Chinese discoveries and inventions

  • Tea
    2700 BCE

    Tea

    Chinese have been drinking tea since at least 2700 B.C.
  • Gunpowder
    1250 BCE

    Gunpowder

    The Chinese invented gunpowder in the 13th century.
  • Compass
    300 BCE

    Compass

    The Chinese invented the compass in the 3rd century.
  • Steel
    200 BCE

    Steel

    The Chinese first made steel before 200 B.C.E.
  • Porcelain
    100

    Porcelain

    Another Chinese invention is porcelain which was invented in the 1st century.
  • Paper Making
    200

    Paper Making

    The Chinese invented the art of paper making by the second century C.E.
  • Printing
    700

    Printing

    In about the 7th century,
    the Chinese invented a technique called woodblock
    printing.
  • Mechanical clock
    800

    Mechanical clock

    The Chinese developed the first mechanical clock in about the 8th
    century.
  • Paper money
    800

    Paper money

    Money was invented by the Chinese in the late 8th or early 9th century.
  • Game cards
    900

    Game cards

    Game cards were invented in China in about the 9th century.