List of Chinese inventions

The historical region now known as China experienced a history involving mechanics, hydraulics and mathematics applied to horology, metallurgy, astronomy, agriculture, engineering, music theory, craftsmanship, naval architecture and warfare.

[2] Later inventions such as the multiple-tube seed drill and the heavy moldboard iron plow enabled China to sustain a much larger population through improvements in agricultural output.

Scientific, mathematical or natural discoveries made by the Chinese, changes in minor concepts of design or style and artistic innovations do not appear on the list.

The following is a list of the Four Great Inventions—as designated by Joseph Needham (1900–1995), a British scientist, author and sinologist known for his research on the history of Chinese science and technology.

[8][9][10][11][12] The earliest known piece of paper with writing on it was discovered in the ruins of a Chinese watchtower at Tsakhortei, Alxa League, where Han dynasty troops had deserted their position in AD 110, after a Xiongnu attack.

However, the earliest known book printed at regular size is the Diamond Sutra, made during the Tang dynasty (618–907), a 5.18 m (17.0 ft) long scroll, which bears the date AD 868.

[18][21] It was not until 1490 with the printed works of Hua Sui (1439–1513) of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) that the Chinese perfected metal movable type characters, namely bronze.

[25] The earliest known recorded recipes for gunpowder were written by Zeng Gongliang, Ding Du and Yang Weide in the Wujing Zongyao, a military manuscript compiled in 1044 during the Song dynasty (960–1279).

[35][36][37] The Lunheng, written by Han dynasty writer, scientist, and philosopher Wang Chong (27 – c. 100 AD) stated in chapter 52: "This instrument resembles a spoon and when it is placed on a plate on the ground, the handle points to the south".

Fragments of hemp wrapping paper dated to the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (141–87 BC)
The Diamond Sutra , the oldest printed book, published in AD 868, during the Tang dynasty (618–907)
Yuan dynasty banknote with its printing wood plate 1287.
An illustration published in Wang Zhen's ( fl. 1290–1333) book of AD 1313 showing movable type characters arranged by rhyme scheme in round table compartments
Earliest known written formula for gunpowder, from the Wujing Zongyao of 1044 AD.
A model in Kaifeng of a Chinese ladle-and-bowl type compass used for geomancy in the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD); the historical authenticity of the model has been questioned by Li Shu-hua (1954). [ 30 ]
Chinese geomantic compass c. 1760 from the National Maritime Museum in London
Bronze mirror of the Sui dynasty (581–618) showing the twelve divisions of the Chinese zodiac , the latter of which goes back to the Warring States period (403–221 BC) in China
A sample of the Shanghai Museum bamboo slips (c. 300 BC), recording part of a commentary on the Classic of Poetry
Huizi currency , issued in 1160
An illustration of furnace bellows operated by waterwheels, from the Nong Shu , by Chinese mechanical engineer and inventor Wang Zhen , 1313 AD, during the Yuan dynasty .
The Spinning Wheel , by Northern Song (960–1127) artist Wang Juzheng. The Chinese invented the belt drive by the 1st century BC for silk quilling devices. [ 55 ]
A print illustration from an encyclopedia depicting men employing the fining process to make wrought iron and working a blast furnace by smelting iron ore to produce pig iron.
Chinese river ships from Along the River During Qingming Festival , by Zhang Zeduan (1085–1145), Song dynasty
A late 10th century grey sandstone and celadon -glazed pitcher from the Song dynasty (960–1279); the spout is in the form of a fenghuang head.
The endless power-transmitting chain drive from Su Song 's book of 1094 describing his clock tower [ 96 ]
The Xuande Emperor (r. 1425–1435) playing chuiwan with his eunuchs
A hand-held, trigger-operated crossbow from the 2nd century BC, Han dynasty [ 97 ]
A 15th-century Ming dynasty (1368–1644) woodblock print of the Water Margin novel showing a game of cuju football being played
Candidates gathering around the wall where the civil service examination results are posted. This announcement was known as "releasing the roll" (放榜). (c. 1540, by Ming dynasty painter Qiu Ying )
Ceramic models of watchtowers from the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) showing use of dougong brackets
A giant drawloom for figure weaving , from the Chinese Tiangong Kaiwu encyclopedia published by Ming dynasty encyclopedist and scientist Song Yingxing in 1637
Antique drilling rigs in Zigong, China
An illustration of a bronze "thousand ball thunder cannon" from the 14th-century Ming dynasty book Huolongjing . The cannon is an early example of medieval mobile battlefield artillery. [ 193 ]
The field mill in the Chinese book Yuanxi Qiqi Tushuk Luzui (Collected Diagrams and Explanations of the Wonderful Machines of the Far West), by German Jesuit Johann Schreck and Wang Zheng, 1627
The 'divine fire arrow screen' from the Huolongjing . A stationary arrow launcher that carries one hundred fire arrows. It is activated by a trap-like mechanism, possibly of wheellock design.
"Angler on a Wintry Lake", painted in 1195 by Song dynasty painter Ma Yuan , featuring the oldest known depiction of a fishing reel
Chinese flamethrower from the Wujing Zongyao manuscript of 1044, Song dynasty
An illustration of a fragmentation bomb from the 14th century Ming dynasty text Huolongjing . The black dots represent iron pellets.
Tiger tally of Western Han period
Rock carving of a bodhisattva playing a guqin , Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD)
A bronze hand cannon from the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), one of the oldest in the world; the oldest specimen dates from about 1288, when the first textual reference to the hand cannon appears in Chinese literature.
A Sui dynasty (581–618 AD) plough figurine pulled by a bull
A Song painting by Ma Lin, dated 1246, using India ink on silk
A jade burial suit from the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), at the Museum of Chinese History, Beijing
The 'self-tripped trespass land mine ', from the Huolongjing , 14th century
A pair of Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD) tomb statuettes playing the game liubo
Example of a Chinese printed map in a gazetteer , showing Fengshan County of Taiwan Prefecture, published in 1696; the first known printed map from China comes from a Song dynasty (960–1279) encyclopedia of the 12th century
A cross section of a Chinese hall , from the Yingzao Fashi architectural treatise published by Li Jie in 1103, during the Song dynasty (960–1279); this book explicitly laid out an eight-graded modular system of architecture for timber halls and pavilions of different sizes
A multistage rocket from the 14th-century military manuscript Huolongjing , Ming dynasty
An illustration of a handheld portable multiple rocket launcher as depicted in the 11th century book Wujing Zongyao of the Song dynasty . The launcher is constructed using basketry.
A naval mine from the Huolongjing , mid-14th century
Chinese playing card dated about AD 1400, Ming dynasty
A sancai porcelain dish from the Tang dynasty, 8th century
The puddling process of smelting iron ore to make wrought iron from pig iron, the right half of the illustration (not shown) displays men working a blast furnace , Tiangong Kaiwu encyclopedia published in 1637, written by Song Yingxing (1587–1666).
The British scientist, historian, and sinologist Joseph Needham writes that the development of the raised-relief map in China may have been influenced by Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) incense burners and jars such as this, showing artificial mountains as a lid decoration; these were often used to depict the mythical Penglai Island . [ 308 ]
A 12th-century illustration of a revolving bookcase for Buddhist scriptures as depicted in Li Jie's architectural treatise the Yingzao Fashi .
The 'flying crow with magic fire' winged rocket bomb from the Huolongjing , mid 14th century, compiled by Liu Bowen and Jiao Yu
Depiction of rocket arrows, from the Huolongjing . The right arrow reads 'fire arrow' ( huo jian ), the middle is an 'dragon shaped arrow frame' ( long xing jian jia ), and the left is a 'complete fire arrow' ( huo jian quan shi ).
A depiction of the 13th Century "long serpent" rocket launcher. The holes in the frame are designed to keep the rockets separate, from the 1510 edition of Wujing Zongyao .
A Song dynasty painting on silk of two Chinese cargo ships accompanied by a smaller boat ; notice the large stern-mounted rudder on the ship shown in the foreground
A replica of Zhang Heng 's (78–139 AD) seismometer that employed a pendulum sensitive to inertia of ground tremors; while placed in Luoyang in 133, it detected an earthquake 400 to 500 km (250 to 310 mi) away in Gansu
A depiction demonstrating the use of the Chinese stinkpot shown in the Traité sur les feux d'artifice pour le spectacle et pour la guerre by French pyrotechnician Jean-Charles Perrinet d'Orval , 1745
A sancai -glazed horse statue from the Tang dynasty (618–907) showing a rider's stirrup connected to the saddle
The Luding Bridge in Sichuan , an iron-chain suspension bridge
A Chinese Song dynasty naval tower ship with a Xuanfeng traction trebuchet catapult, taken from the Wujing Zongyao , 1044 AD
Hydraulic-powered trip hammers , from a Ming dynasty encyclopedia published in 1637 by Song Yingxing (1587–1666)
An ornate bronze bell belonging to Duke Mu of Qin (d. 621 BC) from the Spring and Autumn period (722–481 BC)
Chinese rotary fan winnowing machine, from an encyclopedia published in 1637 by Song Yingxing
The one-wheeled Chinese wheelbarrow, from the Song dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan 's (1085–1145) painting Along the River During Qingming Festival , Song dynasty .