution to society was imperative. Having the most interesting of the group we decided to enter my findings in hopes of winning a trip to China. Inventions and Contributions from Ancient Chinese documented as far back as 221-207B.C. From the Qin Dynasty (Approx. 221-207 B.C.) know for organization and control there is the contribution of standardized writing and language, standardized money, and standardized system of measurement. The most noted Han Dynasty (Approx. 202 B.C. – A.D. 220) known as the flowering of culture comes the inventions of papermaking, the wheelbarrow, and a compass. During the Era of Disunity or Age of Division (Approx. 220-581 A.D.) came the inventions of the helicopter rotor and propeller and the odometer. Approximately 581-618 A.D., the Sui Dynasty, contributed coinage standardization and block printing. And from the Mongol Dynasty (Approx. 1279-1368 A.D.)...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...ANCIENT CHINESE CONTRIBUTIONS 1 Assignment 2: Ancient Chinese Contributions Thomas R. Felix Strayer University Humanities 111 Professor Aprile Castagna March 05, 2013 ANCIENT CHINESE CONTRIBUTIONS 2 The Ancient Chinese culture was a very successful culture that created many inventions and contributed to the advancement of not only the Chinese civilization but also to the civilization of the world. According to Henry Sayre, the Qin Dynasty, which was said to exist from 221BCE until 206 BCE, was the first empire in China to rise to dominance; however, the Han Dynasty was given credit for the most Ancient Chinese contributions and inventions (Sayre, 2012). The Han Dynasty existed from 206 BCE until 220 CE, and during the Han Dynasty contributions and inventions by the Ancient Chinese included: the wheelbarrow, seismograph, paper, compass, map, glazed pottery, hot air balloons, and silk. While the Ancient Chinese made many contributions and inventions for the world, the four most useful are the wheelbarrow, the seismograph, paper, and the map. Today the wheelbarrow is commonly used for farming, gardening, and construction work such as moving dirt, bricks, mulch. It is suitable for many jobs because it allows the weight of the contents to be evenly distributed between the wheel and the operator. For many of the same purposes...
Words: 1182 - Pages: 5
...Ancient Chinese Contributions In: Philosophy and Psychology Ancient Chinese ContributionsAncient Chinese Contributions The world is forever in debt to China for its innovations and contributions. Ancient Chinese inventions were extremely advanced and are still in use in today. They have contributed to our world civilization’s achievements in the fields of agriculture, shipping, astronomy, printing, oil, martial arts, ammunition, and mathematics. Ancient Chinese inventions such as gunpowder, silk, paper, printing, tea, wheel barrow, iron plows, deep drilling, porcelain, toilet paper and the compass were and still are important pieces of Chinese and global life. These inventions were major blocks in the building of the world that we know today. The four main innovations that I consider essential in our lives are printing, gunpowder, compass, and paper. The method of printing and woodblock, or movable, printing are considered ancient Chinese inventions. This ancient Chinese invention was seen before the first dated book in 868 (Lad). Printing books was time-consuming, as the blackline method used required a new block to be carved for each page. Movable type in printing was invented during the Song Dynasty. Movable Chinese characters were carved from wood, which could be arranged as needed and even reused. Later versions used clay, but these broke easily. During the Ming Dynasty, the wooden movable type was refined and books were printed using...
Words: 316 - Pages: 2
...Assignment 2: Ancient Chinese Contributions Strayer University Professor: After reading thru several different sources of information, I feel the top 10 ancient Chinese inventions that need mentioning are as follows: 1. Paper: Though it is commonly believed that Egyptians are the true inventor paper (papyrus), they are 2 completely different things. The papyrus that the Egyptians used was not really paper. Papyrus is more or less the bark of a raw unprocessed plant. Paper, by its definition, is a processed material that is made from several raw materials. So the person on earth who actually came up with the brilliant idea of inventing paper was T’sai Lun around 105 A.D. 2. Porcelain: Porcelain is a kind of ceramic produced by the extreme temperatures of a kiln. The materials used fuse and form a glass and mineral compound known for its strength, translucence and beauty. Believe to have been invented during the Sui Dynasty (possibly earlier) and was perfected during the Tang Dynasty. 3. Printing (movable type): Bi Sheng invented the first movable type using clay fired characters that he made. In 868 the first printed book, using full page woodcuts, was produced. Bi Sheng developed typesetting techniques to print books, but his technology was not perfected until 1298. 4. Compass: The Chinese the lodestone compass in the 4th century BC. These compasses pointed south instead of north and were mostly used on land. Thermo-remanence needles were being produced...
Words: 964 - Pages: 4
...| The Chinese have contributed innovative ideas that continue to help shape technology worldwide. | Ancient Chinese Contributions It was 1271 when an Italian merchant, by the name of Marco Polo, visited China during the Song Dynasty. There Marco Polo found a place like none other in Western Europe. China was far more technologically advanced and here were some of the most important and far-reaching contributions of the Chinese. “The Collection of the Most Important Military Techniques”, compiled by Zeng Goliang in 1044, it states that gunpowder was made of a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulfur. Since Zeng describes three different gunpowder mixtures, we can assume that gunpowder was created sometime earlier. It is also stated by Zeng that the Chinese used it for signal flares and fireworks before even trying it with military uses in grenades. The compass is another great invention of the Chinese. Originally, these were created to point to true south, not north, because south is considered their cardinal direction. In 400 B.C. the earliest compasses were made out of lodestone. Lodestone is a type of magnetic iron ore, that when struck by lightning, it becomes magnetized. Very few people have given us as much joy and sorrow as alcohol. You can relate ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, beer, wine, and liquor to the Chinese. By early 300 B.C., the Chinese had figured out how to refine food products like vinegar and...
Words: 965 - Pages: 4
...The Many Contributions There is no doubt that the Ancient Chinese were wise powerful and grew prosperous. Ancient China has played a significant part in many famous inventions that have had a major impact in our lives from day to day. How many of us have ever given a thought to those that have made our lives easier by their inventions? There are quite a few from the Ancient Chinese that I was not aware of and was amazed at how many of these we do use in our lives every day and never stop to think where these items were invented. So what are some of the amazing things the Ancient Chinese have invented? Well to answer this question and to explain all of the different inventions that the Chinese have brought to us would really be a mouthful. So I will explain the top ten in my list. And they are the following: • Row Planting • The Compass • Gunpowder • Paper • Seismograph • The Wheelbarrow • Kites • Silk • Seed Drill • Hang Gliders Thank You Ancient Chinese Now allow me explain these marvels. Row planting was first planted in 6th century BC. This way of planting allows the crops to grow faster and stronger and they also realized that as the wind travels there is less damage in crops planted in rows due to the wind passing through gently. It is also more efficient in watering, weeding and harvesting the crops. The compass was created in 4th century BC and was made of lodestone. The compass was first used by fortune-tellers before it was applied to the cardinal...
Words: 381 - Pages: 2
...World Cultures I Assignment 2 Ancient Chinese Contributions Professor Capers May 25, 2014 Identify Eight of the Useful Ancient Chinese Inventions 1. Alcohol, the earliest alcohol makers in Chinese legend were Yi Di and Dukang of the Xia Dynasty (about 2000 BC – 1600 BC). 2. Mechanical Clock, the mechanical clock is an invention we all use today. 3. Tea Production, according to Chinese legend, tea was first drunk by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong around 2,737 BC. 4. Silk, it is silkworms that naturally create silk, however, it is Chinese people that invented how to harvest the silk and use it in clothing and paper thousands years ago. 5. Iron and Steel Smelting, it has been confirmed by archaeological evidence that iron, made from melting pig iron, was developed in ancient China in the early 5th century. 6. Porcelain is a very specific kind of ceramic produced in the extreme temperatures of a kiln. 7. Compass, the earliest Chinese compasses were probably not originally invented for navigation, but to harmonize environments and buildings in accordance with the geometric principles of Feng Shui. 8. Gunpowder, known since the late 19th century as black powder, is a mixture of sulfur, charlcoal and potassium nitrate. (Lin Liyao, 2011) The 4 most useful Inventions of Ancient Chinese Culture 1. The invention of the compass 2. The invention of paper 3. The invention of gunpowder 4. The invention of alcohol Why these...
Words: 579 - Pages: 3
...Ancient Chinese Contributions Elizabeth Finch Professor Karen Lewis HUM 111-World Culture 1 November 26, 2011 Ancient China has played a significant part in many famous inventions that have had a major impact in our lives from day to day. No matter how small they seem to be their inventions have helped us in so many ways that we have taken for granted. How many of us have ever given a thought to those that have made our lives easier by their inventions? There are quite a few from the Ancient Chinese that I was not aware of and was amazed at how many of these we do use in our lives every day and never stop to think where these items were invented. So what are some of the amazing things the Ancient Chinese have invented? 1) Row planting was first planted in the feudal period-6th century BC. This way of planting allows the crops to grow faster and stronger and they also realized that as the wind travels there is less damage in crops planted in rows due to the wind passing through gently. It is also more efficient in watering, weeding and harvesting the crops. (Stevenh) 2) The compass was created in the feudal period-4th century BC and was made of lodestone. The compass was first used by fortune-tellers before it was applied to the cardinal direction. Then the Chinese’s started using the compass to point to the south because they considered south not north their cardinal direction. 3) Gunpowder has been credited to certain Chinese alchemists around 9th century...
Words: 1369 - Pages: 6
...Ancient Chinese contributions World Culture Hum111 Professor Dodson Ancient Chinese contributions China has been the source of much invention. Mechanics, hydraulics, and mathematics applied to horology, music theory. The invention of gun powder by the 10th century led to an array of inventions such as fire lance, land mine, naval mine, hand cannon, exploding cannonballs, multistage rocket, and rocket bombs with aerodynamic wings and explosive pay loads. The purpose of this list, inventions are regarded as technological first developer in China, some does not include foreign technologies developed in elsewhere and later invented separately by the Chinese, such as the odometer and the chain pump. Scientific, mathematic or natural discoveries, changes in minor concepts of design or style and artistic innovations cannot be regarded as invention and do not appear on the list. The 4 great inventions was design by Joseph Needham (1900-1995), a sinologist known for his research on the history of Chinese science. In alphabetical order, they were establishing in China. Fragment of hemp wrapping paper dated to the reign of emperor WU of Han (141-87 BC) Identify eight to ten of these useful inventions or contributions. GPS, fireworks, bullets, compass, paper, pasta, wheel barrow, alcohol, kites and mechanical clock. Nominate four that you believe are the most ingenious or innovative.GPS, clock, alcohol and compass. Explain why you believe these 4 inventions or contributions...
Words: 432 - Pages: 2
...developing one global culture. Countries share elements of their cultures with one another, and groups of people grow to understand one another better. The United States of America is a great example of a country whose culture is comprised of bits and pieces of many other cultures. One culture in particular that has had an effect on many Americans is the Chinese culture. China's long history has seen some extremely important inventions emerge, most noticeably gunpowder, paper making, compass, and silk. Few substances in history have had as profound an effect on human history as gunpowder... and its discovery was an accident! Ancient alchemists in China spent centuries trying to discover an elixir of life that would render the user immortal. One important ingredient in many of the failed elixirs was saltpetre, also known as potassium nitrate. Many western history books over the years have stated that the Chinese used this discovery only for fireworks, but that is not true. Song Dynasty military forces as early as 904 A.D. used gunpowder devices against their primary enemy, the Mongols. And, although the Chinese did use gunpowder in fireworks for religious purposes, they also used gunpowder in cannons, rockets, and guns. Other Song military applications of gunpowder included primitive hand grenades, poisonous gas shells, flame throwers and land mines. Paper was invented by Cai Lun in 105 AD. Cai Lun not only greatly improved the papermaking technique...
Words: 1323 - Pages: 6
...Ancient Chinese Contributions There have been many contributions made by the ancient Chinese that have benefited us today. A few of those have been: standardized writing, language, money, system of measurement and many more. These were developed by the Qin or Ch’in Dynasty. During the Han Dynasty the Silk Road, papermaking, iron technology (cast iron) plowshares; Moldboard plow, glazed pottery, and the Seismograph. These contributions have all been useful and ingenious. Standardized writing, language, money, a system of measurement and the seismoscope are a few that we really can’t live without. Without standardized writing, language, money and a system of measurement we would not have a way of writing, there would not have been a standardized language of the Chinese culture, standardized money made it easier for trades and such so that people could get a fair trade for things such as grain, barley etc. The system of measurement has given us a universal way of finding the length, volume, area, perimeter, etc. of things. To me the one contribution we couldn’t live without would be the Seismograph. Chang Heng or Zhang Heng, invented the first seismoscope in AD 132, it was called the Houfeng Didong Yi, meaning “instrument for measuring seasonal winds and the movements of the Earth.” From a description in “Dragons and toads: the Chinese seismoscope of BC 132”. Chinese Science 6: 1-19, that it has a large bronze vessel, which was about 2 meters in diameter; eight points...
Words: 768 - Pages: 4
...Assignment 2: Ancient Chinese Contributions By HUM 111 Professor Michael Briere May 15, 2012 Inventions, Innovations, and other Contributions From Ancient China Although Chinese culture is replete with lists of significant works or achievements such as: compass, papermaking, iron technology (cast iron), silk, first water powered blast furnace, gunpowder, medicine, paper money and certificates of deposit, printing, helicopter rotor and propeller, etc. Among, undoubtedly, many inventions, four stand out above others that I believe and nominate for are: (1) Iron technology (cast iron), (2) papermaking/currency, (3) guns and gunpowder, (4) medicine, all of which are still utilized by modern humanity. The first nominate greatest Chinese invention is the development of iron and steel. The development of iron and steel led to other advance. In the 5th century BC during the Zho Dynasty (1122-256BC), the Chinese had developed the blast furnace to obtain cast iron from iron ore. The Chinese had access to large amount of clay; clay was the most important ingredient in making blast furnace. The Chinese also figured out that by adding a substance the called “black earth” they could lower the melting point of iron; today iron and steel are used in many things from cars to buildings. The second nominate and the most important Chinese contributions to the modern world are papermaking. The earliest known piece of paper with writing on it was discovered near the 2nd century...
Words: 1186 - Pages: 5
...Ancient Chinese Contributions The world is forever in debt to China for its innovations and contributions. Ancient Chinese inventions were extremely advanced and are still in use in today. They have contributed to our world civilization’s achievements in the fields of agriculture, shipping, astronomy, printing, oil, martial arts, ammunition, and mathematics. Ancient Chinese inventions such as gunpowder, silk, paper, printing, tea, wheel barrow, iron plows, deep drilling, porcelain, toilet paper and the compass were and still are important pieces of Chinese and global life. These inventions were major blocks in the building of the world that we know today. The four main innovations that I consider essential in our lives are printing, gunpowder, compass, and paper. The method of printing and woodblock, or movable, printing are considered ancient Chinese inventions. This ancient Chinese invention was seen before the first dated book in 868 (Lad). Printing books was time-consuming, as the blackline method used required a new block to be carved for each page. Movable type in printing was invented during the Song Dynasty. Movable Chinese characters were carved from wood, which could be arranged as needed and even reused. Later versions used clay, but these broke easily. During the Ming Dynasty, the wooden movable type was refined and books were printed using the two-color printing process. After the development of paper, printing was one of the most important inventions...
Words: 985 - Pages: 4
