Ancient China

Chinese History

Period: 300 BCE to 1400

Steel

200 BCE

Steel, a very versatile metal was first made by the Ancient Chinese before 200 BC. It is made from iron, but is much less brittle and much more bendable.They would melt and then mold iron ore into a substance that is much tougher and just as easy to mass produce. Steel became crucial around the world in the 1800s because the world industrializing. It is still a major industry in Modern China.

Porcelain

50

Porcelain is a type of pottery. It was estimated to be created as early as the 1st century. It is made by combining clay with feldspar and quartz. They would bake the porcelain in a pottery of or kiln. The result would be a material that is white, slightly translucent and strong. It was colored with glazes and became one of Ancient China's most important industries. They mass produced bowls, dishes and vases. Ancient Chinese porcelain is still perceived as a high prize and very high class.

Paper

150

The Chinese perfected the art of paper-making in the 2nd century. It became one of the most important industries in China. For almost 500 years the Chinese were the only ones who knew how to make paper. It slowly traveled across Central Asia and Japan to reach Europe around 1100. Paper remains one of the most important inventions in the history of all civilizations, because it touches our lives in so many different ways.

Compass

250

The Chinese developed the first compass as early as the 3rd century. They used pieces of a magnetic mineral called lodestone. The metal would point northwards and could show sailors the right way if lost at sea. It could also help explorers and was a very helpful tool throughout the world.

Printing

650

In the 7th century, the Chinese invented the first kind of printing, including blocks that had glue and were glued to stamp ink and paper. The printer would carve out the area around the characters and the characters would stand out higher and would stamp them onto paper.

Clock

750

The Chinese developed the mechanical clock in the 8th century. It was superior to earlier versions like the sundial and hourglass. The Chinese devised a wheel that made a complete turn every 24 hours and water dripping would spin it. The Chinese improved the clock in 1092, it worked on the same principles and idea as the former, but it was much more accurate and complex.

Tea

750

The Chinese began using tea as an everyday drink in the 8th century. They invented it as a medicine in 2700 BC but it took until the 8th century for it to be used as a drink. It is made with tea leaves and boiling water and was grown high up, at at least 4,000 feet up. By the end of the 8th century, tea houses had sprung up all over China.

Gunpowder

850

Chinese alchemists were trying to make a substance that could make people live forever when they stumbled upon the formula for gunpowder. They were experimenting with saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal and discovered that when mixed with high levels of heat it would explode. Later the Chinese would use the gunpowder for military weapons and fireworks, and this would revolutionize the way wars were fought.