10 Chinese contributions to world

civilization

#1 Paper Making

Today, can we imagine life without a paper? Yes, there was a time when our
ancestors used bamboo, stones, wood, and animal bones as writing materials
which were cumbersome, and expensive thing to do. Thanks to Cai Lun for
inventing this magic called Paper in 105 AD. This technology was then
transferred to Korea, Vietnam, and then to Japan in the 3rd century. If the
world has considered Cai Lun in one among the 100 influential people in human
history then there is a reason. This invention has not only made our life simple
but it played a huge role in the cultural advancement of China and the World in
terms of literature & literacy

Image Credits – Blogspot

#2 Gun Powder

It was 9th Century when the Chinese alchemist found this in search for an elixir
of immortality, China didn’t anticipate that it will be used to develop guns and
cannons. China primarily used gun powder which is a chemical combination of
Potassium Nitrate, Sulphur, and Charcoal to prepare fireworks. Later on, it
went to West which took the form of Guns, Missiles, and Cannons. It is so
ironical that the same gunpowder helped West to dominate China in the 1800s.

Image Credits – Askaprepper

#3 Printing

One of the remarkable inventions of China is Printing. Bi Sheng invented this

for the first time in 1040 AD which was made of baked clay. In around 13th
century, Wang Zhen made the movable type made of wood and then in the
14th century Hua Sui invented the metal movable type. It is this effort of China
which is helping us today to produce, exchange, and share the information in
the most effective way.

Image Credits- Chinesetimeschool

#4 Compass

You should believe that China has used first magnetic direction finder in late
1044. The credit goes to Zheng He who made 7 naval expeditions which helped
to detail the needle positions given in the Mao Kun map. This invention is
significant as it aided to explore the oceans of the world and make trades
possible. It is the same compass which was used to discover the new worlds
(America in 1492, and others).

Image Credits – Businesswriters

#5 Seismograph

China witnessed the discovery of the first machine to identify and measure the
earthquake and the possibilities of it. The first seismograph had a container
with eight dragons and a metal ball placed below.

Image Credits – Britannica

#6 Tea

It is said that Chinese have been cultivating tea from centuries. By the 18th
century, Europeans had developed the quench for Chinese tea and they have
loved it so much that they started exporting it from China by spending
thousands of pounds of silver.

Image Credit – TeaThingUs

#7 Silk

Pliny, the Roman Historian writes in his Natural History in 70BC that “ Silk was
obtained by removing the down from the leaves with the help of water.” It is
said that for more than 2000 years the Chinese had kept this secret of silk and
this is one of the most guarded secrets in the world history. Hsi-Ling-Shih, wife
of Yellow Emperor who ruled China in 3000 BC is credited with the introduction
of silkworm cultivation and the invention of the loom.

Image Credit – Blogspot

#8 Porcelain

Around 2000 years ago, Chinese developed this ceramic material called
Porcelain which then spread to other Easter Asian Countries, Europe, and to
the rest of the world. (For more information about this you can refer Wikipedia)

Image Credit – Blogspot

#9 Blast Furnace

It is said that during the rule of Han Dynasty of China (1st century AD) there
was the usage of extant blast furnaces. In 31AD an Engineer by name Du Shi
enhanced it and applied the power of waterwheels to piston bellows to produce
cast iron.

Image Credit – Donwanger

#10 Fireworks

As it is mentioned above the Chinese used Gunpowder to make these firework

materials. The history dates back to some 2000 years and the story behind this
quite interesting. The invention of fireworks was a beautiful accident when a
Chinese cook happened to mix charcoal, sulfur, saltpeter to see an explosion.
There are so many theories around this and the historians also give credits to
India, Li Tian (Chinese monk), Song dynasty (960-1279), and others.

Image Credit – Sandypines