Chinese Inventions

900 BC to 1

Period: 900 BCE to 1 CE

Gun Powder (Military Technology)

850 BCE

Chinese alchemists experimented with a mineral called saltpeter. They may have believed that saltpeter could extend life. Perhaps by accident, they discovered that it could be used to make an explosive powder. In 850 C.E., during the Tang dynasty, alchemists recorded a formula for gunpowder. They warned others to avoid it because it was extremely dangerous.

Tea (Every Day)

800 BCE

However, by the 8th century C.E., tea had become a hugely popular everyday beverage throughout China. Tea houses had sprung up throughout the country. A famous writer, Lu Yu, wrote a book, Cha Jing (Tea Classic), describing how to cultivate, prepare, and drink tea. The drink’s popularity made tea-plant cultivation a major industry, often involving an entire community.

Printing (Every Day)

700 BCE

Printing The invention of paper made another key development possible: printing. In about the 7th century, the Chinese invented a technique called woodblock printing. 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, leaving the characters raised on the wood.

paddle wheel (travel)

500 BCE

In the 5th century, the Chinese adapted this idea by arranging a series of paddles in a wheel. People walked on a treadmill to turn the paddle wheel, which in turn moved through the water, moving the boat forward.

MG compass (Travel)

300 BCE

The Chinese developed the first compass as early as the 3rd century B.C.E. The first Chinese compasses were pieces of a magnetic mineral called lodestone. Earth itself is like a giant magnet with north and south poles. Because lodestone is magnetic, it is influenced by Earth’s magnetic poles.

Rocket Technology (Military Technology)

202 BCE

Rocket technology was developed in China during the Song dynasty. Rockets were powered 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. They even developed a two-stage rocket for their armies. The first stage propelled the rocket through the air. The second stage dropped arrows down on the enemy.

Improved boats (travel)

200 BCE

The Chinese also made sea travel safer by improving boat construction. By the 2nd century C.E., they started building ships with separate, watertight compartments. Builders divided the ships into sections and sealed each section with caulk, a sealant that keeps out water. If there were a leak, it would be isolated. The other compartments would not fill with water, keeping the ship afloat. Modern shipbuilders still use this technique.

Steel (Military Technology)

200 BCE

Steel The Chinese first made steel, a very useful metal, before 200 B.C.E. Steel is made from iron, but it is less brittle than iron and easier to bend into different shapes. The earliest Chinese steel was made from cast iron. The Chinese were the first to learn how to make cast iron by melting and molding iron ore. Later they learned that blowing air into molten, or melted, cast iron causes a chemical reaction that creates steel. Steel is a great deal stronger than iron.

Porcelain (Every Day)

100 BCE

Porcelain Another Chinese invention is a type of fine pottery called porcelain.Some historians think that the Chinese produced the first porcelain as early as the 1st century C.E.