Since china is seeing a rapid economic development in the past few decades, we have also heard about the environmental and other issues related to the development of the country. Since I came to china for study, I got the opportunity to learn more about the success of china’s economic development as well as the negative externalities of the development and also the problem related to higher population. I have also learned about Chinese culture, language, the interesting dynasties (kingdoms) and the Chinese people’s way of life. However, the most interesting thing I learned about china was contribution from ancient Chinese science and technological inventions to the world. Since there are a lot of ancient Chinese inventions, in this essay I would like to give information about some of the very interesting and useful ten ancient Chinese inventions that I believe we cannot imagine without them today.
1. Toilet Paper
Toilet paper was one of the very important Chinese inventions that we cannot imagine living our life without. Toilet paper was used in China for the first time in history during 6th century AD. In 589 AD a famous scholar Yan Zhitui wrote about the use of toilet paper and the word spread throughout China and toilet paper became popular in China.
2. Ice Cream
Ice cream, our favourite treat is another surprising invention in ancient China. It became a new invention 3000 years ago when rich Chinese families started to treat their guests to sweet juices mixed with snow or ice. Marco Polo brought it to Europe and it became popular in the world.
3. Paper
Paper is one of the major contributions to spread development of human civilisation in the world. China made the first proper paper during the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC- 9AD). However, Cai Lun of the Eastern Dynasty (25-220) successfully invented the very first batch of paper using fish net, tree bars, bits of rope and rags. The use of paper brought a revolution in writing in the world.
4. Printer
The Chinese invention of Woodblock printing first emerged over 2000 years ago, and created the world’s first printings. In the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), Chinese started to print with carved blocks. In the 1040s, Bi Sheng from North Song Dynasty (960 – 1127) invented movable clay printing, which marked the beginning of a major revolution in the history of printing.
5. Silk
Even though silkworms naturally create silk, it is Chinese that invented how to harvest the silk and use it in clothing and paper thousands years ago. The oldest silk, was found in Henan Province, it had come from the Chinese Neolithic period and dates to around 3,630 BC. Silk excavated from the Liangzhu culture site in Zhejiang Province date to roughly 2570 BC. In ancient China, silk was not only a vital invention for life but also a bridge connecting China to the outside world. The 2,000-year-old Silk Road is still an important path for cultural, commercial, and technological exchange between East and West.
6. Tea
Even though British is famous for drinking, it was a surprise to know that china was the first to invent tea. According to Chinese legend, tea was first drunk by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong around 2,737 BC. Then, an unknown Chinese inventor created the tea shredder, a small device that used a sharp wheel in the center of a ceramic or wooden pot that would slice the leaves into thin strips. During the Tang (618－907) and Song (960－1279) dynasties, tea production developed rapidly, and tea became a popular drink around the country and the world. Cha Jing, written by Lu Yu in the Tang Dynasty, is widely recognized as the world's first scientific work about tea production.
7. Mechanical Clock
The mechanical clock is an invention we all use today. According to the research the world’s first clock was invented by Yi Xing in Tang Dynasty (618－907). His clock operated with water steadily dripping on a wheel that made a full revolution every 24 hours. Hundreds of years later, Su Song of the Song Dynasty (960－1279), created a more sophisticated clock, making him the ancestor of the modern clock.
8. Gun powder
Gunpowder was another ancient Chinese invention, since the late 19th century gun powder was known as black powder. Gunpowder has been widely used as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in fireworks. In ancient China, gunpowder and gunpowder-based weapons were invented and widely used by military forces to dispel invasion at the borders. The prevailing academic consensus is that gunpowder was discovered in the 9th century by Chinese alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. Wujing Zongyao, written by Zeng Gongliang and Ding Du in the Song Dynasty (960－1279), is the earliest treatise recording three formulas for making gunpowder.
9. Compasses
According to the research, the earliest invention of Chinies compasses were not originally invented for navigation, but to harmonize environments and buildings in accordance with the geometric principles of Feng Shui. It is proved that the earliest Chinese reference recording a magnetic device used as a "direction finder" is in a Song Dynasty book dated during from 960 to1279. The earliest record about the actual use of a magnetized needle for navigation is Zhu Yu's book Pingzhou Table Talks, written in 1102. The invention of compass greatly improved the safety and efficiency of travel, especially oceanic navigation.
10. Paper Money
The Paper money was invented in China at the end of 8th or the beginning of the 9th Century. It was originally named as ‘flying money’ because it was so light and could blow out of one’s hand. The first paper money was, strictly speaking, a draft rather than real money. A merchant could deposit his cash in the capital, receiving a paper certificate which he could then exchange for cash in the provinces. This private merchant enterprise was quickly taken over by the government in 812. The technique was then used for the forwarding of local taxes and revenues to the capital.
The above mention are not the only Chinese invention, they have also invented kite, fire crackers, proclaims, swords, alcohol, umbrella, earthquake detectors etc. Apart from this there are much more contributions to the science and technological inventions that have changed our way of living. I hope that the development of the country will open doors for more inventions and we will have more contribution from China in technological advancement and this essay would make you keen to know more about ancient China’s inventions.