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The first Chinese compasses were pieces of a magnetic mineral
called lodestone. -
Porcelain is beautiful pottery that is sturdy but looks delicate. Porcelain dinnerware is still made in China.
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Papermaking became an important industry in China. For more than 500 years, the Chinese were the only people in the world who knew the secret of making paper. 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 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. -
The Chinese developed the first mechanical clock in about the 8th
century. 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. The sounds let people know what time it was. -
For several thousand years, tea—made by letting tea leaves steep in boiling water—was drunk mostly as medicine. Tea farmers grow small tea trees or shrubs on high ground—usually above 4,000 feet. When the trees are ready for harvest, only new-growth leaves are picked—by hand. Then the tree is cut back so it will grow new leaves for the next harvest, and the cycle repeats.
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Accidentally discovered by academist who were looking for secret to eternal life
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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. Europeans were introduced to card games by the late 1300s. Today, card games are played throughout the world.
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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.
