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The earliest Chinese paper was probably made from hemp and then the bark of the mulberry tree.China. For more than 500 years, the Chinese were the only people in the world who knew the secret of making paper.
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The printer first drew characters (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,
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The new clock was more accurate than earlier timekeeping devices, such as sundials and hourglasses. The Chinese devised a wheel that made one complete turn every 24 hours. Dripping water made the wheel turn. Every quarter hour, drums would beat; and every hour, a bell would chime.
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For several thousand years, tea—made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water—was drunk mostly as medicine. tea had become a hugely popular everyday beverage throughout China. Tea houses had sprung up throughout the country.
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Like game cards, paper money was printed with wood blocks. By 1107, Song printers were using multiple wood blocks to print each bill. A single bill would have many colors. Paper money is the most common form of currency in the world today.
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Chinese alchemists experimented with mixtures of natural ingredients, trying to find a substance that might allow people to live forever.
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Printers used woodblock printing to make the cards from thick paper. Famous artists drew the designs that appeared on the backs of the cards.
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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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Rocket technology was developed in China during the Song dynasty. Rockets were powered by a black powder made of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur.
