| Did you know that four of the world's most important | | | | modern chemistry, which replaced alchemy during the |
| inventions were discovered in China? The Chinese | | | | 1800s). The Chinese went on to use gunpowder in their |
| celebrate the "four great inventions" that demonstrate | | | | "flying fires" (flamethrowers) rockets, bombs, and |
| the advanced science and technology that China had | | | | mines. It is also believed that firearms were first |
| in ancient times: paper, the compass, printing, and | | | | invented in China in approximately 1100 A.D. |
| gunpowder. | | | | Paper |
| Modern Chinese scholars believe that in addition to the | | | | The word paper is derived from the name of the |
| four great inventions, there are others that were even | | | | papyrus plant, which grows along the Nile River. |
| more sophisticated and that made a greater impact on | | | | Papyrus was used in Egypt (perhaps as early as 3500 |
| the world we live in today. Some of these include the | | | | B.C.) for writing on and was fragile and sensitive to |
| blast furnace and the cupola furnace which were | | | | moisture and dryness. The Egyptians would take sliced |
| invented from 403 to 221 B.C. Stern mounted rudders | | | | sections of the flower stem of the papyrus plant, |
| were invented in China in the 1st century A.D. Later in | | | | press them together, and dry them. Parchment and |
| Chinese history came the use of paper money (Song | | | | vellum were also used as writing surfaces but were |
| Dynasty 960 to 1279 A.D.), the land mine, the naval | | | | made from animal skins in a time consuming process. |
| mine, exploding cannon balls, multistage rockets, and | | | | Before paper was invented, the Chinese used bone or |
| many others. China has a rich heritage of inventions | | | | sewed together bamboo strips to write on. They also |
| centered on science and often led the world with their | | | | used silk but that was very expensive. It was |
| technological advancements. | | | | previously believed that paper was invented around |
| The Compass | | | | 105 A.D by Cai Lun (also called T'sai Lun) under |
| It is believed that the first magnetic compass was | | | | Emperor Ho-Ti during the Han Dynasty. But recent |
| constructed during the Qin dynasty (221 to 206 B.C.). A | | | | archeological discoveries (2006) of paper with Chinese |
| 4th century B.C. book referenced the lodestone (a | | | | characters have suggested that paper was being |
| mineral made out of iron oxide) and how it attracted | | | | used in 8 B.C. It has also been discovered that during |
| iron to itself. | | | | the reign of Emperor Wu (Han dynasty), paper was |
| - A book written during the Song Dynasty (1040 to | | | | used for wrapping and padding delicate mirrors and |
| 1044 A.D.) referred to a magnetic direction finder in the | | | | other objects. |
| form of an iron "south-pointing fish" that floated in a | | | | Cai Lun's recipe for paper consisted of hemp rags, |
| bowl of water. The direction finder was recommended | | | | water, fishnets, and chopped mulberry bark. It was |
| to be used to find direction in the dark and would | | | | pressed flat, the water was squeezed out and it was |
| always point south. | | | | allowed to dry in the sun. Over the centuries, paper |
| - In 1088 the first magnetized needle was described in | | | | making spread to India, the Islamic world and finally in |
| Chinese literature by Shen Kuo. | | | | the 1200's the Europeans. |
| - The first recorded use of the compass for navigating | | | | Printing |
| ships was written by Zhu Yu in 1111 to 1117. | | | | Round cylinder seals, invented in Mesopotamia in |
| - The Song and Yuan dynasties also described how a | | | | approximately 3000 B.C., were one of the earliest |
| dry compass could be used but the wet compass (the | | | | printing methods used. These seals were rolled onto |
| magnetic needle floating in a bowl of water) was more | | | | clay tablets to impress a message and dried. |
| popular in China. | | | | Initially, woodblock printing was used to print patterns |
| Gunpowder | | | | on textiles. In Egypt printing with woodblock on cloth |
| Saltpeter (potassium nitrate) was known to the | | | | was practiced before papyrus was used. The earliest |
| Chinese by the mid 1st century A.D. and used with | | | | printed woodblock fragments are from China (before |
| sulfur for medical purposes. In 492 A.D. a Chinese | | | | 220 A.D.) and were images of flowers printed on silk. |
| alchemical text noted that saltpeter gave off a purple | | | | Woodblock printing was also used on paper later. |
| flame when ignited. Later texts described "hands and | | | | - The earliest paper with text and illustrations printed |
| faces have been burnt, and even the whole house | | | | by woodblock was discovered in 1974 and is dated |
| where they were working burned down" after sulfur | | | | 650 to 670 A.D. |
| and saltpeter were heated together with other | | | | - The earliest surviving printed book (868 A.D.) is a |
| substances (800 A.D.). | | | | Chinese scroll with text of the Diamond Sutra, but it is |
| Gunpowder (which is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal and | | | | believed that book printing may have taken place long |
| saltpeter) was discovered in the 9th century by | | | | before this date. |
| Chinese alchemists during their search for an elixir of | | | | - The first printing press was invented in China by 593 |
| immortality. (Alchemy is the study of the chemical | | | | A.D. |
| properties of substances, with a mystical perspective. | | | | - It is believed that the first newspaper was printed in |
| Ancient Alchemists laid much of the foundation of | | | | approximately 700 A.D. in Beijing. |