Chinese
Inventions and Discoveries
Gunpowder
The Chinese invented gunpowder (charcoal, sulphur, saltpetre) as
early as the 7th Century AD.
Paper
Chinese probably invented paper in the 2nd century BC but paper
making may go back in China as far as the 6th century BC. In
AD 105 a eunuch of the imperial court in China named Cai Lun
is sometimes credited
for inventing paper but he was most likely improving an older
paper making process. Paper was originally used for making
clothing and wrapping and decorative art.
By the 4th Century AD
paper had replaced silk, bamboo, and wood tablets as the main
material for writing.
Porcelain
Porcelain was invented by the Chinese in the 8th century AD during
the Tang Dynasty. The main difference between stoneware (produce
worldwide) and porcelain (produced only in China) are its materials.
Porcelain is a mixture of kaolin (China clay) with a mineral
known as petuntse, a weathered granite containing quartz and
feldspar. Porcelain made its way to the West via the silk road
during the 14th century were it was highly prized. Many attempts
outside China were made to reproduce porcelain, a highly guarded
secret at the time, but it wasn't until the early 18th century
that the Europeans were able to produce equal quality porcelain.
Silk
Silk is a Chinese invention and legend attributes the art of unwinding
a continuous filament from a cocoon around 2700 BC. The process
of silk making was a guarded secret for centuries however around
200 BC silk fabrics made their way to the West down the silk
road. Legend has it that in AD 530, silkworms eggs were smuggled
to Constantinople inside a hollow stick although it was not
until the 10th century AD that major silk production was established
in Europe.
Tea
All tea originally came from China although its origins are unclear.
Chinese legend has tea being discovered over 5000 years ago
when some tea leaves fell into a boiling pot.
Historical
records
point to tea being discovered around the Han Dynasty (206 BC
- AD 220). Tea drinking slowly spread throughout China and
arrived in the north during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
During the
Tang, tea was distributed through China
in many
ways;
its natural
state
of dried leaves,
pressed
cakes, powders, and even with added flavor. From China, tea
cultivation and drinking spread to Japan, Java, India, and
Sri Lanka. Europe, known for its great consumption of tea,
did not begin importing tea until the early 17th century.
More
Chinese tea information
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