Inventions of ancient China. Invention of the compass in China

Throughout the history of mankind, there have been many inventions that completely changed the course of history at one point or another. But only a few of them have significance on a planetary scale. The invention of gunpowder refers precisely to such rare discoveries that gave a great impetus to the emergence and development of new branches of science and industry. Therefore, every educated person should know where gunpowder was invented and in which country it was first used for military purposes.

Background to the appearance of gunpowder

For a long time, debates raged about when gunpowder was invented. Some attributed the recipe for the flammable substance to the Chinese, others believed that it was invented by Europeans, and only from there did it come to Asia. It is difficult to say with an accuracy of one year when gunpowder was invented, but China must definitely be considered its homeland.

Rare travelers who came to China in the Middle Ages noted the local residents’ love for noisy fun, accompanied by unusual and very loud explosions. The Chinese themselves were very amused by this action, but the Europeans inspired fear and horror. In fact, it was not gunpowder yet, but simply bamboo shoots thrown into the fire. After heating, the stems burst with a characteristic sound that was very similar to heavenly thunder.

The effect of exploding shoots gave food for thought to Chinese monks, who began conducting experiments on creating a similar substance from natural components.

History of invention

It is difficult to say in what year the Chinese invented gunpowder, but there is evidence that already in the sixth century the Chinese had an idea of a mixture of several components that burned with a bright flame.

The palm in the invention of gunpowder rightfully belongs to the monks of Taoist temples. Among them there were a lot of alchemists who constantly conducted experiments to create They combined various substances in different proportions, hoping to one day find the right combination. Some Chinese emperors were heavily dependent on these drugs; they dreamed of eternal life and did not hesitate to use dangerous mixtures. In the middle of the ninth century, one of the monks wrote a treatise in which he described almost all known elixirs and methods of their use. But this was not the most important thing - several lines of the treatise mentioned a dangerous elixir, which suddenly caught fire in the hands of the alchemists, causing them incredible pain. It was not possible to extinguish the flames, and the whole house burned down in a few minutes. It is these data that can put an end to the dispute about what year gunpowder was invented and where.

Although, until the tenth and eleventh centuries, gunpowder was not mass produced in China. By the beginning of the twelfth century, several Chinese scientific treatises had appeared detailing the components of gunpowder and the concentration required for combustion. It is worth clarifying that when gunpowder was invented, it was a flammable substance and could not explode.

Gunpowder composition

After the invention of gunpowder, the monks spent several years determining the ideal ratio of ingredients. After much trial and error, a mixture called the “fire potion” emerged, consisting of coal, sulfur and saltpeter. It was the last component that became decisive in establishing the homeland of the invention of gunpowder. The fact is that it is quite difficult to find saltpeter in nature, but in China it is found in great abundance in the soil. There are cases when it protruded onto the surface of the earth in a whitish coating up to three centimeters thick. Some Chinese chefs added saltpeter to food to improve taste instead of salt. They always noticed that when saltpeter got into the fire it caused bright flashes and intensified the burning.

Taoists knew about the properties of sulfur for a long time; it was often used for tricks, which the monks called “magic.” The last element of gunpowder, coal, has always been used to produce heat during combustion. It is therefore not surprising that these three substances became the basis of gunpowder.

Peaceful uses of gunpowder in China

At the time gunpowder was invented, the Chinese had no idea how great a discovery they had made. They decided to use the magical properties of the “fire potion” for colorful processions. Gunpowder became the main element of firecrackers and fireworks. Thanks to the right combination of ingredients in the mixture, thousands of lights flew into the air, turning the street parade into something very special.

But one should not assume that, having such an invention, the Chinese did not understand its importance in military affairs. Despite the fact that China was not an aggressor in the Middle Ages, it was in a state of constant defense of its borders. Neighboring nomadic tribes periodically raided the border Chinese provinces, and the invention of gunpowder could not have come at a better time. With its help, the Chinese consolidated their position in the Asian region for a long time.

Gunpowder: First military use by the Chinese

Europeans had long believed that the Chinese did not use gunpowder for military purposes. But in fact, these data are erroneous. There is written evidence that back in the third century, one of the famous Chinese commanders managed to defeat nomadic tribes with the help of gunpowder. He lured the enemies into a narrow gorge where charges had previously been planted. They were narrow clay pots filled with gunpowder and metal. Bamboo tubes with cords soaked in sulfur led to them. When the Chinese set them on fire, thunder struck, reflected several times by the walls of the gorge. Clods of earth, stones and metal pieces flew from under the nomads' feet. The terrible incident forced the aggressors to leave the border provinces of China for a long time.

From the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries, the Chinese improved their military capabilities with the use of gunpowder. They invented new types of weapons. The enemies were overtaken by shells launched from bamboo tubes and guns launched from a catapult. Thanks to their “fire potion,” the Chinese emerged victorious in almost all battles, and the fame of the unusual substance spread throughout the world.

Gunpowder leaves China: Arabs and Mongols begin to make gunpowder

Around the thirteenth century, the recipe for gunpowder fell into the hands of the Arabs and Mongols. According to one legend, the Arabs stole a treatise that contained a detailed description of the proportions of coal, sulfur and saltpeter necessary for the ideal mixture. In order to obtain this precious source of information, the Arabs destroyed an entire mountain monastery.

It is not known whether this was so, but already in the same century the Arabs designed the first cannon with gunpowder shells. It was quite imperfect and often maimed the soldiers themselves, but the effect of the weapon clearly covered the human losses.

"Greek fire": Byzantine gunpowder

According to historical sources, the recipe for gunpowder came from the Arabs to Byzantium. Local alchemists did a little work on the composition and began to use a flammable mixture called “Greek fire”. It showed itself successfully during the defense of the city, when fire from the pipes burned almost the entire enemy fleet.

It is not known for certain what was included in the “Greek fire”. His recipe was kept in the strictest confidence, but scientists suggest that the Byzantines used sulfur, oil, saltpeter, resin and oils.

Gunpowder in Europe: who invented it?

For a long time, Roger Bacon was considered the culprit behind the appearance of gunpowder in Europe. In the mid-thirteenth century, he became the first European to describe in a book all the recipes for making gunpowder. But the book was encrypted, and it was not possible to use it. If you want to know who invented gunpowder in Europe, history is the answer.

He was a monk and practiced alchemy for his benefit. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, he worked to determine the proportions of the substance from coal, sulfur and saltpeter. After much experimentation, he managed to grind the necessary components in a mortar in a proportion sufficient to cause an explosion. The blast wave almost sent the monk to the next world. But his invention marked the beginning of a new era in Europe - the era of firearms.

The first model of the “shooting mortar” was developed by the same Schwartz, for which he was sent to prison in order to not disclose the secret. But the monk was kidnapped and secretly transported to Germany, where he continued his experiments in improving firearms. How the inquisitive monk ended his life is still unknown. According to one version, he was blown up on a barrel of gunpowder; according to another, he died safely at a very old age. Be that as it may, gunpowder gave the Europeans great opportunities, which they did not fail to take advantage of.

The appearance of gunpowder in Rus'

Unfortunately, there are no surviving sources that would shed light on the history of the appearance of gunpowder in Rus'. The most popular version is considered to be borrowing the recipe from the Byzantines. Whether it really was so is unknown, but gunpowder in Rus' was called “potion”, and it had the consistency of powder. Firearms were first used at the end of the fourteenth century during the siege of Moscow. It is worth noting that the guns did not have much destructive power. They were used to intimidate the enemy and horses, which, due to smoke and roar, lost orientation in space, which sowed panic in the ranks of the attackers.

By the nineteenth century, gunpowder had become widespread, but its “golden” years were still ahead.

Smokeless powder recipe: who invented it?

The end of the nineteenth century was marked by the invention of new modifications of gunpowder. It should be clarified that for decades inventors have been trying to improve the combustible mixture. So in which country was smokeless gunpowder invented? Scientists believe it was in France. The inventor Viel managed to obtain pyroxylin gunpowder, which has a solid structure. His tests created a sensation; the advantages of the new substance were immediately noted by the military. The so-called smokeless powder had enormous strength, did not leave a soot and burned evenly. In Russia it was received three years later than in France. Moreover, the inventors worked independently of each other.

A few years later he proposed using nitroglycerin gunpowder, which has completely new characteristics, in the manufacture of projectiles. Later in the history of gunpowder there were many modifications and improvements, but each of them was designed to spread death over vast distances.

To this day, military inventors are doing serious work to create completely new types of gunpowder. Who knows, perhaps with its help in the future they will radically change the history of mankind more than once.

Inventions of Ancient China

COMPASS became the first navigation device that allowed brave sailors to leave the seashores and go out to the open sea. The ancient compass looked like a spoon with a thin handle and a spherical convex part; the spoon itself was made of magnetite. The well-polished convex part of the spoon was mounted on a copper or wooden plate, which was also carefully polished. The handle of the spoon hung freely above the plate, and the spoon itself rotated freely around the axis of the installed convex base. On the plate the countries of the world were indicated in the form of cyclic signs of the Zodiac.

The role of a magnetic needle was played by the handle of a spoon. If the handle is put into rotation and then waits a little, then the stopped arrow (its role is played by the handle of the spoon) will point exactly to the south.

This was the very first ancient compass, called sonan - “knowing the south” and described by the Chinese philosopher Hen Fei-tzu.

In the 11th century, a floating compass needle was invented in China; it was made from an artificial magnet.

A magnetized iron compass, usually in the shape of a fish, was heated until red and then lowered into a vessel of water. Here she began to swim freely, and her head turned towards the south.

Modern compass.

InventionPAPER in China gave a new impetus to the development of mankind, and we must thank the ancient inventor Tsai Lun for the appearance of the much-needed material today.

In ancient times, people wrote on stones, leaves, tree bark, animal skins, turtle shells, bones and fabric, but each of these methods had many disadvantages.

Paper was invented by Cai Lun who was born in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD). During his forty years of life at court, he served five emperors, won their favor and received the title of prince.

Before the Eastern Han Dynasty, bamboo wood or silk fabric were used to create books. In China, narrow strips of bamboo were used for writing, fastened together into a kind of books, on which symbols were mainly burned out. But due to their weight, such books were extremely inconvenient to use (the weight of one such book was about 50 kg). Although hemp paper began to appear at that time, the technology for its production remained immature, and it was accessible only to a few.

Tsai Lun proposed a new method. He ordered his assistants to collect tree bark, remnants of fabrics and nets unsuitable for fishing. His workers then crushed these materials and soaked them in water for a long time. When the mixture turned into a soft mass, it was heated, and then poured into special molds and exposed to drying in the sun. This is how the first samples of paper suitable for writing were obtained.

Production historySILKS originates in China during the Neolithic culture of Yangshao in the 4th millennium BC. e. Silk remained within China's borders until the second half of the first millennium BC. e. The Silk Road did not appear. For a thousand years, China remained the monopoly producer of silk. The use of silk in China was not limited to clothing; it also had other uses, such as writing.

Silk fabric is made from threads obtained from the cocoons of silkworms. Great care must be taken, since even noise, drafts or smoke can harm them, and the temperature and humidity in the room must be carefully regulated. And you can feed the worms only with leaves of the mulberry tree, and completely clean, exclusively fresh and dry.In early April, small caterpillars hatch from the eggs, and in 40 days they reach adulthood and can already spin cocoons. An adult caterpillar, as a rule, is flesh-colored, 7-8 cm long and as thick as a little finger.

These caterpillars weave cocoons on specially prepared bundles of straw. The process lasts 3-4 days, and the length of the thread of one cocoon ranges from 350 to 1000 meters. Silk is obtained from the cocoon by so-called unwinding. The cocoon consists of a silk thread and glue that holds this thread together.

To soften it, the cocoon is thrown into hot water. Since the thread of one cocoon is too thin, as a rule, they take the threads of 4-18 cocoons and, having connected them, pass them through an agate ring and attach them to a reel, which slowly rotates, and the threads, passing through the ring, are glued into one. This is how raw silk is obtained. It is so light that 1 kg of finished fabric contains from 300 to 900 kilometers of thread.

The Chinese zealously guarded the secret of silk production. Anyone who tried to transfer silkworm eggs, larvae, or cocoons abroad was executed. However, Korea and then Japan learned the secret of silk. It is believed that to Korea around the 2nd century. BC it was brought by the Chinese themselves, who emigrated there. Silk appeared on the Japanese Islands in the 3rd AD. Then, in the 4th century. silk production was established in India. Then, over the years, silk fabric spread throughout the world and rightfully won its admirers among the richest people of that time.

The great Chinese civilization gave the world a huge number of discoveries that made it possible to expand the boundaries of the world, improve the quality of life, acquire new knowledge, and have many useful devices to simplify work and increase productivity.

The Chinese are credited with four major inventions that significantly changed the world. Of course, there are many more inventions, but these are considered the main ones. These are paper, gunpowder and a compass. This theory was proposed by Joseph Needham in his book Four Great Inventions. So, great inventions of the chinese:

Paper . Paper was invented in China, which after some time conquered the whole world, displacing papyrus scrolls, clay tablets, parchment, bamboo and various other means of writing. The Chinese made paper from whatever they had at hand. They mixed old rags, remnants of tree bark, various waste from fishing nets, and from this mixture, pre-boiled and specially processed, sheets of paper were obtained. The Chinese used them not only for writing, but also for packaging. Business cards, paper money, toilet paper- the Chinese also came up with all this.

Vintage paper note

Typography. I spoke in detail about the emergence of book printing in the article “”. I will only note that the Chinese made a very large contribution to the emergence and spread of printing. They invented typefaces and were the first to use binding.

Typography

Gunpowder. Legend has it that gunpowder was created by accident when ancient alchemists were trying to make a mixture to achieve immortality. They mixed saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal and got gunpowder. Subsequently, when different metals were added to this mixture, different colors appeared, thus creating fireworks. Bamboo sticks with gunpowder were used for fireworks.

Fireworks

Compass. A very useful invention. When the whole world recognized the direction of movement and cardinal directions by the location of the heavenly bodies, the Chinese made full use of the compass. It’s curious, but at first the Chinese used this thing not for navigation, but for fortune telling. How and when this invention first saw the light is unknown. But the fact remains a fact. The Chinese began to make bucket-type compasses to determine the cardinal directions, and the basis of the compass was a magnet.

It is unknown how and when people discovered the properties of a magnet, but there is a legend that a certain shepherd noticed that metal objects were attracted to a black stone, this stone was called “magnet”. This is how it became known that some rocks have magnetic properties.

I have listed four main Chinese inventions, but there are many others, which will be discussed further.

The fork was used by the Chinese long before chopsticks appeared. And sticks, as the ancient legend says, appeared in the 11th century BC. It is believed that Emperor Di Xin was the first to use ivory.

Chinese chopsticks

Bells made of ceramics, later metal, were used in China 4000 years ago. They were not just a source of sound, but also played an important role in culture.

Antique Chinese bells.

The most ancient bells were found in the tomb of the 8th Marquis Su of the Jin Kingdom in Tsuizen. It was a set of sixteen pieces. Each of the bells produced 2 clear sounds, one if struck in the center, the other if struck close to the edge. These two tones differed by a minor or major third. Can you imagine how difficult it is to make such things? After all, a lot of conditions must be met: exact proportions, elasticity of the material, thickness, specific gravity, melting point and much more.

The Chinese used varnish about 7,000 years ago. The earliest varnished find was a red wooden bowl (ca. 5000-4500 BC)

Lacquered bowls

Do you think the steamer is a modern invention? The Chinese used the steamer 7,000 years ago. It consisted of two ceramic vessels. Most often in China, rice was steamed.

The Chinese consumed noodles 4,000 years ago. This was confirmed by archaeological excavations in Lajia, when an overturned bowl with remains of noodles was found. It managed to survive for so long because of the formation of a vacuum under the bowl.

Fermented drinks were known to the Chinese 9000 years ago! And about 3000 years ago, the Chinese created high alcohol beer, the alcohol content of which was more than 11% - an impossible thing at that time. For example, only in the 12th century did distilled alcohol appear in Europe.

Chinese silk

Silk! How can we not mention this magical fabric! Imperial fabric, as silk is often called. Even simply because at first this luxurious item was available only to the imperial family. There is a legend that tells how the wife of the Yellow Emperor was sitting in the garden with a cup of tea, and suddenly a silkworm cocoon fell next to her. The woman picked it up and began to unwind a thin, strong thread, and then the idea occurred to her that this thread could become the basis of a magical fabric. And so silk was born.

Chinese silk

The Chinese have kept the secret of silk production for 3000 years. Those who tried to take out cocoons or mulberry seeds were mercilessly executed. The price of silk was equal to the price of gold. The Chinese carefully kept the secret of production, but still very actively traded this fabric. Later, even the Great Silk Road appeared, along which there was a very active trade in various goods.

Acupuncture, the traditional medical practice of inserting needles, was introduced by the Chinese approximately 2000-2500 years ago.

Acupuncture

In the 2nd century AD, the ventilator was invented. Its author was master Ding Huang. By the way, the first fans appeared in Europe only in the 16th century.

At the same time as the fan, a winnowing machine was invented to separate grains from chaff.

Around the 15th and 16th centuries, the Chinese began using bristle toothbrushes. This is when in Europe people did not wash for years and there were lice in the wigs and clothes of rich nobles!

Ink for writing was invented by the Chinese in the 3rd millennium BC. It was made from pine soot. Much later they began to use petroleum soot. This mascara had a very beautiful shine. Art also originated in China.

Writing set

The art of calligraphy

The Chinese in 1200-1300 used sea and land mines and exploding cannonballs.

The Chinese in the 2nd-3rd centuries AD made full use of them, while in Europe they were considered absurd until 1544, when Mikhail Stifel first described operations with them in his book “Complete Arithmetic”.

It's interesting that smallpox vaccinations, according to various sources, they were made in China already at the end of the 10th century or, possibly, in the 15th-16th centuries. In any case, much earlier than it was introduced in Europe.

The whistle also first appeared in China, it was used as a toy.

Porcelain was also invented in China around the 7th century in Northern China. Porcelain is one of the goods that China actively traded with other countries.

Chinese porcelain

Tea and tea ceremony first appeared in China. Tea back in the 2nd millennium BC. used for medicinal purposes. Then tea and tea drinking spread throughout China, and then throughout the world.

This is such a great civilization! There are still quite a lot of inventions that did not fit in this article. But I have listed the main, popular and widely used things now that simply did not exist before until the Chinese invented them!

Your opinion about the Great Chinese civilization and its discoveries, which changed the world so much, is also very interesting!

Even before our era, Chinese scientists, mechanics and just random lucky people came up with simple but brilliant things. Without these things it is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person.

This paper was made for China in the 2nd century BC.

PAPER

It is difficult to imagine life without school notebooks, documents or a passport. The paper from which all this is made was invented in China at the turn of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. According to the Chinese chronicles of the Eastern Han Dynasty, paper was invented by the court eunuch of the Han Dynasty - Cai Long in 105 AD. In ancient times in China, before the advent of paper, bamboo strips rolled into scrolls, silk scrolls, wooden and clay tablets, etc. .d. The most ancient Chinese texts or “jiaguwen” were discovered on tortoise shells, which date back to the 2nd millennium BC. e. (Shang Dynasty).

In the 3rd century, paper was already widely used for writing instead of more expensive traditional materials. The Chinese Cai Lun made it from mulberry bark. It is not surprising that the ancient sheet of paper has survived to this day! It's so durable it's more like a lightweight body armor. The secret of making paper remained a Chinese monopoly for the next 800 years.

An illustration given in the book of the scholar Wang Zhen (1313) shows the types of compositing, which are arranged in a special order according to the sectors of the round table

TYPOGRAPHY

The advent of paper, in turn, led to the advent of printing. The oldest known example of woodblock printing is a Sanskrit sutra printed on hemp paper between approximately 650 and 670 CE. However, the first printed book with a standard size is considered to be the Diamond Sutra, made during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It consists of scrolls 5.18 m long. According to scholar of traditional Chinese culture Joseph Needham, the printing methods used in the calligraphy of the Diamond Sutra are far superior in perfection and sophistication to the miniature sutra printed previously.

The advent of printing in the ninth century significantly changed the technique of weaving. Towards the end of the Tang era, the book evolved from rolled up scrolls of paper into a stack of sheets resembling a modern brochure. Subsequently, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the sheets began to be folded in the center, making a “butterfly” type binding, which is why the book has already acquired a modern look. The Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) introduced stiff paper spines, and later during the Ming Dynasty sheets were stitched with thread.

Printing in China has made a great contribution to the preservation of the rich culture that has developed over centuries.

The earliest artistic depiction of gunpowder weapons, the era of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 AD).

POWDER

Gunpowder is believed to have been developed in China in the 10th century. It was first used as a filling in incendiary projectiles, and later explosive gunpowder projectiles were invented. Gunpowder guns, according to Chinese chronicles, were first used in battles in 1132. It was a long bamboo tube into which gunpowder was placed and then set on fire. This “flamethrower” caused severe burns to the enemy. A century later, in 1259, a gun that fired bullets was invented for the first time - a thick bamboo tube that held a charge of gunpowder and a bullet. Later, at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread in the Celestial Empire.

In addition to military affairs, gunpowder was also actively used in everyday life. Thus, gunpowder was considered a good disinfectant in the treatment of ulcers and wounds, during epidemics, and it was also used to poison harmful insects.

However, perhaps the most “bright” invention that appeared thanks to the creation of gunpowder are fireworks. In the Celestial Empire they had a special meaning. According to ancient beliefs, evil spirits are very afraid of bright light and loud sounds. Therefore, since ancient times, on the Chinese New Year, there was a tradition in the courtyards of burning bonfires made of bamboo, which hissed in the fire and burst with a crash. And the invention of gunpowder charges undoubtedly frightened the “evil spirits” seriously - after all, in terms of the power of sound and light, they were significantly superior to the old method. Later, Chinese craftsmen began to create multi-colored fireworks by adding various substances to gunpowder.

COMPASS

The first prototype of the compass is believed to have appeared during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), when the Chinese began using magnetic iron ore oriented north-south. True, it was not used for navigation, but for fortune telling. In the ancient text "Lunheng", written in the 1st century AD, in chapter 52, the ancient compass is described as follows: “This instrument resembles a spoon, and if it is placed on a plate, its handle will point to the south.” Description of the magnetic compass for determination The cardinal directions were first set forth in the Chinese manuscript “Wujing Zongyao” in 1044. A more advanced design of the compass was proposed by the Chinese scientist Shen Ko. In his “Notes on the Brook of Dreams” (1088), he described in detail the magnetic declination, that is, the deviation from the direction of true north, and the design of a magnetic compass with a needle. The use of a compass for navigation was first proposed by Zhu Yu in the book “Table Talks in Ningzhou” (1119).

ICE CREAM

Is there anyone these days who doesn’t eat it? Unless due to medical contraindications. Meanwhile, ice cream was also invented in China. At first his recipe was this: milk plus snow. Everything ingenious is simple! And Marco Polo brought the idea of ice cream to Europe along with another miracle

Ancient noodles

NOODLES

Here is the second miracle brought to us by the famous traveler from a mysterious new country in 1292. Italian spaghetti, pasta, noodles in your bowl of chicken soup - all this exists because China once invented a dish that could be stored for a long time: inexpensive and tasty. The oldest surviving noodles are 4,000 years old. It survived to this day by chance, because the clay vessel turned out to be tightly covered with earth. In China itself, noodles are a symbol of longevity and strength, so they are traditionally served at weddings and on New Year's Eve.

Emperor Sui Yan-di

AUTOMATIC DOOR When Emperor Sui Yan-di (VII century) entered one of the five cabinets of his luxurious library (there were fourteen in total), the door wings leaned back, the curtains covering the doors moved apart, and the statues of saints in front of the door moved apart. It looked like magic, but there was no trace of mysticism. The emperor used one of the most amazing (given that we are talking about ancient centuries) Chinese inventions - automatic doors.

ZOOTROP

- this primitive predecessor of cinema, which the Chinese called the "magic lantern" - existed among the objects of the treasury of Qin Shi Huang (ruled 221-210 BC) from the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC). The soothsayer Shao Ong, who organized spiritualistic seances for Emperor Wu Di (reigned 141 - 87 BC), possibly using a zoetrope in his actions in 121 BC. The first reliable evidence of the use of a zoetrope in China dates back to the end of the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), when about 180 AD e. artisan Ding Huan made a “nine-story incense burner.” These were bird- and animal-like figures that began to move when the lamp was lit. The convection of the rising current of warm air caused the blades at the top of the lamp to rotate, and the painted paper figures attached to the cylinder gave the impression that they were moving. Toys of this type were made in China in later eras.

ZERO

...without which we cannot imagine mathematics, numbers and the decimal number system were also invented by Chinese mathematicians. It is known that the Chinese used the decimal number system 2300 years before it was introduced in Europe. That is, in the 14th century BC.

TOILET PAPER

...an everyday object in our everyday life. But in China, for a long time after its invention, only the imperial family was allowed to use toilet paper. Toilet paper was first mentioned in historical sources in 589. And already in the middle of the 19th century, in one province of Zhenjiang, 10 million packs of toilet paper were produced in a year.

Silkworm cocoons

SILK

... invented by the Chinese. But the beautiful story about how Emperor Huang Di’s wife was drinking tea, and a silkworm cocoon fell into her cup is simply a legend. According to this legend, in the water the cocoon unraveled into thin threads and a smart woman figured out how to use it. But in fact, the cocoon is not so easily divided into silk threads. And silk was invented long before Huang Di reigned. In 3630 B.C. it definitely already existed.

SUNGLASSES

...also invented in China. Only now you will be even more surprised. The ancient Chinese did not use tinted glasses to protect themselves from the sun. They were worn by judges during hearings to make it easier for them to hide their emotions from what they heard.

Apparently, the fork is a primitive Chinese chopstick.))

FORK

Did you think that in China they only eat with chopsticks? But no! Back in the burials of 2400, archaeologists discovered bone forks. So they were invented in China. And they began to use chopsticks there only in the Middle Ages. The Chinese believe that they are much more convenient if you get used to them.

Chinese toothbrush

TOOTHBRUSH

The Egyptians were the first to brush their teeth. But they did this with the help of a twig, having first chewed and tousled it. But the toothbrush in its almost modern form appeared in China. The cleaning surface in it was natural bristles taken from the backbone of a boar, very hard. It was attached to a bamboo handle and brushed teeth without any additional means. This invention was made in 1498 and, as it turned out, was quite dangerous. Archaeologists did not immediately realize that the grooves on the teeth of the Chinese of that time were the result of the use of a toothbrush.

Alcohol

The very first producers of alcohol in Chinese legends are Yui Di and Du Kang from the Xia Dynasty (about 2000 BC - 1600 BC). Research shows that regular beer, with an alcohol content of 4% to 5%, was widely consumed in ancient China and was even mentioned in oracle writings as an offering. for spirits during sacrifices in the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC - 1046 BC). After some time, the Chinese discovered that adding more boiled grain to the water during fermentation increased the alcohol content of the drink, so they began to appear stronger alcoholic drinks. Around 1000 BC The Chinese created an alcoholic drink that was stronger than 11%. The powerful influence of this alcoholic drink on people was mentioned in poetry throughout the Zhou Dynasty (1050 BC-256 BC). Meanwhile, no beer in the West reached 11% until the 12th century, when the first distilled alcohol was created in Italy.

Scientists date the invention of ethanol and isopropyl alcohol to the ninth millennium. This is evidenced by recent archaeological excavations in Henan province, where traces of alcohol were found on fragments of ceramics. The results obtained finally put an end to the dispute about who invented alcohol, the Chinese or the Arabs. This invention was inspired by the improvement of vinegar and soy sauce using the fermentation and distillation method. Thus, as a result of experiments, alcohol was born.

Iron and steel smelting

Archaeologists were able to prove that iron, made from molten cast iron, was developed in ancient China at the beginning of the 5th century. BC during the reign of the Zhou Dynasty (1050 BC - 256 BC). During the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) to the Eastern Zhuo Dynasty (1050 BC-256 BC), China entered a period of prosperity steel smelting. In the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), private iron production enterprises were abolished and monopolized by the state. The first known metallurgist in ancient China is Qiy Huiwen of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-557 AD), who invented the process of using wrought iron and cast iron for steel production.

SEISMOGRAPH

One of the most important inventions of ancient China was the first seismograph, invented by the imperial astronomer Zhang Heng. The first Seismograph was a vessel with nine dragons depicted on it. Under each dragon there were figures of frogs with open mouths. Inside the vessel hung a pendulum, which in the event of an earthquake would begin to move and inform everyone of trouble. Thanks to a complex mechanism, it could even show the epicenter of an earthquake.

Restaurant menu

In 960-1279. urban shopkeepers of the merchant middle class often did not have time to eat at home. Therefore, they ventured out to eat in various public places such as temples, taverns, tea houses, food stalls and restaurants. These latter built their business on nearby brothels, houses of singing girls and drama theaters. Foreign travelers and Chinese who migrated to the cities from regions with different cooking styles also dined in the restaurants. To meet the demand for a variety of tastes, menus have emerged in city restaurants

Kite
The laws of aerodynamics that allow airplanes to take off were already known to some extent to the Chinese. In the fourth century BC, two lovers of philosophy, Gongshu Ban and Mo Di, built a snake that looked like a bird. Many thought it was just a toy, but for humanity it was an advance in the field of science. The first airplanes and flying machines owe to the experience that the Chinese gave us by flying a kite into the sky.

Locks and the Grand Canal of China

A shipping canal in China, one of the oldest existing hydraulic structures in the world. It was built over two thousand years - from the 6th century. BC e. until the 13th century n. e. The gateway was first invented in the 10th century. engineer Qiao Weiyu during the construction of the Grand Canal of China.

Hang glider
This modern device for entertainment was invented in ancient China. By experimenting with the size of a kite, a device was created capable of lifting and holding a person in the sky.

PORCELAIN
Porcelain is used in everyday life and is considered the best material for making tableware. Porcelain dishes have a beautiful, glossy surface that perfectly complements the design of any kitchen and transforms any dinner. Porcelain has been known since 620 in China.

Europeans experimentally obtained porcelain only in 1702. In Italy, France and England, attempts were made to make porcelain for two centuries.

Mustard weapon

An amazing weapon of Ancient China, the prototype of modern chemical weapons, is lime-mustard smoke. The first mention of this weapon dates back to the 4th century BC. To repel an enemy attack or suppress an uprising, the Chinese mixed burnt mustard with other chemicals, placed the mixture in bellows, and used them to spray it onto the enemy. Often a similar method was used in the case of undermining a besieged fortress: usually the opponents dug tunnels towards the attackers, and they dispersed poisonous gas underground.

WHEELBARROW

The Chinese are great builders, and the invention of the wheelbarrow helped them in this. A wheelbarrow is an object that facilitates manual transportation of goods, and also allows a person to lift and carry more weight. It was invented in the second century by a general named Yugo Liang. He came up with a basket on one wheel; later his design was supplemented with handles. Initially, the function of the wheelbarrow was defensive and was used in military operations. For many centuries, the Chinese kept their invention secret.

Chinese tea
Every person on this planet has tried tea at least once, and many of us drink it every day. In China, tea has been known since the first millennium. There are references to a healing infusion made from tea tree leaves. The invention of the Chinese is a method of brewing and obtaining a tea drink.

UMBRELLA
The birthplace of the folding umbrella, according to some sources, is also in China. The existence of the umbrella has been known since the 11th century. In China, an umbrella was used to protect high-ranking dignitaries from the sun. So the emperor and his entourage took him on his walks, so the umbrella was a symbol of wealth and luxury.

Invention of the mechanical watch

Water clock of Su Song

A mechanical watch is an invention that we still use today. According to research, the first prototype of a mechanical watch was invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk and mathematician of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). At first, the clocks were not entirely mechanical and were essentially water clocks. Water steadily dripped onto the wheel, which made a full revolution every 24 hours. Later the clock was modified and a system of bronze and iron hooks, pins, locks and rods was added. Hundreds of years later, Su Song, an astronomer and mechanic of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), created a more complex clock, making it the ancestor of modern clocks.

Invented in China deep well drilling method. This happened in the first century BC. The invented method made it possible to drill holes in the ground, the depth of which reached one and a half thousand meters. The drilling rigs used today operate on a principle similar to that invented by the ancient Chinese. But in those distant times, the towers for securing tools reached 60 meters in height. Workers laid stones with holes in the middle of the required area to guide the tool. Today, guide tubes are used for this purpose.

The oldest surviving banknote

PAPER MONEY

And also invented in China! You have all heard about the Great Silk Road, along which countless trade caravans traveled. At first, merchants began to issue trade receipts to each other, because in order to conclude wholesale trade transactions they had to carry an unrealistically large amount of copper money with them. And then the state found itself in a difficult situation: a shortage of copper began to be observed, many mines were exhausted and closed. To ease the load on the mint and combat shortages, they turned to the successful experience of merchants. 16 banks were authorized to print paper money. Later, banks were prohibited from doing this and a single state body was created, and money began to be backed by silver and gold at the state level.

Mobile mechanical theater

The inventors of the field mill, Xie Fei and Wei Mengbian of the late Zhao era (319-351 AD), also invented a complex mechanical theater mounted on a cart. His figures were driven by a driving force (that is, they moved when the cart moved forward). From 335 to 345 n. e. these two inventors worked in court under Emperor Shi Hu (334–349), who belonged to the Jie ethnic group. The vehicle they made had four wheels, was 6 meters long and about 3 meters wide. On it stood a large golden statue of Buddha and next to it a Taoist statue that was constantly rubbing its front with a mechanical hand. The Buddha was also surrounded by ten wooden Taoists who revolved around him, periodically bowing to him, saluting him and throwing incense into the censer. Above the Buddha there were nine taps in the form of dragon heads through which water flowed. As in the field mill and the "threshing wagon" of these two inventors, when the carriage stopped, all the moving parts of the mechanical statues and the gushing taps stopped.

Jade Robe

The body has decayed, but the clothes have been preserved. They were made from thousands of pieces of cut and polished jade. Each piece was connected to its neighbors with gold wire. Jade, or jadeite according to the beliefs of the ancient Chinese, had magical properties. The use of objects made from this material as funerary utensils has been known since the Neolithic.

Tray covered in red varnish om and decorated with gold foil with engraving, XII - early XIII century

Wooden mechanical action figures from the tomb of guards from the Tang Dynasty (618–907)

An amazing invention belongs to a mechanic named Huan Gun, who lived in the 7th century. He designed seven boats (possibly equipped with a paddle wheel) that moved along a predetermined route along the stone canals of the imperial garden. The boats stopped near the emperor's guests and served them, pouring wine. The most amazing thing was that mechanical figures of animals and people acted as cupbearers and wine pourers. They moved at the same time: they filled the cup, handed it to the guest and took away the empty one. The boat then sailed towards the other guests.

ARBA, drawn by a buffalo, 581-618 AD.

Window crank handle the Chinese have been using it for at least 2000 years

CHROMIUM— application: Chrome was first learned to be used in China no later than 210 BC. e. This is the date when the Terracotta Army was buried near the modern city of Xi'an. Archaeologists have discovered that the bronze arrowheads from the crossbows in the Terracotta Army showed no signs of corrosion after 2,000 years of storage, for the simple reason that the Chinese coated them with chrome. As is known, chromium was not used anywhere until the experiments of Louis Vauquelin (1763-1829) in 1797-1798.

Earliest proven use salt took place on Lake Yuncheng, in 6000 BC.

The most first matches for making fire appeared in China in 577 AD. e. They were invented by the court ladies of the Northern Qi state.

The craftsmen of the Celestial Empire gave our civilization the following useful things: Chinese horoscope, ink, drum, bell, crossbow, erhu violin, diet, fasting, acupuncture, gong, martial arts "wushu", qigong health gymnastics, steamer, chopsticks, horse harness, soy cheese tofu, fan, varnish, gas cylinder, iron plow, rowing oars, Go board game, playing cards, mahjong, whistle and much more.

The four great inventions of ancient China - this is how the famous researcher of Chinese culture Joseph Needham dubbed paper, printing, gunpowder and a compass invented in the Middle Ages in his book of the same name. It was these discoveries that contributed to the fact that many areas of culture and the arts, previously accessible only to the rich, became the property of the general public. The inventions of ancient China made long-distance travel possible, which made it possible to discover new lands. So, let's look at each of them in chronological order.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 1 - Paper

Paper is considered the first great invention of ancient China. According to Chinese records of the Eastern Han Dynasty, invented paper Han Dynasty court eunuch Cai Long in 105 AD.

In ancient times, in China, before the advent of paper, bamboo strips rolled into scrolls, silk scrolls, wooden and clay tablets, etc. were used for writing notes. The most ancient Chinese texts or “jiaguwen” were discovered on tortoise shells, which date back to the 2nd millennium BC. e. (Shang Dynasty).

In the 3rd century, paper was already widely used for writing instead of more expensive traditional materials. The paper production technology developed by Cai Lun consisted of the following: a boiling mixture of hemp, mulberry bark, old fishing nets and fabrics was turned into pulp, after which it was ground to a homogeneous paste and mixed with water. A sieve in a wooden cane frame was immersed in the mixture, the mixture was scooped out with the sieve, and the liquid was shaken to drain. At the same time, a thin and even layer of fibrous mass was formed in the sieve.

This mass was then tipped onto smooth boards. Boards with castings were placed one on top of the other. They tied the stack together and placed a load on top. Then the sheets, hardened and strengthened under the press, were removed from the boards and dried. A sheet of paper made using this technology was light, smooth, durable, less yellow and more convenient for writing.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 2 - Printing

Set fonts: The Chinese statesman and polymath Shen Kuo (1031-1095) first outlined the method of printing using set font in his work "Notes on the Brook of Dreams" in 1088, attributing this innovation to the unknown master Bi Sheng. Shen Kuo described the technological process for producing baked clay type, the printing process, and the production of typefaces.

Bookbinding Technique: The advent of printing in the ninth century significantly changed the technique of bookbinding. Towards the end of the Tang era, the book evolved from rolled up scrolls of paper into a stack of sheets resembling a modern brochure. Subsequently, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the sheets began to be folded in the center, making a “butterfly” type binding, which is why the book has already acquired a modern look. The Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) introduced the stiff paper spine, and later during the Ming Dynasty sheets were stitched with thread.

Printing in China has made a great contribution to the preservation of the rich culture that has developed over centuries.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 3 - Gunpowder

A century later, in 1259, a gun that fired bullets was invented for the first time - a thick bamboo tube into which a charge of gunpowder and a bullet was placed.

Later, at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread in the Celestial Empire.

Today, fireworks have become an indispensable attribute of New Year celebrations in almost all countries of the world.

Ancient Chinese Invention No. 4 - Compass

The description of a magnetic compass for determining the cardinal directions was first set out in the Chinese manuscript “Wujing Zongyao” in 1044. The compass worked on the principle of residual magnetization from heated steel or iron blanks, which were cast in the shape of a fish. The latter were placed in a bowl of water, and weak magnetic forces appeared as a result of induction and residual magnetization. The manuscript mentions that this device was used as a heading indicator paired with a mechanical “chariot that points south.”

A more advanced compass design was proposed by the already mentioned Chinese scientist Shen Ko. In his “Notes on the Brook of Dreams” (1088), he described in detail the magnetic declination, that is, the deviation from the direction of true north, and the design of a magnetic compass with a needle. The use of a compass for navigation was first proposed by Zhu Yu in the book “Table Talks in Ningzhou” (1119).

Note:

In addition to the four great inventions of ancient China, the craftsmen of the Celestial Empire gave our civilization the following useful things: the Chinese horoscope, drum, bell, crossbow, erhu violin, gong, martial arts “wushu”, qigong health gymnastics, fork, noodles, steamer, chopsticks, tea , soy cheese tofu, silk, paper money, nail polish, bristle toothbrush, toilet paper, kite, gas cylinder, Go board game, playing cards, porcelain and much more.