China is an amazing country, with both beautiful landscape and a colorful history. China is also responsible for some of the world’s most significant inventions. In today’s SexyMandarin Blog, the team have decided to uncover some of the most important discoveries in human history that are with thanks to the Chinese.
Silk
丝绸 – Sīchóu
Silk as a fabric was the main between China and the outside world trade market due to its high demand.
Paper
纸 – Zhǐ
In A.D. 105, Chinese man Cai Lun invented the world’s first sheet of paper. This was achieved through pressing wooden fibers and water onto a woven cloth, and letting it dry out.
Gunpowder
火药 – Huǒyào
What do you get when you mix potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulphur? You get the world’s first gunpowder! History states that the Chinese were the first to invent gun powder, but it was by accident. Apparently, scientists were trying to develop a recipe for human immortality… ironically, they created something that would be used throughout history to take lives instead. By adding different metals to the gun power, different colors can be achieved which is how modern day fireworks were invented.
Wheelbarrow
独轮车 – Dúlúnchē
Originally intended for military purposes, the wheelbarrow has become a staple of backyard sheds across the world, and almost irreplaceable for moving heavy objects from A to B.
The Compass
指南针 – Zhǐnánzhēn
Before the GPS, we had rely on the compass, right?
FACT: The original compasses created by the Chinese actually pointed south.
Seismograph
候风地动仪 – Hòu fēng dìdòngyí
Way before the Richter scale imperial astronomer Chang Heng created the world’s first instrument to be able to detect an earthquake – a seismograph.
Pasta
面食 – Miànshí
During excavations in the Qinghai Province in 2006, archaeologists discovered a bowl of noodles buried deep within the site.This site was over 4000 years old, making China beat the Italians.
Kites
风筝 – Fēngzhēng
Philosophers Gongshu Ban and Mo Di are the credited inventors of the world’s first kite. Throughout history these kites developed many uses besides entertainment including being used to fish!
Hang Gliders
悬挂式滑翔机 – Xuánguà shì huáxiángjī
An adaptation on kites, the Chinese eventually managed to build a kite that was able to support the weight of an average man. Though these weren’t used just for fun… history reports that early Emperors would force criminals onto these gliders and to jump off a cliff!
Study Up! ^_^