Ancient Chinese Contributions

Ancient Chinese Contributions

Introduction

It is well known fact that China has a glorious and ancient history comprising of the feudal eras concluding in 222 BC (Shaw, 2003) in the course of the three Intermediate and Imperial Eras, up to the Contemporary era that makes more than four thousand years of dynastic dominion. Moreover, it is also recognized that China is the starting place of a number of useful and wonderful inventions from toilet paper to gunpowder (Shaw, 2003). Here in this paper, we will discuss some of the most wonderful ancient Chinese inventions that are still useful and practical in various areas of our lives.

Ten Useful Ancient Chinese Inventions or Contributions

Row Planting

Compass

Gun Powder

Tea

Deep Drilling

Ship's Rudder

Harness for Horses

Porcelain

Toilet Paper

Printing - Movable Type (Deng, 2011)

Four Most Ingenious or Innovative Ancient Chinese Inventions

As China develops into the superpower of this modern era, it is significant to keep in mind that the Chinese civilization has existed for over six millennia (Williams, 1996) and remained a source for innumerable inventions that formed China's evolution and incredibly continue to form the contemporary world. Ancient Chinese inventions like gunpowder, compass, deep drilling and tea were and yet today are well-known pieces of Chinese and worldwide life.

Why these Four Inventions or Contributions are the Most Useful Inventions or Contributions from the Ancient Chinese?

Compass

The Chinese invented a lodestone compass to point toward direction during the fourth century BC. These remarkably functional compasses were south pointing and were first and foremost used on land as direct finders and divination tools (Deng, 2011). The Book of the Devil Valley Master written in the fourth Century BC says that lodestone forces iron move toward or it magnetizes it. Lodestone was used to make spoon whereas bronze was used for making plates. Thermo-remanence needles were made for navy men and mariners in the year 1040, whereas it's frequent use started by the year 1119 (Deng, 2011). The technology of thermo-remanence which is still in use at present was actually 'discovered' in 1600 by William Gilbert (Williams, 1996).

Deep Drilling

The Chinese had come up with the equipment for deep drilling boreholes by the first century BC (Deng, 2011). Few of these got to the depths of around 4800 feet that makes approximately 1.5 kilometers. They brought into play a technology that would be simply identifiable to a lay person and modern engineer alike. Derricks would go up in so far as 180 feet beyond the borehole. They piled rocks with holes in the center (doughnut or tube shaped) from the outside to the layer of deep stone as an escort for their drills. By means of bamboo cables and hemp ropes getting deep into the ground, they made use of cast iron drills to attain the natural gas they utilized as a fuel to fade away water from brine in order to make salt. The natural gas was transmitted by way of bamboo pipes to where it was required. Also, there is some verification that the gas was utilized for light.

Tea

Tea has a very ...