Top 20 Chinese Inventions

Photo by Brooke Campbell on Unsplash

Top 20 Chinese Inventions

*Originally published by Lillian in August 2016 and Updated by Vanessa R in October 2022 and Updated by Vanessa R in November 2023 

China has a long and famous history that has greatly impacted the world. The Chinese are known for their inventions such as paper, acupuncture, and gunpowder. These inventions have made day-to-day activities manageable.

Human civilization has been improved through inventions that have been embraced the world over. A lot of the tools, food and materials that we use today have a tag of made in china.

While they may not be necessarily a Chinese invention, they are known for their mass production at affordable prices. Anyway, that’s beside the point.

Here are the top 15 inventions that are from China.

1. Paper Making

We use paper every day of our lives. This has to be one of the greatest Chinese inventions in its history. The Chinese started using paper in 105 A.C. under the reign of Cai Lun.

During his time, he made this innovation popular and many who came across quickly adopted its use. He also shared this technology with most regions in Asia and those along the Silk Road.

He made the paper by pounding the barks of the mulberry tree into a sheet. Later, he added hemp and old fish nets to the pulp to improve its quality.

2. Silk

The Chinese discovered Silk during the Neolithic period where they used it to make clothes, writing material, fishing nets and musical instruments.

It was largely used by the emperors and notables in society before spreading to the rest of the population.

During the reign of the Han dynasty, they used silk to reward Chinese citizens and government officials. It quickly became an important commodity in the Chinese economy.

They influenced their neighbours to cultivate silk, which was around 300 AD. Soon enough, the product reached Western Europe where they produced their own.

This greatly impacted Chinese silk whose value decreased as well as the demand. China is however still the leader in the production of luxury silk today.

3. Tea Production

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

Like most Chinese inventions, tea production has discovered an Emperor from the Tang dynasty. Emperor Shennong loved to drink hot water.

One time at a stopover with his army, his servant prepared him his favourite hot drink. A brown leaf fell into the boiling water changing its colour.

The servant served Shennong a cup of brown water which he found to be refreshing. And so, it became his new favourite drink which was also used as medicine.

They prepared the tea slightly different from today. Back then, they processed the tea leaves into cake-like forms.  The cakes were then grounded in a stone mortar where they made tea powder.

The powdered tea would then be boiled in a kettle with water. Tea was served as a hot beverage. A favourite tea was white tea, it was harvested in Spring when the tea leaves were still silver springs.

4. Gunpowder

This is another great Chinese invention that came about accidentally. The people behind this invention hope to come up with a product that would make humans immortal. Ironically, their invention does otherwise.

The Taoist alchemists made gunpowder by mixing potassium nitrate with charcoal and sulphur. It was considered to be one of the most important military techniques in the 11^th century.

The Chinese had three different types of gunpowder mixtures. They used them as signal flares, fireworks and rudimentary grenades.

With time, the Chinese added metals to the mixture creating colourful explosions, giving birth to modern fireworks.

5. The mechanical clock

Photo by Brooke Campbell on Unsplash

Before the invention of the wristwatch, the Chinese discovered a better way of telling time by creating the first-ever mechanical clock. This invention was achieved during the Song dynasty.

He built a massive clock tower that told time, the day of the month, the phase of the moon and the positions of the stars. How this clock worked, was through the use of a chain-driven mechanism attached to a water-powered wheel of the clock.

It is believed that the first clock was built by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk in 725 A.D. Su Song improved this invention about a century later.

6. Movable Type Printing

Photo by Fabio Santaniello Bruun on Unsplash

After the paper invention, came the printing machine that was made of a woodblock. The Tang dynasty used this technique although it was considered to be time-consuming and expensive.

The Song dynasty came up with the movable printer that made work easier and faster. Bi Sheng, the man behind this invention, created individual Chinese letters on pieces of clay that he hardened using fire.

The pieces were then glued onto an iron plate to print a page. Word about this invention soon reached Europe leading up to the Renaissance and finally spread to the rest of the world.

7. Alcohol

9000-year-old pottery that was discovered in Henan province revealed that the inhabitants brewed alcohol, this was two centuries earlier before those in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Chinese used alcohol as a spiritual offering to their ancestors in heaven and on earth. They also consumed beer which had low alcoholic content between 4 and 5 per cent.

The beer was made using rice, hawthorn, honey, and grapes. This drink was made popular by Yi Di and Du Kang of the Xia dynasty. Bronze vessels were used to store this precious drink.

8. The Compass

Photo by Jordan Madrid on Unsplash

You may not have known this, but the compass was invented in China. This was way before the Europeans used it to know the true north while faring in the sea.

The compass was invented during the reign of the Qin Dynasty between 255 BC and 206 BC. It was however not invented for the obvious reason of showing direction.

Fortune tellers used it to make predictions hence the first compass was shaped like a spoon using a lodestone. This magnetic stone naturally indicated the south.

In the 8^th century, the Chinese improved on this invention by adding a magnetic needle that was used for navigation.

9. Acupuncture

Acupuncture needles By Acuhealth – Wikimedia

Acupuncture was widely used as therapy in China more than 2,000 years ago. It was a common form of internal medicine practised by the Yellow Emperor.

Several kinds of acupuncture needles were found in the tomb of Prince Liu Sheng who died around 200 B.C.

The needles were made from stones, bamboo and bones. Information about this practice is found in the earliest book of Chinese medicine by Nei Jing (2697 B.C-2597 B.C).

10. The Seismograph

The first seismograph was built by the Chinese during the Han dynasty by Zhang Heng. It was known as Houfeng Didong and it measured earth movements and seasonal winds.

The seismograph was shaped like an urn made of copper with a central pendulum. It had 8 dragons on its surface pointing in eight different directions.

When there was an earthquake, the dragon’s mouth that was closest to the source opened making the ball in it drop into the mouth of the frog, producing a sound. This would let people know the direction of the earthquake.

11. Iron smelting

Iron smelting technology was created in China as early as the 5th century BC during the Zhou Dynasty (1050 BC–256 BC), according to archaeological findings.

China experienced a prosperous period for iron smelting during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (776-221 BC). During the Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD), the central government controlled iron smelting which experienced amazing growth.

12. Porcelain

Porcelain dinnerware sets by Silar from Wikimedia Commons

Ancient China is credited with the development of porcelain. The first porcelain dates back to the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE), and it reached its full maturity during the Tang Dynasty (618–906).

Due to its emphasis on shape and the tactile experiences of the glaze, porcelain production technology reached an unprecedented high during the Song Dynasty (960–1279). The Silk Road brought many works of art from China to the West and Chinese porcelain was highly admired around the world.

13. Earthquake Detector

Zhang Heng (78-140 AD), a skilled inventor, invented a seismograph in 132 AD, according to court records from the later Han Dynasty. Its job is to determine the earthquake’s direction.

This device detected an earthquake in 138 AD that was 1,000 kilometres away, in Longxi. It was the first earthquake that humanity had ever detected. Only in 1848 in Europe did modern seismographs start to take shape.

14. Rocket

Rockets originated in China when early inventors applied a counterforce created by fired gunpowder to build them. The Wei State reportedly employed arrows with lamps mounted on them to defend Chencang from the Shu State’s invading armies as early as 228 A.D.

Later, gunpowder was modified to create rockets during the Song Dynasty (960–1279). A paper tube filled with gunpowder was fastened to an arrow that a bow may fire. Chinese military and entertainment activities frequently utilized both old and updated versions of these rockets.

15. Paper Money

Chinese Money by Gary Todd from Wikimedia Commons

Paper money was first developed by the ancient Chinese, who started
using folding money at the end of the 8th or beginning of the 9th century
AD. Paper bills were originally used as privately issued bills of credit or
exchange notes. A merchant could deposit his cash in the capital,
receiving a paper “exchange certificate” which he could exchange for
metal coins in other cities.

16. The canal lock

Rochdale Canal, Deansgate Lock#91 by David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The canal lock, invented in China around the 10th century AD, revolutionised ancient transportation by allowing boats to navigate between varying water levels. This enabled the construction of intricate canal networks that connected previously isolated regions.

The canal lock’s watertight gates allowed for new trade routes, economic growth, cultural exchange, and urbanisation. As goods flowed more freely, commerce flourished, and cultural interactions intensified. The legacy of the canal lock continues to reflect in modern canal systems worldwide, showcasing China’s technological brilliance and adaptability to its environment.

17. The stern rudder

U.S. Navy photo 19-NN-AO-107 Pussumpsic-172236, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The stern rudder is a simple yet innovative piece of technology that dates back to the first century AD in China. This innovative device, which is mounted in the stern or aft of a ship, changed the way that ships navigate by giving them greater control and precision during movements.

The steering oars on ships were positioned along their sides before the development of the back rudder. This process was time-consuming and unpredictable, particularly in rough seas. The rear rudder offered sailors the confidence to explore further and uncharted seas because of its fixed placement and direct control over the ship’s path, which revolutionised maritime navigation.

18. The stirrup

The stirrup, a Chinese invention in the 5th century AD, revolutionised warfare and transportation by providing riders with greater stability, balance, and control. Its looped frame attached to a saddle allowed riders to stand up in their saddles, wield weapons with greater force, and maintain balance during sudden movements. This stability transformed warfare, giving mounted soldiers an advantage over opponents.

The stirrup also revolutionised transportation, allowing riders to travel longer distances with greater comfort and ease, enabling the movement of goods and people over vast distances. Today, the stirrup remains an essential component of horseback riding, a testament to its enduring impact on human history.

19. The waterwheel

The waterwheel, a groundbreaking invention in ancient China, changed various industries and processes by harnessing the power of flowing water to generate mechanical energy. Previously, humans relied on manual labour or animal power for tasks like grinding grain, lifting water, and powering machinery. The waterwheel provided a clean, renewable, and efficient source of energy, transforming these tasks and paving the way for technological advancements. Its design consisted of a series of paddles or buckets attached to a rotating wheel placed in flowing water.

As the water flowed past the paddles, it created a force that turned the wheel, generating mechanical energy that could be harnessed to power various machines, increasing productivity and efficiency. The waterwheel also revolutionised agriculture, enabling larger crop irrigation and improving yields. It also played a crucial role in urban development, providing reliable power for essential services like water supply and sewage treatment.

20. The toothbrush

The toothbrush, which is an essential tool for maintaining dental health, was first invented in ancient China during the seventh century AD. Before its invention, people used ineffective and even potentially harmful techniques like chewing on twigs or using natural abrasives to clean their teeth and gums. The Chinese toothbrush offered a gentle and efficient way to clean teeth.

It was made using animal bones or bamboo twigs and had bristles made of horsehair or pig hair. The bristles were attached to the handle using silk or thread and could reach between the teeth and along the gum line, effectively removing food particles and plaque that could cause gum disease and tooth decay. This invention improved oral hygiene and played a significant role in improving dental health by decreasing dental issues.