They were invented in ancient China. Ancient China: inventions

Residents of Western countries often think that their technological development has always been at the forefront and has occupied a leading position on the world stage. This is not true in all cases. Many important inventions were first made in the mysterious Western East (that's what the Europeans call it). Moreover, they were not just revolutionary, but showed a high level of development of society. Today we will talk about ten things that were first created in China, but we still use them today.

Alcohol

The Chinese were the first to learn how to make alcohol

What could be more important than the invention of alcohol? In addition to the fact that in the Middle Ages, alcohol helped to soften the harsh living conditions, it was used for sterilization when there were no modern antimicrobial agents and soap was in short supply. Whether alcohol contributed to the development of civilization is a controversial issue, but the fact remains that alcohol gave humanity a lot: drinking water, the ability to treat wounds, disinfect fruits and everything that could be poured with alcohol.

And, of course, alcohol was first invented in China about 9 thousand years ago. In the late 90s of the 20th century in northern China, archaeologists discovered pottery shards with traces of an unusual liquid. During the examination, it was found that these were traces of the first mead, which was made from rice, honey and fruit.

In addition, musical instruments similar to a flute from the Stone Age were discovered. Apparently, people have always loved hanging out with friends.

First, the technique of printing designs on silk was developed in China, and later the idea came to print texts

Everyone has heard about Gutenberg and his invention, right? This man is one of the key figures in the development of European culture. His typewriter helped make a huge step in the development not only of Europe, but also of many other countries. But the Chinese were ahead of Gutenberg; they invented the typewriter much earlier.

During the Tang Dynasty (618–907), Chinese engineers used wooden blocks to print designs on silk and other fabrics. Then they learned to print small Buddhist texts so that people could carry the mantras with them. The first printed book was published in 868. It was a translated text by Indian Buddhists and was called the Diamond Sutra.

Note: Gutenberg was born in 1400, which is 540 years after the first printed version of the Diamond Sutra appeared.

The first paper money appeared in China

Almost immediately after the invention of the typewriter, the Chinese came up with banknotes. Today, many may wonder, what is so special about paper money? It's just paper. But the important thing is that we still use them. Almost all modern currencies are represented by banknotes, although in fact they are simply colored pieces of paper whose value depends on the people who use them.

The first banknotes began to circulate in China even before the printing of the Diamond Sutra, in the 700s, when inflation eroded the value of the Chinese currency and its use greatly hampered barter. Then the Chinese converted gold coins into paper equivalent.

Paper making

The closest paper to modern paper was first made in China.

And how could people invent printing and paper money if they did not have the basis for making them? Around 100 AD Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). I learned how to make material on which I could write. The first paper was made from old rags, bamboo, hemp and other fibrous plants and materials, from which a pulp could be made, which was filtered, and after drying, paper was obtained.

While parchment and papyrus were common in the world, this paper was of better quality and more convenient to use. It did not require special storage conditions, like papyrus, or special processing of animal skins, like parchment.

Steering wheel

The Chinese were the first to develop steering on sea vessels

While the rest of the world was using steering oars instead of a built-in rudder, the ancient Chinese boldly stepped forward by inventing steering around 100 AD. This invention made it possible to achieve smoother control of the vessel; steering oars did not give such an effect, since they depended directly on the physical capabilities of the strong man who controlled them. All that had to be done for a ship to change course after the invention of the rudder was to turn the handle. The first description of such a mechanism in Europe occurred about 1000 years later, in southern England. It seems the Saxons are tired of turning the ships around on their own.

The first toothbrush was made from animal bristles

While the rest of the world was using chewing sticks, the toothbrush was invented in China. The first mention of brushes dates back to the 1400s, and they were originally made from bristles from the back of a pig's neck, which were attached to a bamboo or ivory stick. And if chewing sticks were used more to remove pieces of food stuck between teeth and freshen breath (they were mainly made from aromatic wood), brushes were intended specifically for cleaning and preventing tooth loss. True, many are still against their use.

Compass

The first compass was developed in China, it was not very similar to the modern one, but its arrow clearly pointed to the north

Although it's not an invention we use every day like a toothbrush, the first magnetic compasses appeared in China during the Han Dynasty. They made something like an arrow from magnetized metal, which always pointed north.

Initially it was used for burial and other rituals, but it was soon discovered that this device helps to navigate in space both on land and on water. By the time the Tang Dynasty was in its heyday, the compass had already acquired a more familiar form to us.

The first automatic bow was designed in China

It is unlikely that you will find a medieval painting that does not depict a shooter with a crossbow protecting the walls of his city from enemies. Fans of chivalric novels should thank the Chinese for the invention of the crossbow. This happened during the Warring States period, which began around 480 BC. and ended by 221 AD, when the Chinese Empire was first established.

The advantage of the crossbow was that it did not require a strong archer to shoot it. Around 200 AD Military strategist Zhuge Liang created a crossbow that fired multiple shots, this was the first attempt at creating an automatic weapon.

Powder

The Chinese were the first to invent gunpowder and fireworks.

And here is another weapon that Europeans adore. By 300 AD. Records began to appear that if you mix certain ingredients (sulfur, charcoal, saltpeter) and set it on fire, you can get sparks and even an explosion. This observation led to the development of war and holiday devices; one of the first things made from this mixture was fireworks.

By 900 AD. The Chinese began using this mixture to set fire to iron balls on city walls and fire the first missiles at enemy troops. In the West, the first mention of gunpowder did not appear until 1200 AD. Most likely, this happened after the Europeans first visited the east.

The Chinese were the first to make noodles

While the Italians defended their right to be considered the inventors of noodles, archaeologists discovered evidence that the Chinese were the first to learn how to make them. In 2005, a bowl of ossified noodles was discovered buried under three meters of dust in northwest China.

This bowl of noodles is believed to be about 4,000 years old, and the grains from which it was made began to be grown in China 7,000 years ago. And although it has been proven that the Chinese were preparing noodles 4,000 years ago, they may have done this before, there’s just no evidence yet.

And although the Italians continue to insist that they invented noodles, it seems that the Chinese have surpassed them in this fight.

Today, China produces a wide variety of goods from socks to cutting-edge gadgets that are purchased by consumers around the world. Few people know that the Chinese can boast of their own inventions. We hope that our article helped you to see this.

Ancient China is one of the most vibrant ancient civilizations, which became the cradle for the development of many sciences. This civilization left a huge legacy of scientific ideas, inventions and technologies, which the entire modern world uses to this day.

The ancient Chinese civilization is credited with many discoveries and inventions, such as the discovery of gunpowder and the technology of making paper. Other significant technologies invented by this culture were firearms and the seismoscope (a device for predicting earthquakes). These discoveries are attributed to Zenge Henge, who was also named Houfeng Didong Yi. Inventions that are regarded as the greatest discoveries of ancient Chinese civilization - the compass, papermaking technology, printing and gunpowder, are still one of the most important achievements of mankind.

Compass

The compass was one of the most important technological discoveries of ancient China, which promoted and aided research sponsored by the Chinese government. The invention of the compass made China one of the most powerful countries in the world. The Chinese Empire was indeed called powerful and remained in this title until the end of the monarchy in China.

The origin of the compass can be dated back to the 4th century BC. A book called "The Book of the Devil's Valley Master" describes the natural magnet accordingly. "Magnetite was the first substance used by the Chinese for a compass." And this compass was first invented during the Song Dynasty. Records dated between 1040 – 1044, describing an invention made of magnetite as a direction indicator. This invention, or more correctly called the compass, looked like a small fish and was kept on a piece of wood dangling in a bottle of water. Official records of the Song Dynasty read as "a fish-shaped stone that pointed to the south."

Chinese explorers have used the compass for centuries to help conduct trade with distant lands. The compass was also widely used in land exploration. Chinese writers describe it as "a landmark in the darkness of the night." The writer, philosopher and scientist Shen Kuo first described the structure of the dry compass, which had a magnetic needle, in his book published in 1088. The principle of operation was the same, but the dry compass did not float in a bottle, but was attached to a wooden box. And although such a compass was more convenient to use, the cost of this device was much more expensive. The wet compass was used until the Europeans introduced the dry one.

Paper making

Unfortunately, the dynasty to which the invention of paper belongs is not known. But it is known that this discovery greatly advanced the development of science and created many advantages - it contributed to the preservation of the works of philosophers, scientists and writers of ancient China. Paper, which was invented in ancient China, was not only used as a writing medium, but creative Chinese innovators also used it as a raw material for manufacturing bags as well as banknotes.

The history of the invention of paper supposedly falls during the reign of the Han dynasty, which reigned from 202 to 220 AD. The court scientist Kai Lun set himself the goal of creating paper. To do this, he used mulberries, flax fibers, used materials - old rags and hemp waste, and even fishing nets to tie the fibers together.

Some archaeological evidence, however, suggests that paper in ancient China may have been invented during the 8th century BC.

This immature form of paper was not originally suitable for writing, and was originally used as a wrapping medium. At the end of the 3rd century AD, this raw material became a popular writing material, and in the 6th century it was even used as toilet paper.

Tea was the favorite drink of the Chinese people even in the Teng Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD). The Chinese came up with the idea of using paper to make tea bags, which preserved the taste and smell of the drink. The government of the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD) was the first to use paper to make banknotes.

Printing

The invention of printing is regarded as one of the most important inventions of mankind, thanks to the fact that books became cheaper and more accessible. Cheaper books guaranteed the prosperity of culture and science. Many dynasties, courtiers and scholars from ancient China contributed to the development of printing. Printing technology dates back to around 868 BC. with the release of the first printed book, The Diamond Sutra. The book was printed with wooden keys. It was considered one of the Song Dynasty's most important contributions to technology. The writer Shen Kuo, who was also a courtier, announced that printing would be used to spread knowledge. Bi Sheng, an artisan, invented movable ceramic printing.

Powder

One of the destructive inventions of ancient Chinese civilization is gunpowder. The invention of gunpowder led to the invention of firearms and the emergence of new wars on the Asian continent. In the 9th century AD Chinese alchemists, who were looking for the elixir of eternal life, accidentally discovered the explosive properties of gunpowder. In the 10th century, Asia began to use grenades, the first imperfect bombs and firearms on the battlefield.

Of all the invented technologies of ancient China, gunpowder and firearms are regarded as the most useful, popular and, of course, the most destructive. Many scientists and inventors played significant roles in the development of science in ancient Chinese civilization. The Chinese also showed their technological developments in the field of agriculture, textile industry, design of various structures, medicine and even archeology. Unfortunately, many of these discoveries have not survived to this day.

The origins of many of today's technologies can be traced back to ancient China. Let's look at some inventions of ancient China.

Right from the moment of their existence, people have strived to improve the quality of their lives. It started with innovations and innovations that helped them obtain food and protect themselves. Over time, people have invented many different things, such as clothing, weapons, the wheel, gunpowder, ceramics, etc. Thus, human history is littered with numerous inventions and discoveries, most of which are either still in use by mankind or are seen as precursors to some of today's technologies. If we look at such inventions, we will see that Ancient China played a very important role in this, since there are many inventions made in the past by the Chinese. Below we will look at just a few of China's ancient inventions.

Some ancient inventions of China

Although there are many ancient Chinese inventions, the most significant are paper making, gunpowder, the compass, and printing. These inventions led to significant changes in human history.

Paper for making and printing

Paper is one of the most widely used and necessary materials. Until the second century BC, people used very expensive and not always high-quality writing materials, such as strips of bamboo, silk scrolls, hardened clay tablets, wooden tablets, etc. Modern paper was first invented in ancient China during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). The palace eunuch Cai Lun is believed to have invented the process of making paper in 105 AD. Research shows that the Chinese people used paper for packaging and upholstery until the second century BC, but paper as a writing tool was used during the Han Dynasty. The discovery of paper led to subsequent discoveries such as paper money (during the Song Dynasty), printed engravings, and ceramic seals of the same type (around the same period).

Gunpowder and fireworks

One of the most important ancient inventions of China is the invention of gunpowder and fireworks. It is believed that gunpowder was discovered by accident by a Chinese cook. But this can be argued; some believe that Chinese alchemists discovered gunpowder in the ninth century AD. Gunpowder is believed to have been discovered sometime between 600 and 900 AD. Fireworks were also invented shortly after the discovery of gunpowder. Researchers claim that the origin of fireworks dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). Following the invention of gunpowder and fireworks, a number of related discoveries followed, such as the so-called spear of fire, mines, including naval mines, cannon, exploding cannonballs, multi-stage rockets, etc.

Compass

Even though the origins of the compass in China can be traced back to the fourth century BC, it was still only a crude form of compass. There were various forms of compass that were used in ancient China, but the magnetic device was invented during the Song Dynasty and it was this compass that was used for navigating at sea. The most common was a compass with a magnetic needle that floated in water. There is also evidence that a compass with a suspended magnetic needle was also used during this period.

Other inventions of ancient China

Now you know more about the most important inventions of ancient China. But there are many other inventions made in the past by the Chinese people. Here are some of them. By the time of the reign of the Qin dynasty (221 BC-206 BC), the Chinese had already invented abacus, calendar, cast iron, bells, made dishes from ceramics and metal, daggers and axes from stone and metal, paper kites, made fermented drinks (predecessors of wine), bone fork, lacquers and lacquerware, rice and millet were grown and cultivated, drum covered with crocodile skin, noodles, chopsticks, oars, wheelbarrows, seismoscope (for detecting earthquakes), etc. . During the Qin dynasty, the multiplication table, standardized money, tea, ship rudder, acupuncture, etc. were invented. Important Chinese inventions made after this period were drilling wells, dominoes, gas cylinder, hot air balloon, porcelain, painting, games of cards, toothbrush, etc.

Great inventions in China make our lives easier every day. China is home to some of the most significant inventions of human civilization, including 4 (four) great inventions of ancient China: paper, compass, gunpowder and printing.

What else did the Chinese invent:

Original technologies in the field of mechanics, hydraulics,
mathematics applied to the measurement of time,
inventions in metallurgy,
achievements in astronomy,
technologies in agriculture,
design of mechanisms,
music theory,
art,
seafaring
warfare.

The most ancient period of Chinese civilization is considered to be the era of the existence of the Shang state, a slave-owning country in the Yellow River valley. Already in this era, ideographic writing was discovered, which, through long improvement, turned into hieroglyphic calligraphy, and a monthly calendar was compiled in basic terms.

Chinese culture has made a huge contribution to world culture. At the turn of the millennium, paper and ink were invented. Also at about the same time, writing was created in China. Rapid cultural and technical growth in this country began just with the advent of writing.

Today it is the property of global culture, just like any other national culture. Inviting millions of tourists every year, this country willingly shares with them its cultural attractions, telling about its rich past and offering many travel opportunities.

The inventions of ancient China, which had a great influence on subsequent inventions around the world, are taken for granted in the modern world.

Optical fiber cables deliver enormous amounts of information at the speed of light to anywhere in the world. You can sit in your car and use your voice to tell your GPS system which direction to go. We are very comfortable in the 21st century.

Advances and inventions have accelerated human progress so much that everything that follows seems to have been built on the foundation laid by the very first inventions.
Perhaps no other ancient culture has contributed as much to progress as the Chinese. Below are the greatest inventions of ancient China.

Invention of paper making technology in China

It is still not entirely clear who was the first to come up with the idea of transferring thoughts onto paper, transforming them into written speech. To this day, there are fluctuations between the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, the Harappans who lived in modern Afghanistan and the Kemites in Egypt.

However, it is known that the first languages appeared about 5,000 years ago. One could even say that they appeared earlier, if we mean their artistic expression, such as rock paintings. As soon as languages began to develop, people began to write in anything that could survive for a relatively long period of time. Clay tablets, bamboo, papyrus, stone are just a small part of the surfaces on which ancient people wrote.

The situation changed dramatically after a Chinese man named Cai Lun invented the prototype of modern paper. Which in the future conquered the whole World.

Artifacts such as ancient stuffing material and wrapping paper dating back to the 2nd century were found. BC. The oldest example of paper is a map from Fanmatan near Tianshui.

In the 3rd century. paper was already widely used for writing instead of more expensive traditional materials. The paper production technology developed by Cai Lun was as follows:

a boiling mixture of hemp, mulberry bark, old fishing nets and fabrics was turned into a pulp, after which it was ground to a homogeneous paste and mixed with water. A sieve in a wooden cane frame was immersed in the mixture, the mixture was scooped out with the sieve, and the liquid was shaken to drain. At the same time, a thin and even layer of fibrous mass was formed in the sieve.
This mass was then tipped onto smooth boards. Boards with castings were placed one on top of the other. They tied the stack together and placed a load on top. Then the sheets, hardened and strengthened under the press, were removed from the boards and dried. A sheet of paper made using this technology was light, smooth, durable, less yellow and more convenient for writing.

Huiji paper note printed in 1160

Their origins date back to trade receipts during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), which were preferred by merchants and traders to avoid having to deal with large quantities of copper coins in large commercial transactions.

During the Song Empire (960-1279), the central government used this system to monopolize salt production, and also because of copper shortages: many mines closed, a huge outflow of copper money from the empire occurred to Japan, Southeast Asia, Western Xia and Liao. This prompted the Song Empire at the beginning of the 12th century to issue state paper money along with copper ones in order to ease the situation of the state mint and reduce the cost of copper.

At the beginning of the 11th century, the government authorized sixteen private banks in Sichuan province to print banknotes, but in 1023 it confiscated these enterprises and created an agency to supervise the production of banknotes. The first paper money had a limited circulation area and was not intended to be used outside of it, but once it was backed by gold and silver from government reserves, the government initiated the issuance of national banknotes. This happened between 1265 and 1274. The contemporaneous state of the Jin dynasty also printed paper banknotes from at least 1214.

Invention of printing in China

It was only a matter of time before the invention of printing and printing presses in China. Since paper production was increasing every day. The emergence of printing in China had a long history.

Since ancient times, marks and seals have been used in China to certify the identity of a government official or craftsman. Even today, a personal seal will replace the owner’s signature in China, and cutting out seals is not only a craft, but also a refined art.

It is known that already in the Han era, wooden “seals of the gods” with spell texts carved on them in a mirror-inverted image were common. Such seals became the immediate predecessors of the boards from which books began to be printed.

The first mentions of printing texts date back to the 7th century. The oldest known examples of printed books date back to the first half of the 8th century. The widespread distribution of printed books dates back to the reign of the Sunn dynasty (X-XIII centuries). The absence of state censorship on books favored the development of the book market. By the 13th century, over a hundred family publishing houses operated in the two provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian alone.

The oldest known example of woodblock printing is a Sanskrit sutra printed on hemp paper, approximately between 650 and 670 CE. AD However, the first printed book with a standard size is considered to be the Diamond Sutra, made during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It consists of scrolls 5.18 m long.

Printing gave impetus to the development of fonts and binding.

Typesetting fonts

The Chinese statesman and polymath Shen Kuo (1031-1095) first outlined the method of printing using typeface in his work“Notes on the Brook of Dreams” in 1088, attributing this innovation to the unknown master Bi Sheng. Shen Kuo described the technological process for producing baked clay type, the printing process, and the production of typefaces.

Binding technology

The advent of printing in the ninth century significantly changed the technique of weaving. Towards the end of the Tang era, the book evolved from rolled up scrolls of paper into a stack of sheets resembling a modern brochure. Subsequently, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the sheets began to be folded in the center, making a “butterfly” type binding, which is why the book has already acquired a modern look.

The Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) introduced the stiff paper spine, and later during the Ming Dynasty sheets were stitched with thread. Printing in China has made a great contribution to the preservation of the rich culture that has developed over centuries.

Invention of the compass in China

The invention of the first compass is attributed to China, during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), when the Chinese began using magnetic iron ore oriented north-south. True, it was not used for navigation, but for fortune telling.

In the ancient text “Lunheng”, written in the 1st century. BC, in chapter 52, the ancient compass is described as follows: “This instrument resembles a spoon, and if it is placed on a plate, its handle will point to the south.”

A more advanced compass design was proposed by the already mentioned Chinese scientist Shen Ko. In his “Notes on the Brook of Dreams” (1088), he described in detail the magnetic declination, that is, the deviation from the direction of true north, and the design of a magnetic compass with a needle. The use of a compass for navigation was first proposed by Zhu Yu in the book “Table Talk in Ningzhou” (1119).

The magnet has been known to the Chinese since ancient times. Back in the 3rd century. BC. they knew that a magnet attracts iron. In the 11th century The Chinese began to use not the magnet itself, but magnetized steel and iron.

At that time, a water compass was also used: a magnetized steel needle in the shape of a fish, 5-6 cm long, was placed in a cup of water. The needle could be magnetized through strong heating. The fish's head always pointed south. Subsequently, the fish underwent a number of changes and turned into a compass needle.

The compass began to be used in navigation by the Chinese back in the 11th century. At the beginning of the 12th century. The Chinese ambassador, who arrived in Korea by sea, said that in poor visibility conditions, the ship steered solely according to the compass attached to the bow and stern, and the compass needles floated on the surface of the water.

The invention of gunpowder in China

Gunpowder is rightfully considered the most famous ancient Chinese invention.. Legend has it that gunpowder was created by accident when ancient Chinese alchemists were trying to create a mixture that would grant them immortality. Ironically, they managed to create something with which they can easily take a person’s life.

The first gunpowder was made from a mixture of potassium nitrate (saltpeter), charcoal and sulfur. It was first described in 1044 in a book about the most important military techniques compiled by Zeng Guoliang. The book suggests that the discovery of gunpowder occurred somewhat earlier, and Zeng described three different types of gunpowder that the Chinese used in signal flares and fireworks. Much later, gunpowder began to be used for military purposes.

Gunpowder barreled weapons, according to Chinese chronicles, were first used in battles in 1132. It was a long bamboo tube into which gunpowder was placed and then set on fire. This “flamethrower” caused severe burns to the enemy.

A century later in 1259, a gun was first invented that fired bullets - a thick bamboo tube, which contained a charge of gunpowder and a bullet. Later, at the turn of the XIII - XIV centuries. Metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread throughout the Middle Kingdom.

The invention of gunpowder brought about a number of unique inventions such as burning spear, land mines, sea mines, arquebuses, exploding cannonballs, multi-stage rockets and airfoil rockets.

In addition to military affairs, gunpowder was also actively used in everyday life. Thus, gunpowder was considered a good disinfectant in the treatment of ulcers and wounds, during epidemics, and it was also used to poison harmful insects.

Fireworks

However, perhaps the most “bright” invention in China, which appeared thanks to the creation of gunpowder, are fireworks. In the Celestial Empire they had a special meaning. According to ancient beliefs, evil spirits are very afraid of bright light and loud sounds. Therefore, since ancient times, on the Chinese New Year, there was a tradition in the courtyards of burning bonfires made of bamboo, which hissed in the fire and burst with a bang. And the invention of gunpowder charges undoubtedly frightened the “evil spirits” seriously - after all, in terms of the power of sound and light, they were significantly superior to the old method.

Later, Chinese craftsmen began to create multi-colored fireworks by adding various substances to gunpowder. Today, fireworks have become an indispensable attribute of New Year celebrations in almost all countries of the world. Some believe that the inventor of gunpowder or the forerunner of the invention was Wei Boyang in the 2nd century.

What other inventions were made by the Chinese?

In 403 – 221 BC The Chinese had the most advanced technology in metallurgy, including blast furnaces and cupola furnaces, and the forge and puddling process were known during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). Using a navigation compass and using it, known from the 1st century. helm with a sternpost, Chinese sailors achieved great success in steering a ship on the high seas, and in the 11th century. they sailed to East Africa and Egypt.

As for water clocks, the Chinese have used an anchor mechanism since the 8th century, and a chain drive since the 11th century. They also created large mechanical puppet theaters driven by a water wheel, a spoked wheel, and a vending machine driven by a spoked wheel.

The contemporaneous cultures of Peiligang and Pengtoushan are the oldest Neolithic cultures of China, they arose around 7 thousand BC. Neolithic inventions of prehistoric China include sickle and rectangular stone knives, stone hoes and shovels, the cultivation of millet, rice and soybeans, sericulture, the construction of earthen structures, houses plastered with lime, the creation of the potter's wheel, the creation of pottery with cord and basket designs, creating a ceramic vessel with three legs (tripod), creating a ceramic steamer, as well as creating ceremonial vessels for fortune telling.

Seismoscope - invented in China

During the late Han era, imperial astronomer Zhang Heng (78-139) invented the world's first seismoscope, which noted weak earthquakes over long distances. This device has not survived to this day. Its design can be judged from the incomplete description in “Hou Han Shu”. Although some details of this device are still unknown, the general principle is quite clear.

The seismoscope was cast from bronze and looked like a wine vessel with a domed lid. Its diameter was 8 chi (1.9 m). Around the circumference of this vessel were placed the figures of eight dragons or only the heads of dragons, oriented in eight directions of space: the four cardinal points and intermediate directions.

The dragons' heads had movable lower jaws. Each dragon has a bronze ball in its mouth. Eight bronze toads with their mouths wide open were placed next to the vessel under the heads of the dragons. The vessel likely contained an inverted pendulum, similar to that found in modern seismographs. This pendulum was connected by a system of levers to the movable lower jaws of the dragon heads.

During an earthquake, the pendulum began to move, the mouth of the dragon, located on the side of the epicenter of the earthquake, opened, the ball fell into the toad’s mouth, producing a strong noise, which served as a signal for the observer. As soon as one ball fell out, a mechanism inside was activated to prevent other balls from falling out during subsequent pushes.

The story of testing a seismoscope

Zhang Heng's seismoscope was sensitive even to detect small tremors passing over a distance of hundreds of li (0.5 km). The effectiveness of this device was demonstrated shortly after its manufacture. When the ball first fell from the dragon's mouth, no one at court believed that it meant an earthquake, since the tremors were not felt at that moment.

But a few days later a messenger arrived with news of an earthquake in the city of Longxi, which was located northwest of the capital at a distance of more than 600 km. From then on, it was the duty of officials of the astronomical department to record the directions of origin of earthquakes. Later, similar instruments were built many times in China. Three centuries later, the mathematician Xintu Fan described a similar instrument and may have made it. Ling Xiaogong made a seismoscope between 581 and 604 AD.

Tea has been known in China since ancient times. In sources dating back to the 1st millennium BC. There are references to a healing infusion obtained from the leaves of the tea bush. The first book on tea, “Classical Tea,” written by the poet Lu Yu, who lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), talks about the various methods of growing and preparing tea, the art of drinking tea, and where the tea ceremony came from. Tea became a common drink in China already in the 6th century.

The legend about Emperor Shen Non.

According to another legend, Emperor Shen Non was the first to try tea by accident. Leaves from a wild camellia growing nearby fell into the boiling water. The aroma that wafted from the drink was so tempting that the emperor could not resist taking a sip. He was so amazed by the taste that he made tea a national drink.

Originally Chinese teas were only green. Black tea appeared much later, but here too the Chinese were pioneers. And as new fermentation technologies developed, white, blue-green, yellow, and red teas emerged.

Chinese silk

China is the birthplace of silk. Even the Greek name for China - Seres, from which the names of China in most European languages originate, goes back to the Chinese word Sy - silk.

Weaving and embroidery have always been considered an exclusively female activity in China; absolutely all girls, even those from the highest class, were taught this craft. The secret of silk production has been known to the Chinese since ancient times. According to legend, Xi Ling, the wife of the first emperor Huang Di, who, according to legend, reigned more than 2.5 thousand BC, taught Chinese women how to breed silkworms, process silk and weave from silk threads.

Chinese porcelain

Chinese porcelain known all over the world and highly valued for its extraordinary quality and beauty, the word “porcelain” itself means “king” in Persian. In Europe of the 13th century. it was considered a great treasure; the treasuries of the most influential persons contained examples of Chinese ceramic art, inserted by jewelers into gold frames. There are many myths associated with it, for example, in India and Iran it was believed that Chinese porcelain has magical properties and changes color if poison is mixed into food.

Suspension bridges - an invention of ancient China

Since ancient times, the Chinese have paid great attention to the construction of bridges. Initially, they were built only from wood and bamboo. The first stone bridges in China date back to the Shang-Yin era. They were built from blocks laid on overpasses, the distance between which did not exceed 6 m. This method of construction was used in subsequent times, having undergone significant development. For example, during the Song Dynasty, unique giant bridges with large spans were built, the size of which reached 21 m. Stone blocks weighing up to 200 tons were used.

Suspension bridges were invented in China, with the links of their chains made of malleable steel instead of woven bamboo. Cast iron was called “raw iron,” steel was called “great iron,” and malleable steel was called “ripened iron.” The Chinese were well aware that during “ripening” iron loses some important component, and described this process as “loss of life-giving juices.” However, without knowing chemistry, they could not determine that it was carbon.

In the 3rd century. BC. suspension bridges have gained popularity. They were built mainly in the southwest, where there are many gorges. The most famous Chinese suspension bridge is the Anlan Bridge in Guanxiang. It is believed that it was built in the 3rd century. BC. engineer Li Bin. The bridge has a total length of 320 m, a width of about 3 m and is composed of eight spans.

Other Chinese inventions

Archaeological finds of trigger mechanisms give reason to believe that crossbow weapons appeared in China around the 5th century. BC. The archaeological materials found are bronze devices of some sort of arrow-throwing weapon. In the famous dictionary “Shi Min” (Interpretation of Names), created by Lu Xi during the Han Dynasty in the 2nd century. BC, it is mentioned that the term "ji" is used to apply to this type of weapon, which resembles a crossbow.

Throughout the long history of horse riding, people have managed without support for their feet. Ancient peoples - Persians, Medes. The Romans, Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks did not know stirrups. Around the 3rd century. The Chinese managed to find a way out of the situation, By that time they were already quite skilled metallurgists and began to cast stirrups from bronze and iron.

The decimal system, fundamental to all modern science, first arose in China.. Evidence can be found confirming its use dating back to the 14th century. BC, during the reign of the Shang Dynasty. An example of the use of the decimal system in Ancient China is an inscription dating back to the 13th century. BC, in which 547 days are designated as "five hundred plus four tens plus seven days." Since ancient times, the positional number system was understood literally: the Chinese actually put counting sticks in the boxes assigned to them.

Ancient China made an invaluable contribution to the development of science and technology. The entire richness of their culture is amazing, and it is impossible to overestimate its importance for world culture. Many of the discoveries made by Europeans were much later, and technologies long kept secret allowed China to flourish and develop for many centuries independently of other countries. All inventions made in China directly affect subsequent inventions in the world.

The four great inventions of ancient China - this is how the famous researcher of Chinese culture Joseph Needham dubbed paper, printing, gunpowder and a compass invented in the Middle Ages in his book of the same name. It was these discoveries that contributed to the fact that many areas of culture and the arts, previously accessible only to the rich, became the property of the general public. The inventions of ancient China made long-distance travel possible, which made it possible to discover new lands. So, let's look at each of them in chronological order.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 1 - Paper

Paper is considered the first great invention of ancient China. According to Chinese records of the Eastern Han Dynasty, invented paper Han Dynasty court eunuch Cai Long in 105 AD.

In ancient times, in China, before the advent of paper, bamboo strips rolled into scrolls, silk scrolls, wooden and clay tablets, etc. were used for writing notes. The most ancient Chinese texts or “jiaguwen” were discovered on tortoise shells, which date back to the 2nd millennium BC. e. (Shang Dynasty).

In the 3rd century, paper was already widely used for writing instead of more expensive traditional materials. The paper production technology developed by Cai Lun consisted of the following: a boiling mixture of hemp, mulberry bark, old fishing nets and fabrics was turned into pulp, after which it was ground to a homogeneous paste and mixed with water. A sieve in a wooden cane frame was immersed in the mixture, the mixture was scooped out with the sieve, and the liquid was shaken to drain. At the same time, a thin and even layer of fibrous mass was formed in the sieve.

This mass was then tipped onto smooth boards. Boards with castings were placed one on top of the other. They tied the stack together and placed a load on top. Then the sheets, hardened and strengthened under the press, were removed from the boards and dried. A sheet of paper made using this technology was light, smooth, durable, less yellow and more convenient for writing.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 2 - Printing

The advent of paper, in turn, led to the advent of printing. The oldest known example of woodblock printing is a Sanskrit sutra printed on hemp paper between approximately 650 and 670 CE. However, the first printed book with a standard size is considered to be the Diamond Sutra, made during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It consists of scrolls 5.18 m long. According to scholar of traditional Chinese culture Joseph Needham, the printing methods used in the calligraphy of the Diamond Sutra are far superior in perfection and sophistication to the miniature sutra printed previously.

Set fonts: The Chinese statesman and polymath Shen Kuo (1031–1095) first outlined the method of printing using set font in his work “Notes on the Brook of Dreams” in 1088, attributing this innovation to the unknown master Bi Sheng. Shen Kuo described the technological process for producing baked clay type, the printing process, and the production of typefaces.

Bookbinding Technique: The advent of printing in the ninth century significantly changed the technique of binding. Towards the end of the Tang era, the book evolved from rolled up scrolls of paper into a stack of sheets resembling a modern brochure. Subsequently, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the sheets began to be folded in the center, making a “butterfly” type binding, which is why the book has already acquired a modern look. The Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) introduced stiff paper spines, and later during the Ming Dynasty sheets were stitched with thread.

Printing in China has made a great contribution to the preservation of the rich culture that has developed over centuries.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 3 - Gunpowder

Gunpowder is believed to have been developed in China in the 10th century. It was first used as a filling in incendiary projectiles, and later explosive gunpowder projectiles were invented. Gunpowder barreled weapons, according to Chinese chronicles, were first used in battles in 1132. It was a long bamboo tube into which gunpowder was placed and then set on fire. This “flamethrower” caused severe burns to the enemy.

A century later, in 1259, a gun that fired bullets was invented for the first time - a thick bamboo tube that held a charge of gunpowder and a bullet.

Later, at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread in the Celestial Empire.

Inventions of Ancient China: Earliest Artistic Representation of Gunpowder Weapons, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 CE). The painting shows Mara trying in vain to seduce the Buddha: in the upper part, demons threaten the Buddha with fire

However, perhaps the most “bright” invention that appeared thanks to the creation of gunpowder are fireworks. In the Celestial Empire they had a special meaning. According to ancient beliefs, evil spirits are very afraid of bright light and loud sounds. Therefore, since ancient times, on the Chinese New Year, there was a tradition in the courtyards of burning bonfires made of bamboo, which hissed in the fire and burst with a bang. And the invention of gunpowder charges undoubtedly frightened the “evil spirits” seriously - after all, in terms of the power of sound and light, they were significantly superior to the old method. Later, Chinese craftsmen began to create multi-colored fireworks by adding various substances to gunpowder.

Today, fireworks have become an indispensable attribute of New Year celebrations in almost all countries of the world.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 4 - Compass

The first prototype of the compass is believed to have appeared during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), when the Chinese began using magnetic iron ore oriented north-south. True, it was not used for navigation, but for fortune telling. In the ancient text "Lunheng", written in the 1st century AD, in chapter 52, the ancient compass is described as follows: "This instrument resembles a spoon, and when placed on a plate, its handle will point to the south."

The description of a magnetic compass for determining the cardinal directions was first set out in the Chinese manuscript “Wujing Zongyao” in 1044. The compass worked on the principle of residual magnetization from heated steel or iron blanks, which were cast in the shape of a fish. The latter were placed in a bowl of water, and weak magnetic forces appeared as a result of induction and residual magnetization. The manuscript mentions that this device was used as a heading indicator paired with a mechanical “chariot that points south.”

For your information:

In addition to the four great inventions of ancient China, the craftsmen of the Celestial Empire gave our civilization the following useful things: the Chinese horoscope, drum, bell, crossbow, erhu violin, gong, martial arts “wushu”, qigong health gymnastics, fork, noodles, steamer, chopsticks, tea , soy cheese tofu, silk, paper money, nail polish, bristle toothbrush, toilet paper, kite, gas cylinder, Go board game, playing cards, porcelain and much more.