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1600 BCE
Earliest Chinese ghost stories written
The earliest known written works in China are of ghost stories and myths. The Chinese believed that if they saw the ghost of a loved one, it meant that the living had somehow failed or dishonored the dead. -
1250 BCE
Writing is first developed
Writing was first developed by the Shang dynasty through the use of oracle bones for fortune tellers to tell the future. By 1250 B.C. writing had developed to become recognizable -
600 BCE
Woodblock printing is invented
The process of woodblock printing was first developed by the T'ang dynasty around 600 B.C. This allowed people to publish and print a widespread of texts and books. The process of woodblock printing was important because it helped the spreading of information through China, but it was extremely time consuming, so it led to the development of the movable type. -
105 BCE
Paper is invented
Paper was invented by the Han dynasty. This was revolutionary because paper was made out of raw, easy to get materials, it was lightweight, easy to make, and it made writing much easier. The paper-making method later was spread to the rest of the world. -
701
Li Po
Li Po is considered the greatest poet of the Tang dynasty. His work was widely spread throughout China thanks to the process of woodblock printing, and several of his poems still exist to this day. -
712
Du Fu
Du Fu (712-770 A.D.) is thought of as one of the greatest realist poets of China. He wrote over a thousand poems about the hard realities of war, dying people living next to rich rulers, and primitive rural life. Many of his poems have survived and is still read and appreciated today in modern China. -
1040
Invention of the movable type
The movable type was developed during the Song dynasty. It did not take off in China because block printing was cheaper, but when it eventually reached Europe, it revolutionized the communication of ideas. -
Dream of Red Mansions is published
Dream of Red Mansions is among what is considered the Four Great Classic Novels of China. It is considered the greatest literary masterpiece is Chinese writing and is still a best seller in China today. These works were also read throughout Japan, Korea, and Vietnam and have become the basis for many different country's scripts.
