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50
The Invention of Porcelain (Industry)
Porcelain is made using quartz and feldspar. The Chinese then baked it in a kiln and made beautiful designs. -
150
The Invention of Paper (Industry)
First, the Chinese used hemp, then tree bark, then rags to make paper. For more than 500 years, the Chinese were the only ones who knew how to make paper. -
800
The Invention of Paper Money (Everyday Objects)
Like game cards, printers used wood blocks to print on the paper money. The bills would have many colours on them. -
850
The Invention of Gunpowder (Military Tech)
While trying to create a concoction for immortality, alchemists discovered that saltpeter could be made into an explosive powder to be used in weapons. -
850
The Invention of Playing Cards (Everyday Objects)
Printers used wood-blocking to print on thick paper, and famous artists painted on the back of the cards. -
950
The Development of Inoculation (Medicine)
Inoculation is exposing people to a disease-carrying substance in a small dosage to help their body recognize how to fight the actual disease. This way of thinking originated with smallpox, and it has since led to the development of many vaccines like the smallpox or the flu. -
1092
The Invention of the Mechanical Clock (Everyday Objects)
The Chinese used water to spin a wheel over a course of 24 hours. Every quarter hour, drums would beat, and every hour, bells would ring. -
1150
The Invention of Artillery Shells (Military Tech)
The Chinese used these shells to frighten their enemies, so they could storm in with smaller grenades and do more damage. -
1300
The Development of Rocket Technology (Military Tech)
During the Song Dynasty, rockets were powered by saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur. First, the rockets were only used as fireworks, but they soon became weapons. -
The Invention of Tea (Industry)
Tea farmers grew small trees and cultivated them until harvest. Then they hand-picked the new leaves, cut the tree, and repeated the cycle.
