15 Chinese Inventions
1. Paper
• It was invented by Cai Lun
during the Han Dynasty
around 105 CE.
• It was invented by soaking,
boiling, beating, pressing,
and drying mulberry bark.
• The invention made writing
easier and books more
accessible, helping spread
knowledge.
2. Gunpowder
• It was discovered by Chinese
alchemists during the Tang
Dynasty.
• There isn’t exact information
on how the Chinese invented
it but it was most likely that
they experimented and
discovered elements to put it
together.
• Gunpowder transformed
military technology and later
brought fireworks.
3. Compass
• It was developed during the
Han Dynasty. The people
who invented it were not
known.
• People observed that
lodestones pointed north-
south so they evolved into
compasses.
• The compass helped sailors
find their way at sea.
4. Printing
• Bi Sheng invented movable
type printing during the
Song Dynasty which made
book production faster.
• He used a mixture of clay
and wood for the movable
type.
• Printing allowed multiple
production of books,
spreading knowledge
everywhere.
5. Porcelain
• It was invented by Chinese
artisans in the Tang
Dynasty.
• It was created by shaping
refined kaolin clay, firing it
at high temperatures, and
applying a glaze.
• Its significance is it’s valuable
and used for art, making it a
symbol of culture and trade.
6. Silk
• Silk was invented in China
by Empress Leizu, who
discovered it while
watching silkworms.
• The fabric became a
symbol of wealth and was
traded on the Silk Road,
boosting China's economy.
• The Chinese kept the
invention a secret, making
it valuable in global trade.
7. Abacus
• The abacus, a counting
tool, was invented in
China.
• It was developed for
reliable counting, with
beads on rods, and it
became widely used.
• Its simplicity made it a
significant tool for early
mathematics in various
cultures.
8. Umbrella
• The umbrella's invention
dates back over 4,000
years, used in ancient
civilizations of China.
• It was created for shade,
but the umbrella evolved
into a portable rain shelter.
• The umbrella became a
handy tool for protection
against the sun and rain.
9. Crossbow
• The crossbow's invention
was in ancient China,
during the 4th to 5th
centuries BCE.
• It was developed as a
weapon for military use. It
delivers more power and
accuracy than traditional
bows.
• It provided soldiers with a
more efficient weapon.
10. Wheelbarrow
• The wheelbarrow’s
invention was during the
Han Dynasty (around 200
CE).
• It was developed as an
easier way to carry things
with a single wheel in the
front.
• The wheelbarrow improved
efficiency in construction
and agriculture
11. Kite
• The invention has been
credited to China in the 5th
century BC by Chinese
philosophers Mozi and Lu
Ban.
• It was tied a string to his
hat to keep it from blowing
away in a strong wind.
• The first kites were used
for measuring distances.
12. Banknotes
• The first banknote was
invented in China during
the Tang and Song
dynasties (7th century).
• People found it difficult to
transport heavy coins, so
they got paid paper notes.
• It became easier for people
to carry riches around.
One dollar
13. Alcohol
• Alcohol was invented in China
during the Shen Nong period
of the New Stone Age (7000
years ago) by Du Kang.
• People made a drink from rice,
honey, grapes and hawthorn
fruits.
• Alcohol was regarded as a
sacred liquid that people
made sacrificial offerings to
Heaven and the Earth or
ancestors.
14. Tea
• According to legend, in
2737 BC, the Chinese
emperor Shen Nung was
sitting beneath a tree while
his servant boiled drinking
water, when some leaves
from the tree blew into the
water.
• A tea-drinking process is a
spiritual enjoyment and
nourishing the mind.
15. Toothbrush
• The Chinese invented the
first bristle toothbrush
during the Tang Dynasty
(619-907).
• The bristles were taken
from the neck of a cold-
climate hog and attached to
bamboo handles.
• Its invention spread
worldwide and became an
object to clean our teeth.
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