Chinesse Inventions

Chinese History

Period: 300 BCE to 1400

Compass

250 BCE

The very first compass was made in China. They were made by putting lodestone (magnetized rock) on a piece of wood that was floating in water. Since lodestone is magnetic, it is influenced by the Earth's magnetic field and lines up with the north and south poles. Eventually, the piece of lodestone was replaced with a magnetized needle. This way proved to be more accurate. The invention of the compass helped sailors travel long distances in the past, and continues to help us today.

Steel

200 BCE

Early Chinese steel was forged from cast iron. Melting and molding iron ore, the Chinese were the first to learn how to make cast iron. Blowing air into cast iron, they later learned, triggers a chemical reaction that turns it into steel. This chemical reaction also made the metal stronger. This discovery allowed them to make large amounts of steel cheaply. Iron was a big part of the Industrial Revolution in the West and is still one of China's greatest exports today.

Porcelain

50

When you mix clay, quartz, and feldspar, bake it in a kiln (hot oven), you get porcelain. Porcelain is waterproof and very hard, but since light can pass through it looks very delicate. The Chinese were making porcelain of great beauty by the 10th century. They added glazes and learned how to paint pictures on porcelain. Porcelain bowls, vases, and dishes started to be mass produced. This was starting to become a major industry in China. People today still refer to fine dinnerware as "china".

Paper

150

Chinese paper has been made of different things all throughout time. Originally it was probably made from hemp, but then they started to use the bark of a mulberry tree. Soon after that, they used rags to make their paper. Just like with silk, the Chinese kept how they made the paper a secret for more than 500 years. Also, like porcelain, paper making became a very important industry for China. The knowledge of papermaking spread all over the world and we now use it every day, thanks to China.

Printing

650

A Chinese technique called woodblock printing was invented in the 7th century. The printer would make character (symbols) stamps on blocks of wood. The printer would then cover the block with ink and smoothen paper over it. By the 10th century, entire modern-style books were being printed using woodblock. Movable type (having separate blocks for each character) was invented in the 11th century. All types of media were printed using movable type since the last century.

Mechanical Clock

750

Before the invention of the mechanical clock, people used hourglasses and sundials. The newly developed mechanical clock would make one complete rotation every 24 hours. The clock used water to turn the wheel. Sound was used singal the time. A drumbeat meant that a quarter hour has passed and a chime meant that an hour has passed. These clocks improved over the years. They became more accurate and hands and dials were added. The clocks we use today are based on the same principle.

Tea

750

Tea has been being made for years. It was being drunk as early as 2,700 B.C.E. It was mostly made for medicinal use by steeping leaves in boiling water. Only in the 8th century, it became an everyday drink all across China. Soon after, Tea Houses were popping all over China and books were being made about tea. Tea cultivation became another one of China's major industries. Once tea was sold to Japan, exerone around the world wanted some. Tea became an important object in hitory all around.

Gunpowder

850

Chinese alchemists accidentally invented gunpowder while trying to find the key to eternal life. They were experimenting with saltpeter (a very explosive material) and mixed it with sulfur and charcoal. When set on fire, this mixture would explode. From the 10th to the 13th century, flamethrowers, artillery shells, grenades, and large bombs were invented with the help of gunpowder. Overall, gunpowder changed the way that we waged war and it changed history forever.

Rocket Technology

960

This technology was developed in the Song dynasty. At first, rockets were only used in fireworks. However, they started using them for war. The Chinese invented two-staged rockets for their armies that in the first stage propelled rockets into the air. The second stage dropped arrows down onto their enemies. Saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal were used to power rockets. These materials were also used to make gunpowder. Many of the pricipals from their rockets are still used today.