Ancient China Timeline

By 2609504
  • Oracle Bones
    1600 BCE

    Oracle Bones

    The first writing on oracle bones dates to 1600 BC.
  • First books
    500 BCE

    First books

    the first books were made on bamboo sticks and date back to Shang dynasty.
  • The wheel barrow
    230 BCE

    The wheel barrow

    The wheelbarrow enabled a single person to carry a heavy load and was called "the wooden ox" in Chinese. It was invented in 230 BC.
  • Compass
    100

    Compass

    The first magnetic compass was made in ancient China, probably in about AD 100, using a lodestone. Some historians, however, believe Chinese compasses may date back to Han dynasty.
  • Paper was invented
    105

    Paper was invented

    Paper was invented in China in AD 105.
  • The first seismograph
    130

    The first seismograph

    The first seismograph (for measuring the strength of earthquakes) was invented in AD 130.
  • Gunpowder
    900

    Gunpowder

    Gunpowder was first used for fireworks and was invented in AD 900.
  • Worlds first paper money
    1000

    Worlds first paper money

    The worlds first paper money was invented in China in AD 1000 in the 11th century.
  • Acupuncture
    1026

    Acupuncture

    Acupuncture statuettes showing all the needle points in the human body were in AD 1026. The same statuettes are still used today.
  • Kites

    Kites

    Kites became a favourite pastime in China in the AD 1600's (during the Ch'ing dynasty).