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The earliest Chinese paper was probably made from hemp and then the bark of the mulberry tree. Later, the Chinese used rags.
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The first Chinese compasses were pieces of magnetic mineral called lodestone.
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Within China, people often traveled by boat on rivers or across lakes. An inovation of a vessel called a paddlewheel boat made this type of travel much faster.
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The new Chinese bridge used arches that were a smaller part, or segment, of a circle.
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The Chinese invented a technique called woodblock
printing. The printer first drew symbols on paper. He then glued the paper to a wooden block. When the glue was dry, the printer carved out the wood around the characters, leaving the characters raised on the wood. -
Chinese alchemists invented gunpowder by accident.
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Early flamethrowers contained gunpowder mixed with oil. The Chinese used them to spray enemies with a stream of fire.
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Rockets werepowered by a black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur.At first, rockets were used only in fireworks.Later, the Chinese used them as weapons.
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Porcelain is made by combining clay with the minerals quartz and feldspar. The mixture is baked in a kiln, or pottery oven, at very high temperatures. The resulting pottery is white, hard, and waterproof.
