Chinese Inventions

By asbah
  • 2700 BCE

    Tea

    Tea
    Chinese have been drinking tea since the 2,700's. Before, it was most commonly used as medicine. It was made by letting leaves boil in the water. By the 8th century, drinking tea became a popular trend in China.
  • 170 BCE

    Steel

    Steel
    Steel is made from iron, but it is less brittle than iron and easier to bend into different shapes.The earliest Chinese steel was made from cast iron.
  • 100

    Porcelain

    Porcelain
    Porcelain is made by combining clay with the minerals quartz and feldspar. The mixture is baked in a kiln, or pottery oven, at very high temperatures. By the 10th century, porcelain making became very famous and it was beautiful.
  • 150

    Paper

    Paper
    The Chinese invented the art of paper-making. They were the only people in
    the world who knew the secret of making paper.
  • 200

    Compass

    Compass
    Chinese were using this
    type of compass to help them navigate on long voyages.
  • Jan 1, 630

    Printing

    Printing
    The Chinese invented a technique called woodblock printing. The printer drew characters on paper. Then, he glued the paper to a wooden block. When the glue was dry, the printer carved out the wood around the characters, the characters raised on the wood.
  • Jan 1, 850

    Gunpowder

    Gunpowder
    Chinese alchemist accidentally discovered when looking for secret to eternal life.
  • Jan 1, 1279

    Rocket Technology

    Rocket Technology
    Rocket technology was developed in China during the Song dynasty. Rockets were powered by a black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur.
  • Jan 1, 1300

    Game Cards

    Game Cards
    Game cards were invented in China in about the 9th century. Printers used woodblock printing to make the cards from thick paper. Famous artists drew the designs that appeared on the backs of the cards.