Great inventions of the Chinese. Great inventions in China

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. Thus, at the turn of the millennium, paper and ink were invented for writing. 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.

But whatever the culture of China, 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.

Paper - an invention of ancient China

The first great invention of ancient China is considered paper. According to the Chinese chronicles of the Eastern Han Dynasty, paper was invented by the 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. (Shang Dynasty).

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 were 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.

Inventions of ancient China: paper Huiji banknote, printed in 1160

The Han Chronicle of 105 reports that Cai Lun "made paper from tree bark, rags and fishing nets and presented it to the emperor.” Since then, paper has replaced silk and bamboo from Chinese offices, and paper production reached gigantic proportions (trade departments alone consumed about 1.5 million sheets annually). Both writing paper was made, the raw materials for which were mulberry bark, ramie, seaweed, and various exquisite types of paper, for the production of which, for example, sandalwood bark was used, which gave it a lasting aroma. For household needs, paper was made from rice or wheat flour (for example, paper wallpaper or toilet paper). Because Chinese paper absorbs ink well, it was ideal for painting and calligraphy. Production technology changed in the 10th century, when bamboo began to be used instead of mulberry bark to make writing paper. Bamboo branches cut in the spring were soaked in water for a long time, after which the bark was separated from the fibers, the wood was mixed with lime, and the resulting mass was dried. But with the advent of cheap industrially produced paper from the middle of the 19th century. handicraft paper production began to decline rapidly.

Printing is an invention of ancient China

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, 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. 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.

Typesetting fonts

The statesman and polymath of China Shen Kuo (1031-1095) first outlined the method of printing using typeface in his work “Notes on the Stream 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 emergence 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.

In ancient times, in China, to identify an official or a master, a seal with carved family hieroglyphs instead of a signature was used. They are still used by Chinese artists today. Carving hieroglyphs on stone seals has always been considered not only skill, but also a refined art. These seals were the predecessors of the boards from which book printing began. The oldest examples of printed books date back to the first half of the 8th century, and their widespread distribution dates back to the period of the Song Dynasty (X-XIII). The absence of state monopoly and censorship for a long time favored the development of the book market. By the 13th century. There were more than 100 family publishing houses in the provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian alone. In China, printing spread in the form of woodcuts (printing from boards on which a mirror image of the printed text was cut out), which made it possible to preserve the graphic features of the original manuscript and, if necessary, replace characters, as well as combine printed text and engravings. The Chinese printed book reached its final form by the 16th century, largely reproducing examples of the Song era and had the appearance of a stitched notebook. And since the 17th century. The technique of color engraving was mastered in China.

Inventions of ancient China: An illustration given in the book of the scholar Wang Zhen (1313) shows typesetting letters, which are arranged in a special order according to the sectors of the round table.

Compass - an invention of ancient China

First prototype compass, is believed to have originated during the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), when the Chinese began using north-south oriented magnetic iron ore. 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 placed on a plate, its handle will point south.”

Inventions of ancient China: Model of a Chinese compass from the Han Dynasty

Description magnetic compass to determine the cardinal directions was first outlined 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.”

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 Talks in Ningzhou” (1119).

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.

Already during the Han Dynasty in China, they knew that identical magnetic poles repel each other, and different ones attract each other. In the X-XIII centuries. The Chinese discovered that a magnet only attracts iron and nickel. In the West, this phenomenon was discovered only at the beginning of the 17th century. English scientist Gilbert.

In navigation compass began to be used by the Chinese 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.

Around the end of the 12th century. The Arabs brought the Chinese water compass to the West.

Gunpowder - an invention of ancient China

Powder was 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 XIII - XIV centuries. Metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread throughout the Middle Kingdom.

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 that appeared thanks to the creation of gunpowder is 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.

Chinese technologies in metallurgy

In (403-221 BC) the Chinese had the most advanced technology in metallurgy, including blast furnaces and cupola furnaces, and the forge and forge-pudding process were known during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). The emergence of a complex economic system in China gave rise to the invention of paper money during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The invention of gunpowder led to a number of unique inventions such as the burning spear, landmines, sea ​​mines, squeaks, exploding cannonballs, multi-stage rockets and jets with aerodynamic wings. 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. Francesca Bray argues that the domestication of oxen and buffaloes during the Longshan period (3000-2000 BC), the lack of irrigation and high-yield crops in the Longshan period, the fully proven cultivation of drought-resistant grain crops that produce high yields "only when the soil carefully processed." This explains the high agricultural yields that fueled the rise of Chinese civilization during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1050 BC). Together with the subsequent invention of the seed drill and the steel moldboard plow, Chinese agricultural production could feed a much larger population.

Seismoscope - an invention of ancient 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 an incomplete description in Hou Han Shu (History of the Second Han). Although some details of this device are still unknown, general principle quite clear.

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.

As the chronicles testify, the device acted quite accurately. 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. By the time of Mongol rule in the 13th century. the principles of making a seismoscope were forgotten. The first seismograph appeared in Europe in 1703.

Chinese tea

In China tea has been known 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, Classic 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, and the art of drinking tea. Tea became a common drink in China already in the 6th century.

There are many legends about the origin of tea. One of them tells about a holy hermit who moved away from the world, settling on a hillside in a secluded hut. And then one day, as he sat, immersed in thought, sleep began to overwhelm him. No matter how he struggled, he became increasingly sleepy, and his eyelids began to close against his will. Then, so that sleep would not interrupt his thoughts, the hermit took a sharp knife, cut off his eyelids and threw them to the side so that his eyes could not close. From these centuries the tea bush grew.

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.

Nowadays in China, tea is grown mainly in the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian and Guangdong. The lower slopes of the hills are best suited for growing tea bushes. The seeds of the tea bush are first sown in special “nurseries”, from where, after a year, the sprouts are transplanted to the plantation. From a three-year-old bush you can already start collecting leaves. During the summer season, as a rule, 4 collections are carried out: the first in April (white tea is obtained from the leaves of this collection), the second in May, the third in July and the fourth in August. Each subsequent harvest produces a coarser leaf with less flavor. Best tea received in the first two collections. Only young green tea shoots are collected, at the end of which there are no more than 2-3 leaves and a bud. The bud can be either just set or half-bloomed. Fully blossomed flowers have no value for tea, because... do not transfer their aroma to the brew. The top of a tea shoot (2-3 leaves and a bud) is called flush. The best tea is obtained when the picker picks a flush with 1-2 top leaves and a half-opened bud. In addition, the best tea flushes are collected from the apical shoots rather than the side shoots, where they are coarser. Typically, tea made from the top three leaves (including the bud) is labeled on the packets as “Golden Tea,” and tea made from the top three leaves without buds is labeled “Silver Tea.” Often, elite teas also have indications - “first leaf”, “second leaf”, “third leaf”. This indicates that this tea varietal blend is dominated by hand-selected apical leaves.

Initially, 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.

The most popular varieties teas are green (liu cha) and black tea (hon cha). Although they are prepared from the leaves of the same shrub, they differ in color, taste, etc. This difference appears due to the processing methods. To obtain green tea, the castings are poured onto mats for simmering for two to three hours. After this, they are placed for five minutes in round iron frying pans, slightly heated from below by fire, and constantly stirred and turned over. Under the influence of heat, the leaves burst and become moist and soft from the juice. After this, they are placed on bamboo tables and rolled out by hand. In this case, part of the juice is squeezed out and flows out through the cracks of the table, while the leaves themselves curl up. Then they are again laid out on mats and kept for some time in the shade in the open air. Next comes the toasting process. The leaves are again placed in the pan and heated, stirring constantly. As a result, they gradually dry out, shrink, and curl up. After about an hour, the roasting is complete, and after sifting through a series of sieves and sorting, the tea is ready.

To receive the same black tea The first drying in air lasts from twelve to twenty hours. During this time, slight fermentation occurs in the leaves. Roll out the leaves on the tables more vigorously, so as to squeeze out as much juice as possible. Then they are laid out in the open air for two to three days for further fermentation. The main difference in preparing green and black tea lies in this process. Heating in frying pans and rolling is repeated until all the juice has been squeezed out. Final toasting stops fermentation. After this, the tea is sifted and sorted. There are a huge number (more than 600) of different varieties of Chinese tea, special rituals and methods of brewing tea, and tea drinking ceremonies. These traditions have not been lost in China to this day.

China - the birthplace of silk

For a long time, for the West, China was primarily the homeland silks. 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, to breed silkworms, process silk and Chinese women were taught to weave silk threads by Xi Ling, the wife of the first emperor Huang Di, who, according to legend, reigned more than 2.5 thousand BC. As the patroness of sericulture, a separate temple was dedicated to her. Every spring, the emperor's eldest wife collected mulberry leaves and sacrificed them. Silk fabric is made from threads obtained from the cocoons of silkworms. Their breeding requires a lot of attention and painstaking work. Great care must be taken, since even noise, drafts or smoke can harm them, and the temperature and humidity in the room must be carefully regulated. And you can feed the worms only with leaves of the mulberry tree, and completely clean, exclusively fresh and dry. Worms are very fragile creatures, susceptible to various diseases: an entire colony can die in just one day if not carefully cared for. In early April, small caterpillars hatch from the eggs, and in 40 days they reach adulthood and can already spin cocoons. An adult caterpillar, as a rule, is flesh-colored, 7-8 cm long and as thick as a little finger. These caterpillars weave cocoons on specially prepared bundles of straw. The process lasts 3-4 days, and the length of the thread of one cocoon ranges from 350 to 1000 meters. Silk is obtained from the cocoon by so-called unwinding. The cocoon consists of a silk thread and glue that holds this thread together. To soften it, the cocoon is thrown into hot water. Since the thread of one cocoon is too thin, as a rule, they take the threads of 4-18 cocoons and, having connected them, pass them through an agate ring and attach them to a reel, which slowly rotates, and the threads, passing through the ring, are glued into one. Thus, raw silk is obtained. It is so light that 1 kg of finished fabric contains from 300 to 900 kilometers of thread.

Mostly sericulture practice in Southern and Central China. Natural silk can be white or yellow. The first is produced mainly in the provinces of Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong and Hubei. This variety is produced by the caterpillars of the “domestic silkworm,” which is fed only with garden mulberry leaves. Natural yellow silk is produced in the provinces of Sichuan, Hubei and Shandong. To obtain a yellow color, the caterpillars are fed the leaves of Zhe trees for the first half of their life (it is similar to mulberry and grows in the mountains), and only in the other half of their life are they given garden mulberry leaves. There is another variety of silk - wild silk, it is produced by the “wild silkworm” caterpillar, which feeds on the leaves of different types of oak. This silk is brown in color and difficult to dye.

Weaving art of China

The Chinese tradition of artistic weaving and dyeing has a fairly long history. Samples of weaving art dating back to the second half of the 1st millennium BC have survived to this day almost unchanged. These are a variety of types of silk, from thin gauze to brocade. Many of them are embroidered with ornaments in the form of mythical animals, various geometric shapes. Chinese weaving flourished during the Tang Dynasty. Sources of that time mention 50 varieties of patterns on silk: “dragons frolicking among flowers”, “lotus and reeds”, “water grasses with fish”, “peonies”, “dragon and phoenix”, “palaces and pavilions”, “pearls” with grains of rice”, etc. Many of these motifs already existed in the Han era and have survived to this day. During the Song era, beautiful woven images on silk appeared, made in the style of “engraved silk” (ke si). Silk paintings form an integral part cultural heritage China. Calligraphic inscriptions and landscapes of famous artists were often reproduced on them. In his books on fine household items, Wen Zhenheng states that “an exalted husband cannot help but keep one or two such paintings in his house among other paintings.” The quality of Chinese woven products, which typically used gold and silver threads, is unmatched in the world. Suffice it to say that the frequency of threads in the works of Chinese masters is 3 times higher than that in the best French tapestries, and the gold embroidery in them has not faded even after the 6th – 7th centuries.

Chinese porcelain

Chinese porcelain is known all over the world and is 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.

Ceramic art traditionally well developed in China, ceramics from the Shang period (2 thousand BC) are not only historical, but also artistic value. Later, products from proto-porcelain appeared, which the Western classification classifies as so-called stone masses, since it does not have transparency and whiteness. The Chinese, on the contrary, value porcelain primarily for its sonority and durability, and therefore consider proto-porcelain to be true porcelain. Among the beautiful ceramics of the Tang period, the first examples of “real” white matte porcelain are found. IN beginning of VII V. Chinese ceramists learned to produce porcelain masses mixed from feldspar, silicon and kaolin - the most important element of the porcelain mass, which got its name from Mount Gaoling, where it was first mined. Firing the porcelain mass at high temperatures made it possible to obtain hard, white, translucent ceramics. Tang porcelain ceramics continued in their massive and rounded forms the traditions of ancient potters, but necks in the form of bird heads and serpentine handles imitating the forms of Iranian vessels indicate a noticeable foreign influence. Then there was a desire for uniformity of the surface of the vessel, which was later developed by Sung ceramists.

Heyday ceramic production in China during the Song Dynasty. The increased demand for porcelain products generated a huge number of new kilns and led to imperial patronage of the production. From V – VI centuries. in the north and south of China there were special departments that supervised the production of high-quality ceramics. Song porcelain is characterized by simplicity and elegance of forms, smooth monochrome glazes and restraint of ornaments. The finest milky-white ceramics with delicate carved or stamped patterns were called “din” ceramics; sometimes iron oxides were added to the glaze and then black, brown, green, purple or red vessels were obtained. Much later, during the Qing era, the popularity of single-color vessels led to the appearance of an almost endless number of glaze colors.

Production of polychrome painted porcelain began during the Yuan dynasty, when they began to make the famous blue underglaze painting white background. During the Ming Dynasty, this technique was improved and began to be combined with five-color overglaze paintings (wucai). The development of colored enamels technology led to the emergence of three “families” of Chinese porcelain. “Green Family” are products painted on a white background in several shades of green. Typically, the vessels of this family depicted battle scenes or simply figures and flowers. Products with color painting on a deep black background were called the “black family.” Porcelain painted in soft pink tones with iridescent shades on the subject of “women and flowers” ​​received the name “pink family”.

During the Ming Dynasty, porcelain became somewhat strategic product and was supplied in huge quantities to the countries of Europe and Asia, through Arab traders it even reached South Africa. The enormous scale of porcelain exports during the Ming era and subsequent years is evidenced by the fact that in 1723, 350 thousand porcelain products were sold to the French city of Lorient alone. And for many Europeans to this day the term "Minsk vase" means all Chinese ceramics.

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, and their chain links were 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 “the 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 suggest that crossbow weapon 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 leak stirrups made of bronze and iron. This invention was brought to the West by the warriors of the Zhuan-Zhuan tribe, which became known as the Avars. The success of their cavalry was due to the fact that they were equipped with cast iron stirrups. Around the middle of the 6th century. The Avars settled between the Danube and Tissa. In 580, Emperor Mark Tiberius issued a military manual, the Strategikon, which laid out the basics of cavalry technology. It also emphasized the need to use iron stirrups. This was the first mention of them in European literature.

Decimal system Calculus, 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 the technologies for a long time kept secret, allowed China to flourish and develop for many centuries independently of other countries. It is obvious that this heritage gives the Chinese the strength to actively develop even now, because the country’s culture, its history is something that no one can take away, it is something that instills pride and confidence in every decent citizen.

• Student: Tuikov A.S.
• Head: Zaparii V.V.

The Chinese invented original technologies in the fields of mechanics, hydraulics, mathematics as applied to the measurement of time, metallurgy, astronomy, agriculture, mechanical design, music theory, art, navigation and warfare.

• Ancient China;
• paper;
• compass;
• powder;
• typography;
• typesetting fonts;
• bookbinding technology;
• fireworks;
• seismoscope;
• silk;
• porcelain.

1. http://ru.admissions.cn/Culture/2009-8/view10172.html
2. http://www.epochtimes.ru/content/view/37664/4/
3. http://ru.wikipedia.org/
4. http://www.abc-people.com/typework/art/antich1-txt.htm
5. http://kitaia.ru/kultura-kitaya/neprehodyashchie-cennosti/
6. http://intway-holiday.com/page2b.htm

The great Chinese civilization gave the world a huge number of discoveries that made it possible to expand the boundaries of the world, improve the quality of life, acquire new knowledge, and have many useful devices to simplify work and increase productivity.

The Chinese are credited with four major inventions that significantly changed the world. Of course, there are many more inventions, but these are considered the main ones. These are paper, gunpowder and a compass. This theory was proposed by Joseph Needham in his book Four Great Inventions. So, great inventions of the chinese:

Paper . Paper was invented in China, which after some time conquered the whole world, displacing papyrus scrolls, clay tablets, parchment, bamboo and various other means of writing. The Chinese made paper from whatever they had at hand. They mixed old rags, remnants of tree bark, various waste from fishing nets, and from this mixture, pre-boiled and specially processed, sheets of paper were obtained. The Chinese used them not only for writing, but also for packaging. Business Cards, paper money, toilet paper- the Chinese also came up with all this.

Vintage paper note

Typography. I spoke in detail about the emergence of book printing in the article “”. I will only note that the Chinese made a very large contribution to the emergence and spread of printing. They invented typefaces and were the first to use binding.

Typography

Gunpowder. Legend has it that gunpowder was created by accident when ancient alchemists were trying to make a mixture to achieve immortality. They mixed saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal and got gunpowder. Subsequently, when different metals were added to this mixture, different colors appeared, thus creating fireworks. Bamboo sticks with gunpowder were used for fireworks.

Fireworks

Compass. Very useful invention. When the whole world recognized the direction of movement and cardinal directions by the location of the heavenly bodies, the Chinese made full use of the compass. It’s curious, but at first the Chinese used this thing not for navigation, but for fortune telling. How and when this invention first saw the light is unknown. But the fact remains a fact. The Chinese began to make bucket-type compasses to determine the cardinal directions, and the basis of the compass was a magnet.

It is unknown how and when people discovered the properties of a magnet, but there is a legend that a certain shepherd noticed that metal objects were attracted to a black stone, this stone was called “magnet”. This is how it became known that some rocks have magnetic properties.

I have listed four main Chinese inventions, but there are many others, which will be discussed further.

The fork was used by the Chinese long before chopsticks appeared. And the sticks, as they say ancient legend, appeared in the 11th century BC. It is believed that Emperor Di Xin was the first to use ivory.

Chinese chopsticks

Bells made of ceramics, later metal, were used in China 4000 years ago. They were not just a source of sound, but also played an important role in culture.

Antique Chinese bells.

The most ancient bells were found in the tomb of the 8th Marquis Su of the Jin Kingdom in Tsuizen. It was a set of sixteen pieces. Each of the bells produced 2 clear sounds, one if struck in the center, the other if struck close to the edge. These two tones differed by a minor or major third. Can you imagine how difficult it is to make such things? After all, a lot of conditions must be met: exact proportions, elasticity of the material, thickness, specific gravity, melting point and much more.

The Chinese used varnish about 7,000 years ago. The earliest varnished find was a red wooden bowl (ca. 5000-4500 BC)

Lacquered bowls

Do you think the steamer is a modern invention? The Chinese used the steamer 7,000 years ago. It consisted of two ceramic vessels. Most often in China, rice was steamed.

The Chinese consumed noodles 4,000 years ago. This has been confirmed archaeological excavations in Lajia when an overturned bowl containing noodles was found. It managed to survive for so long because of the formation of a vacuum under the bowl.

Fermented drinks were known to the Chinese 9000 years ago! And about 3000 years ago, the Chinese created high alcohol beer, the alcohol content of which was more than 11% - an impossible thing at that time. For example, only in the 12th century did distilled alcohol appear in Europe.

Chinese silk

Silk! How can we not mention this magical fabric! Imperial fabric, as silk is often called. Even simply because at first this luxurious item was available only to the imperial family. There is a legend that tells how the wife of the Yellow Emperor was sitting in the garden with a cup of tea, and suddenly a silkworm cocoon fell next to her. The woman picked it up and began to unwind a thin, strong thread, and then the idea occurred to her that this thread could become the basis of a magical fabric. And so silk was born.

Chinese silk

The Chinese have kept the secret of silk production for 3000 years. Those who tried to take out cocoons or mulberry seeds were mercilessly executed. The price of silk was equal to the price of gold. The Chinese carefully kept the secret of production, but still very actively traded this fabric. Later, even the Great Silk Road appeared, along which there was a very active trade in various goods.

Acupuncture, the traditional medical practice of inserting needles, was introduced by the Chinese approximately 2000-2500 years ago.

Acupuncture

In the 2nd century AD, the ventilator was invented. Its author was master Ding Huang. By the way, the first fans appeared in Europe only in the 16th century.

At the same time as the fan, a winnowing machine was invented to separate grains from chaff.

Around the 15th and 16th centuries, the Chinese began using bristle toothbrushes. This is when in Europe people did not wash for years and there were lice in the wigs and clothes of rich nobles!

Ink for writing was invented by the Chinese in the 3rd millennium BC. It was made from pine soot. Much later they began to use petroleum soot. This mascara had a very beautiful shine. Art also originated in China.

Writing set

The art of calligraphy

The Chinese in 1200-1300 used sea ​​and land mines and exploding cannonballs.

The Chinese in the 2nd-3rd centuries AD made full use of them, while in Europe they were considered absurd until 1544, when Mikhail Stiefel first described operations with them in his book “Complete Arithmetic”.

It's interesting that smallpox vaccinations, according to various sources, they were made in China already at the end of the 10th century or, possibly, in the 15th-16th centuries. In any case, much earlier than it was introduced in Europe.

The whistle also first appeared in China, it was used as a toy.

Porcelain was also invented in China around the 7th century in Northern China. Porcelain is one of the goods that China actively traded with other countries.

Chinese porcelain

Tea and tea ceremony first appeared in China. Tea back in the 2nd millennium BC. used for medicinal purposes. Then tea and tea drinking spread throughout China, and then throughout the world.

This is such a great civilization! There are still quite a lot of inventions that did not fit in this article. But I have listed the main, popular and widely used things now that simply did not exist before until the Chinese invented them!

Your opinion about the Great Chinese civilization and its discoveries, which changed the world so much, is also very interesting!

Chinese civilization has given humanity many inventions, without which we cannot imagine our lives today. Everyone knows that it was from the Celestial Empire that they came into our everyday life:

• paper,
• powder,
• porcelain,
• silk.

However, ancient Chinese scientists and inventors created a lot of other equally useful things. Many Chinese discoveries were made again by Western scientists, but much later.

Inventions of Ancient China

Compass

It was in China that magnetized iron was first used to determine the cardinal directions. The estimated date of creation of the compass is still unknown to scientists. According to some estimates, the first compasses could have appeared between the 3rd century. BC e. and X century n. e. Initially, the compass was a metal spoon, the handle of which always pointed north. Thanks to this invention, Chinese travelers could accurately determine their position in space without any landmarks. This was especially convenient if the traveler was in the middle of the desert or sea. However, the first compasses were used not only in navigation, but also in construction. Chinese architects designed palaces and temples in accordance with the rules of Feng Shui. In those days, people believed that in order for only positive energies to enter the erected building, and for its inhabitants to be happy, rich and healthy, windows, doors and rooms must be correctly oriented to the cardinal points. This rule is still observed even in atheistic China; many large companies invite feng shui specialists to work, whose tasks include the correct layout of rooms and arrangement of furniture.

Typography

Residents of Europe and Russia usually associate the invention of the first printing press with the name of the German master Johannes Gutenberg, who lived in the 15th century. But few people know that the first printing devices in the world appeared in China. However, book printing was not as popular here as in Europe. Preference was given to manuscripts. This may be due to the fact that the hieroglyphic system is too complex for printing, as well as the special attitude of the Chinese to the art of calligraphy.

At first, woodblock printing was used to print books: text and engravings were cut out in a mirror image on a wooden board. Then the board was covered with paint and an imprint was made on paper. Using woodcut printing, designs could also be applied to silk fabric. It was quite difficult to print large works in this way, so the first typesetting boards appeared in the 11th century. At first, typesetting impressions were made from clay, and then they were replaced by bronze type.

Ethanol

Since ancient times, people have known that fermented grains and fruits have an intoxicating effect. On the territory of modern China, alcohol production began in the 7th millennium BC. e. Over time, the Chinese learned to subject plant materials to fermentation and distillation, producing different types of wines, tinctures and sauces.

Kite

It is believed that the first kite appeared in China in the 5th century BC. e. The very fact that the inhabitants of Ancient China were able to create such a design suggests that these people had an understanding of the basic laws of aerodynamics. In those days, the Chinese did not treat kites as simple toys. From the first years of its appearance, this invention was used Chinese army: by using kite it was possible to deliver an important message to a besieged fortress. And a snake filled with gunpowder and set on fire immediately turned into a formidable weapon. Some resourceful Chinese have even learned to fish using kites. It was enough to simply tie the bait to the structure and wait for the bite.

More than two millennia later, the principle of the kite became the impetus for the development of modern aircraft construction.

Umbrella

The umbrella we are used to, made of water-repellent fabric and metal, was patented in the 1850s in England. However, the history of this ingenious invention began much earlier and on the other side of the world. According to scientists, the first umbrellas appeared independently of each other simultaneously in China, Egypt and India about 3,200 years ago. Initially, they were intended only for protection from the sun and only the richest and most influential citizens could have them. Umbrellas were made from feathers, paper or large leaves. The owners of the very first umbrellas very rarely carried them in their hands. During walks, umbrellas were held by servants accompanying their master. If a dignitary or emperor had to sit in one place for a long time, the umbrella was simply attached to the back of his chair or throne.

Toothbrush

Since ancient times, people have cared about the cleanliness of their teeth. The first toothpicks and brushes used for oral hygiene appeared in prehistoric times. For a long time, chewing blades made of wood, mastic or bamboo were used to clean teeth. But at the end of the 15th century, the first modern brushes appeared in China. The Chinese thought of attaching tufts of boar bristles to a bamboo or bone handle. Although the materials used to make toothbrushes have changed greatly over the past five centuries, the shape of the brush itself has remained the same.

Wheelbarrow

A car without which no one can imagine today subsidiary farm, also came into our everyday life from China. This one has simple device was very long and interesting story. The first wheelbarrows appeared in the 1st century BC. e. and began to be used in military affairs. There are no extensive river networks in China, and in ancient times almost no pack animals were bred here. Therefore, during military operations, the question of methods of supplying the army and transporting goods was quite acute. In the end, the problem was solved. The army began to use a structure that was a wooden flooring with two handles, mounted on one wheel. For a long time, wheelbarrows, as real advanced military technology, were even hidden from the enemy.

Unlike the European car, the Chinese one was much more convenient and maneuverable. If the European wheelbarrow had one small wheel in front, which is why the worker had to partially take the weight of the load on himself, then the Chinese wheelbarrow had a much larger wheel and was located in the center. Thanks to this engineering solution, the person transporting the load could only push the structure in front of him. In some cases, for speedy movement, small sails were even attached to the wheelbarrows: such a design on a smooth road could reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. The cars were very comfortable and roomy. They did not require the construction of such wide roads as in countries where goods were transported by horses and oxen. The whole of China was entangled in a network of narrow winding paved paths, on which two workers with wheelbarrows could easily pass each other.

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, wheelbarrows were one of the main devices for transporting goods for the Chinese. Often they were even used as a means of transport: up to 5-6 people could ride on a wheelbarrow driven by one worker.

Mechanical watches

People have found ways to measure time even before our era. At first, time was determined simply by the position of the heavenly bodies. The first clocks were solar (appeared in Egypt) and water (appeared in Babylon). Perhaps in some regions already in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. The operating principle of the hourglass was developed. Shortly before the beginning of the 1st century AD. e. The Chinese borrowed clepsydra from the Middle East. But at the beginning of the 7th century, China invented its own absolutely new type hours. Their creator was the Buddhist monk Yi Xing. He came up with complex design, displaying the time of sunrise and sunset, the movement of celestial bodies and time. Yi Xing's device was both a clock and a small planetarium. The clock was driven by the power of water. Two and a half centuries later, Yi Xing's clock was improved by replacing water with mercury.

Cast iron

According to archaeological research, cast iron was known to the Chinese from the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. Already in this era, China had many technological innovations and techniques that made it possible to achieve great success in metallurgy. Here:

• built blast furnaces,
• used a horn,
• used stack casting technology, thanks to which it was possible to produce up to hundreds of identical products at a time,
• They made chill molds - metal molds for casting.

In fact, cast iron is iron ore, enriched in carbon. The higher the carbon content in cast iron and the fewer impurities, the stronger the metal. Mass production of cast iron products began after the Chinese began to use it as fuel coal. Unlike wood, coal allowed smelting furnaces to maintain very high temperature. Iron ore was placed in special pipes, which were then placed in burning coal. Since the pipes were closed, the raw materials did not come into contact with the sulfur produced by burning coal. Therefore, Chinese cast iron was pure and durable.

Many useful items were made from cast iron: agricultural implements, horse harness, cannons, dishes, mouthpieces, coins and even children's toys.

The production of cast iron led to a number of new important discoveries. Firstly, thanks to cast iron cookware, which was ideal for evaporating salt, the salt industry began to develop rapidly in China. The scale of salt development expanded every year, and new mines were created throughout the country. Apparently, it was during salt mining that the Chinese discovered natural gas. The exact date Scientists were unable to establish this amazing discovery. But already in the notes of Marco Polo (13th century) there are references to the fact that the Chinese used gas as fuel.

Steel

The discovery of cast iron soon led to the advent of steel. To obtain steel from cast iron, it is necessary to clean it, among other things, of excess carbon. Chinese craftsmen reduced the amount of carbon in metal by injecting oxygen into the raw material. To make steel products stronger, they were subjected to hardening: white-hot metal was instantly cooled in water. Repeating this procedure many times made it possible to obtain ultra-strong products.

Many techniques discovered by ancient Chinese metallurgists are still used in heavy industry. Some of them, for example, formed the basis of the operating principle of an open-hearth furnace.

Varnish

The Chinese became aware of the beneficial properties of the resin produced by lacquer wood back in the 5th-4th millennium BC. e. Objects coated with such resin became protected from exposure to water and various chemicals, temperature changes, and corrosion.

The varnish was collected by making cuts in the bark of trees. Since freshly collected varnish contains a lot of water, it was boiled to evaporate excess moisture. To prevent the mass from becoming too thick, crabs were added to the container with varnish. Their shells contain a substance that prevents the resin from thickening.

Over time, mineral dyes, metals and various organic substances began to be added to the resin. This is how the Chinese received a whole range of colored varnishes. In the Middle Ages, in order for the varnish to adhere better to the surface being treated, purified resin began to be mixed with vegetable oils. Paper products were coated with varnishes, Jewelry, imperial tombs, wooden utensils and much more. Even before the advent of our era, a fashion for painted nails appeared among the Chinese nobility. Both women and men took care of the manicure. Long (up to 25 cm) bright nails were a sign that their owner did not engage in hard manual labor. In some cases, nails were an amulet that protected a person from the evil eye and evil spirits.

Even before our era, Chinese scientists, mechanics and just random lucky people came up with simple but brilliant things. Without these things it is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person.

This paper was made for China in the 2nd century BC.

PAPER

It's hard to imagine life without school notebooks, documents or passport. The paper from which all this is made was invented in China at the turn of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. According to the Chinese chronicles of the Eastern Han Dynasty, paper was invented by the court eunuch of the Han Dynasty - 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. .d. 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 Chinese Cai Lun made it from mulberry bark. It is not surprising that the ancient sheet of paper has survived to this day! It's so durable it's more like a lightweight body armor. The secret of making paper remained a Chinese monopoly for the next 800 years.

An illustration given in the book of the scholar Wang Zhen (1313) shows compositing letters, which are arranged in a special order according to the sectors of the round table

TYPOGRAPHY

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.

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 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.

The earliest artistic depiction of gunpowder weapons, the era of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 AD).

POWDER

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.

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.

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.

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 if it is placed on a plate, its handle will point to the south." Description of the magnetic compass for determination The cardinal directions were first set forth in the Chinese manuscript “Wujing Zongyao” in 1044. A more advanced design of the compass was proposed by the 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 Talks in Ningzhou” (1119).

ICE CREAM

Is there anyone these days who doesn’t eat it? Unless due to medical contraindications. Meanwhile, ice cream was also invented in China. At first his recipe was this: milk plus snow. Everything ingenious is simple! And Marco Polo brought the idea of ​​ice cream to Europe along with another miracle

Ancient noodles

NOODLES

Here is the second miracle brought to us by the famous traveler from a mysterious new country in 1292. Italian spaghetti, pasta, noodles in your bowl of chicken soup - all this exists because China once invented a dish that could be stored for a long time: inexpensive and tasty. The oldest surviving noodles are 4,000 years old. It survived to this day by chance, because the clay vessel turned out to be tightly covered with earth. In China itself, noodles are a symbol of longevity and strength, so they are traditionally served at weddings and on New Year's Eve.

Emperor Sui Yan-di

AUTOMATIC DOOR When Emperor Sui Yan-di (VII century) entered one of the five cabinets of his luxurious library (there were fourteen in total), the doors folded back, the curtains covering the doors parted, and the statues of saints in front of the door moved apart. It looked like magic, but there was no trace of mysticism. The Emperor enjoyed one of the most amazing (given that we're talking about about ancient centuries) inventions of the Chinese - automatic doors.

ZOOTROP

- this primitive predecessor of cinema, which the Chinese called the "magic lantern" - existed among the objects of the treasury of Qin Shi Huang (ruled 221-210 BC) of the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC). The soothsayer Shao Ong, who organized spiritualistic seances for Emperor Wu Ti (reigned 141 - 87 BC), possibly using a zoetrope in his actions in 121 BC. The first reliable evidence of the use of a zoetrope in China dates back to the end of the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), when around 180 AD e. artisan Ding Huan made a “nine-story incense burner.” These were bird- and animal-like figures that began to move when the lamp was lit. Updraft convection warm air caused the blades at the top of the lamp to rotate, and the painted paper figures attached to the cylinder gave the impression that they were moving. Toys of this type were made in China in later eras.

ZERO

...without which we cannot imagine mathematics, numbers and the decimal number system were also invented by Chinese mathematicians. It is known that the Chinese used the decimal number system 2300 years before it was introduced in Europe. That is, in the 14th century BC.

TOILET PAPER

...an everyday object in our everyday life. But in China, for a long time after its invention, only the imperial family was allowed to use toilet paper. Toilet paper was first mentioned in historical sources 589 And already in the middle of the 19th century, in one province of Zhenjiang, 10 million packs of toilet paper were produced in a year.

Silkworm cocoons

SILK

... invented by the Chinese. And here beautiful story the story of how Emperor Huang Di's wife was drinking tea and a silkworm cocoon fell into her cup is simply a legend. According to this legend, in the water the cocoon unraveled into thin threads and a smart woman figured out how to use it. But in fact, the cocoon is not so easily divided into silk threads. And silk was invented long before Huang Di reigned. In 3630 B.C. it definitely already existed.

SUNGLASSES

...also invented in China. Only now you will be even more surprised. The ancient Chinese did not use tinted glasses to protect themselves from the sun. They were worn by judges during hearings to make it easier for them to hide their emotions from what they heard.

Apparently, the fork is a primitive Chinese chopstick.))

FORK

Did you think that in China they only eat with chopsticks? But no! Back in the burials of 2400, archaeologists discovered bone forks. So they were invented in China. And they began to use chopsticks there only in the Middle Ages. The Chinese believe that they are much more convenient if you get used to them.

Chinese toothbrush

TOOTHBRUSH

The Egyptians were the first to brush their teeth. But they did this with the help of a twig, having first chewed and tousled it. But the toothbrush in her almost modern form appeared in China. The cleaning surface in it was natural bristles taken from the backbone of a boar, very hard. They attached it to a bamboo handle and brushed their teeth without any additional funds. This invention was made in 1498 and, as it turned out, was quite dangerous. Archaeologists did not immediately realize that the grooves on the teeth of the Chinese of that time were the result of the use of a toothbrush.

Alcohol

The very first producers of alcohol in Chinese legends are Yui Di and Du Kang from the Xia Dynasty (about 2000 BC - 1600 BC). Research shows that regular beer, with an alcohol content of 4% to 5%, was widely consumed in ancient China and was even mentioned in the oracle records as an offering. tions for spirits during sacrifices in the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC - 1046 BC). After some time, the Chinese discovered that adding more boiled grain to the water during fermentation increased the alcohol content of the drink, so they began to introduce There are stronger alcoholic drinks. Around 1000 BC The Chinese created an alcoholic drink that was stronger than 11%. The powerful influence of this alcoholic drink on people was mentioned in poetry throughout the Zhou Dynasty (1050 BC-256 BC). Meanwhile, no beer in the West reached 11% until the 12th century, when the first distilled alcohol was created in Italy.

Scientists date the invention of ethanol and isopropyl alcohol to the ninth millennium. This is evidenced by recent archaeological excavations in Henan province, where traces of alcohol were found on fragments of ceramics. The results obtained finally put an end to the dispute about who invented alcohol, the Chinese or the Arabs. This invention was prompted by the improvement of vinegar and soy sauce using fermentation and distillation method. Thus, as a result of experiments, alcohol was born.

Iron and steel smelting

Archaeologists were able to prove that iron, made from molten cast iron, was developed in ancient China at the beginning of the 5th century. BC during the reign of the Zhou Dynasty (1050 BC - 256 BC). During the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) to the Eastern Zhuo Dynasty (1050 BC-256 BC), China entered a period of prosperity steel smelting. In the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), private iron production enterprises were abolished and monopolized by the state. The first known metallurgist in ancient China is Qiyi Huiwen of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-557 AD), who invented the process of using wrought iron and cast iron for steel production.

SEISMOGRAPH

One of the most important inventions of ancient China was the first seismograph, invented by the imperial astronomer Zhang Heng. The first Seismograph was a vessel with nine dragons depicted on it. Under each dragon there were figures of frogs with open mouths. Inside the vessel hung a pendulum, which in the event of an earthquake would begin to move and inform everyone of trouble. Thanks to a complex mechanism, it could even show the epicenter of an earthquake.

Restaurant menu

In 960-1279. urban shopkeepers of the merchant middle class often did not have time to eat at home. Therefore, they ventured out to eat in various public places such as temples, taverns, tea houses, food stalls and restaurants. These latter built their business on nearby brothels, houses of singing girls and drama theaters. Foreign travelers and Chinese who migrated to the cities from regions with different cooking styles also dined in the restaurants. To meet the demand for a variety of tastes, menus have emerged in city restaurants

Kite
The laws of aerodynamics that allow airplanes to take off were already known to some extent to the Chinese. In the fourth century BC, two lovers of philosophy, Gongshu Ban and Mo Di, built a snake that looked like a bird. Many thought it was just a toy, but for humanity it was an advance in the field of science. The first airplanes and flying machines owe to the experience that the Chinese gave us by flying a kite into the sky.

Locks and the Grand Canal of China

A shipping canal in China, one of the oldest existing hydraulic structures in the world. It was built over two thousand years - from the 6th century. BC e. until the 13th century n. e. The gateway was first invented in the 10th century. engineer Qiao Weiyu during the construction of the Grand Canal of China.

Hang glider
This modern device for entertainment was invented in ancient China. By experimenting with the size of a kite, a device was created capable of lifting and holding a person in the sky.

PORCELAIN
Porcelain is used in everyday life and is considered the best material for making tableware. Porcelain dishes have a beautiful, glossy surface that perfectly complements the design of any kitchen and transforms any dinner. Porcelain has been known since 620 in China.

Europeans experimentally obtained porcelain only in 1702. In Italy, France and England, attempts were made to make porcelain for two centuries.

Mustard weapon

An amazing weapon of Ancient China, the prototype of modern chemical weapons, is lime-mustard smoke. The first mention of this weapon dates back to the 4th century BC. To repel an enemy attack or suppress an uprising, the Chinese mixed burnt mustard with other chemicals, placed the mixture in bellows, and used them to spray it onto the enemy. Often a similar method was used in the case of undermining a besieged fortress: usually the opponents dug tunnels towards the attackers, and they dispersed poisonous gas underground.

WHEELBARROW

The Chinese are great builders, and the invention of the wheelbarrow helped them in this. Wheelbarrow is an object that facilitates manual transportation and also allows a person to lift and carry more weight. It was invented in the second century by a general named Yugo Liang. He came up with a basket on one wheel; later his design was supplemented with handles. Initially, the function of the wheelbarrow was defensive and was used in military operations. For many centuries, the Chinese kept their invention secret.

Chinese tea
Every person on this planet has tried tea at least once, and many of us drink it every day. In China, tea has been known since the first millennium. There are references to a healing infusion made from tea tree leaves. The invention of the Chinese is a method of brewing and obtaining a tea drink.

UMBRELLA
The birthplace of the folding umbrella, according to some sources, is also in China. The existence of the umbrella has been known since the 11th century. In China, an umbrella was used to protect high-ranking dignitaries from the sun. So the emperor and his entourage took him on his walks, so the umbrella was a symbol of wealth and luxury.

Invention of the mechanical watch

Water clock of Su Song

A mechanical watch is an invention that we still use today. According to research, the first prototype of a mechanical watch was invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk and mathematician of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). At first, the clocks were not entirely mechanical and were essentially water clocks. Water steadily dripped onto the wheel, which made a full revolution every 24 hours. Later the clock was modified by adding a system of bronze and iron hooks, pins, locks and rods. Hundreds of years later, Su Song, an astronomer and mechanic of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), created a more complex clock, making it the ancestor of modern clocks.

Invented in China deep well drilling method. This happened in the first century BC. The invented method made it possible to drill holes in the ground, the depth of which reached one and a half thousand meters. The drilling rigs used today operate on a principle similar to that invented by the ancient Chinese. But in those distant times, the towers for securing tools reached 60 meters in height. Workers laid stones with holes in the middle of the required area to guide the tool. Today, guide tubes are used for this purpose.

The oldest surviving banknote

PAPER MONEY

And also invented in China! Have you all heard about the Great Silk Road, along which trade caravans walked in countless numbers. At first, merchants began to issue trade receipts to each other, because in order to conclude wholesale trade transactions they had to carry an unrealistically large amount of copper money with them. And then the state found itself in a difficult situation: a shortage of copper began to be observed, many mines were exhausted and closed. To ease the load on the mint and combat shortages, they turned to the successful experience of merchants. 16 banks were authorized to print paper money. Later, banks were prohibited from doing this and a single government agency, and money began to be provided with silver and gold at the state level.

Mobile mechanical theater

The inventors of the field mill, Xie Fei and Wei Mengbian of the late Zhao era (319-351 AD), also invented a complex mechanical theater mounted on a cart. His figures were driven by a driving force (that is, they moved when the cart moved forward). From 335 to 345 n. e. these two inventors worked in court under Emperor Shi Hu (334–349), who belonged to the Jie ethnic group. The vehicle they made had four wheels, was 6 meters long and about 3 meters wide. On it stood a large golden statue of Buddha and next to it a Taoist statue that was constantly rubbing its front with a mechanical hand. The Buddha was also surrounded by ten wooden Taoists who revolved around him, periodically bowing to him, saluting him and throwing incense into the censer. Above the Buddha there were nine taps in the form of dragon heads through which water flowed. As in the field mill and the "threshing wagon" of these two inventors, when the carriage stopped, all the moving parts of the mechanical statues and the gushing taps stopped.

Jade Robe

The body has decayed, but the clothes have been preserved. They were made from thousands of pieces of cut and polished jade. Each piece was connected to its neighbors with gold wire. Jade, or jadeite according to the beliefs of the ancient Chinese, had magical properties. The use of objects made from this material as funerary utensils has been known since the Neolithic.

Tray covered in red varnish om and decorated with gold foil with engraving, XII - early XIII century

Wooden mechanical action figures from the tomb of guards from the Tang Dynasty (618–907)

An amazing invention belongs to a mechanic named Huan Gun, who lived in the 7th century. He designed seven boats (possibly equipped with a paddle wheel) that moved along a predetermined route along the stone canals of the imperial garden. The boats stopped near the emperor's guests and served them, pouring wine. The most amazing thing was that mechanical figures of animals and people acted as cupbearers and wine pourers. They moved at the same time: they filled the cup, passed it to the guest and took away the empty one. The boat then sailed towards the other guests.

ARBA, drawn by a buffalo, 581-618 AD.

Window crank handle the Chinese have been using it for at least 2000 years

CHROMIUM— application: Chrome was first learned to be used in China no later than 210 BC. e. This is the date when the Terracotta Army was buried near the modern city of Xi'an. Archaeologists have discovered that the bronze arrowheads from the crossbows in the Terracotta Army showed no signs of corrosion after 2,000 years of storage, for the simple reason that the Chinese coated them with chrome. As is known, chromium was not used anywhere until the experiments of Louis Vauquelin (1763-1829) in 1797-1798.

Earliest proven use salt took place on Lake Yuncheng, in 6000 BC.

The most first matches for making fire appeared in China in 577 AD. e. They were invented by the court ladies of the Northern Qi state.

The craftsmen of the Celestial Empire gave our civilization the following useful things: Chinese horoscope, ink, drum, bell, crossbow, erhu violin, diet, fasting, acupuncture, gong, martial arts "wushu", qigong health gymnastics, steamer, chopsticks, horse harness, soy cheese tofu, fan, varnish, gas cylinder, iron plow, rowing oars, Go board game, playing cards, mahjong, whistle and much more.

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.

Inventions of ancient China that had an impact big influence for subsequent inventions around the world, in modern world we take for granted.

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 when placed on a plate, its handle will point 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.

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