Hum 111

Abstract
Ancient Chinese Contributions.
(1) Identify eight to ten of these useful inventions or contributions.
(2) Nominate four that you believe are the most ingenious or innovative.
(3) Explain why you believe these four inventions or contributions are the most useful inventions or contributions from the ancient Chinese.
(4) Identify one invention or contribution that you cannot live without and explain why.

The Ancient Chinese Contributions (1) Gunpowder

One of the inventions created by Ancient China gunpowder as early first century and was used at that time to make medicine for perpetual rejuvenation. Black gunpowder was not invented till the end of the ninth century and was first used to make fireworks, and later the lighting of fireworks became a Chinese tradition to celebrate festivals. The gunpowder was used in weapons at the end of the 10th Century, when firearms such as exploding arrows heads, flintlock rifles and cannon became available on a large scale. During the 18th century when Western powers invaded China, the Chinese troops were still using flintlock rifles and cannons. At the end of the 14th century a Chinese named Wan Hu fitted a chair with 47 prototype self-made rockets and held a large kite in his hands. His plan was to fly into space and then float back down to the Earth using the kite. The rockets ended up exploding and killing Wan Hu but in his honor In the 1970s, the International Astronomical Union named a lunar crater after Wan to commemorate the first person who attempted to fly using rockets. (LAN, 2008) (2) Pasta

It was around 300 BCE. Shu Hsi, an official editor of ancient texts and one of the most learned men of China. A pasta enthusiast, in about 300 CE, he composed a poem titled: A Rhapsody on Pasta. Chinese made pasta from rice flour. It was soft and was usually used to create Chinese dumplings. ( Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2005)
“The Chinese had pasta for every season. Spring was the time for stuffed buns (mantou). In summer a thin pancake, known as po-chuang according to Knechtges was called for, and in fall a leavened product known as chi sou was used; it is an item about which we know very little. The bitter cold winter was the time for a bowl of steaming noodles:

In dark winters savage cold,
At early morning gatherings
Snot freezes in the nose,
Frost forms around the mouth.
For filling empty stomachs and relieving chills” (Laudan, 2013) (3) Compass

The earliest compass was invented in China in the fifth century it resembled a ladle with a round bottom and made of a natural magnet and could be placed on a smooth plate to keep balance and rotate independently. When it was stationary its handle pointed to the south. (LAN, 2008) (4) Paper

Papermaking technology is probably the one with the longest continuity among the great inventions. Many environmentalists oppose of the modern day of papermaking because of the high pollution then the ancient papermaking technology from the Chinese and which is pollution free. According historical data in China 105AD a man named Cai Lun, using the knowledge handed down by his predecessors, made paper with tree bark, linen, old clothes and even fishing nets. Before the invention of Cai Lun, people used animal bones, tortoise shells, bronze, bamboo slips, wooden tablets and silk as recording materials. Since these materials were too expensive, only royalty and nobles could afford them, meaning ordinary people were mostly illiterate. Thanks to Cai Lun invention it made reading available for the public. (LAN, 2008)
In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the Chinese began to make paper from rice straw and wheat stalks. By the mid-Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), China’s handmade paper making had been well developed, producing good-quality paper in numerous varieties. At present, China is a major producer, consumer, as well as an importer of paper products in the world. According to Deputy Director of the Department of Industry of the National Development and Reform Commission He Yanli, in 2006, there were 3,600 papermaking companies in China, with their combined production capacity approaching 70 million tons. (LAN, 2008)

(5) Printing The earliest printing in China was the block printing method in the first Century B.C., where the individual sheets of paper were pressed against wooden blocks that had text and illustrations carved into them. This process could print hundreds and even thousands of copies, this technology played a significant role in promoting the spread of culture. A block carver named Bi Sheng made movable types with clay during the period from1004 to 1048. This method each type was carved with one character and the types could be set independently according to contents of different articles. After printing, the movable types could be reused and this improved technology is called movable-type printing. (LAN, 2008) (6) Row Planting

The Chinese also invented the way to grow crops by placing them in rows sometime in the 6th century BC. This allowed the crops to grow faster and stronger. This was not instituted in the western world for another 2200 years. Master Lu wrote in the “Spring and Autumn Annals”: ‘If the crops are grown in rows they will mature rapidly because they will not interfere with each other’s growth. The horizontal rows must be well drawn, the vertical rows made with skill, for if the lines are straight the wind will pass gently through.’ This text was compiled around 240 BC. (Stevenh, 2009)

(7) The Seed Drill

The Seed Drill is used to plant seeds into the soil at a uniform depth. Chinese farmers were using seed drills as early as the 2nd Century BC. This was not adopted by the Europeans until the mid-1800.

(8) Iron Plows

One of the major developments of the Ancient Chinese’s agriculture was the use of iron moldboard plow. First developed in the 4th century BC and promoted by the central government, they were popular and common by the Han Dynasty. A major invention was the adjustable strut which, by altering the distance of the blade and the beam, could precisely set the depth of the plow. This technology was instituted into England and Holland until the 17th Century. (Stevenh, 2009) (9) Porcelain

The Chinese created Porcelain a specific kind of ceramic by the temperature of a kiln. The materials fuse and form a glass and mineral compound known for its strength, translucence and beauty. Invented during the Sui Dynasty during the Tang Dynasty (618-906), most notably by Tao-Yue (c. 608 – c. 676). The porcelain of Tao-Yue used a ‘white clay’ that was found on the edge of the Yangtze River. In 1708 the German Physicist Tschirnhausen invented European porcelain, thus ending the Chinese monopoly.

(10) Toilet Paper One of the first recorded accounts of using hygienic paper was during the Sui Dynasty in 589. During 851 an Arab traveler reported as he was amazed that the Chinese used paper in place of water to cleanse themselves. By the late 1300’s, approximately 720,000 sheets per year was produced in packages of 1,000 to 10,000 sheets. During the American colonial times Americans during the 1700s was still common to use corn cobs or leaves. Toilet paper was not introduced until the 1857s.
The Nominate of four Ancient Chinese Inventions I believe is most ingenious 1) Gunpowder 2) Paper 3) Printing 4) Toilet paper

1) The first Invention I chosen was gunpowder. The reason I have chosen gunpowder because I don’t know anybody who don’t enjoy watching fireworks on the 4th of July or New Years as it sparkles across the sky. These important events I shared would be different if we could not express to the World by using fireworks. I am also a gun person who likes to hunt from the deep south of Mississippi and the ability to use a shotgun to hunt down prey of food to feed my family helps make me feel more of a man and I could not do that without the great invention of gunpowder. In the Army I was a cannon crewmember 13 Bravo that enjoyed loading up a cannon and shooting down range. The way you get an adrenaline rush as the cannon fires. 2) I love to write and I could not see myself without writing on paper. My daughter is also a wonderful writer and has won many contests in school by writing essays and I believe I could see her becoming a great author in her days. I would not be able to afford the other material used before paper was created and feel I would have lost out in my own education as well as my daughters. I also love to draw and won many art contest and even have a picture of mine placed in an Art Museum. I believe without paper I would have never been able to see my gift develop. 3) I chose Printing because I am educated as a Pressman when I was younger and made my way of living by using a printing press to create many important articles for my customers. I enjoy making the typesetting in which you created a plate to use on the press almost like the block printing method but the process I used was burnt into a metal plate to be used on a printing press. The bunt plate would have the letters indented into the metal and using the press you add the type of ink you wanted your letter to print on paper. 4) Toilet paper is a wonderful achievement that the Chinese came up with. The Romans used a sponge tied to the end of a stick and the America colonial times were common to use corn-cobs or leaves. I would hate to see what would of happened if we never got the toilet paper. I could see myself trying to pull splinters from my rear after using the restroom.
The One Invention or Contribution That I cannot Live Without
I would have to choose the invention of paper. If paper was not developed and distributed in my culture I believe I would not been able to receive the education I have received. I also believe many cultures would have lost out on their education since without paper only the rich would been able to get educated. I also believe if paper was not created that the many books I have sit down and read would have never been without paper. The thought of not able to enjoy my imagination would hurt me in my own art of drawing. The paper brought on many other inventions from the Chinese including the printing press and the toilet paper. Many of the Chinese inventions were brought to us and without paper I don’t think we would been able to enjoy some of these inventions.

Reference

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. (2005). Great Chinese Inventions. Retrieved from Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development: http://www.minnesota-china.com/education/emscitech/inventions.htm
LAN, X. (2008). The Mother of Invention. Beijing Review, 51(35), 46-47.
Laudan, R. (2013). Origins of Chinese Pasta. Retrieved from Flavor and Fortune: http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=227
Stevenh. (2009, April 18). 10 Great Ancient Chinese Inventions. Retrieved from Listverse: http://listverse.com/2009/04/18/10-great-ancient-chinese-inventions/