Ten most amazing inventions in ancient China： leading the world (Figure)

Our people have developed creative thinking since ancient times. In addition to the four well-known inventions, there are n important inventions leading the world, including modern computer binary language, robots, helicopter rudiments ….. and a large number of modern scientific and technological inventions, covering all fields, which have amazed Chinese people.

1. Kites

In 1000 BC, Chinese first flew a kite. Long before Xinshi, it was said that Chinese could fly a kite. According to legend, in the 4th century BC, Lu Ban, a famous craftsman in China, made a kite and took off for three days without falling. There is also a story that a general surrounded the palace and used a kite to measure the distance between the palace wall and his own army. Kites can be used to send bricks to the house or tie hooks to the tail of kites for fishing.

In 1600, oriental kites (diamonds) were introduced to Europe by the Dutch. In the 19th century, British inventor Clay invented the glider inspired by kites. Texas actor Cody "Captain" once used a kite to drag a folding boat across the English Channel. In 1901, he made persistent efforts to fly in a double-box kite, which greatly interested the British War Department.

Soon, airplanes replaced military kites, and "Captain" Cody was killed in a plane crash while flying his new biplane in 1913. In 1970, the American space program designed various "flying wings" to make kites become adults’ toys again. For example, Roger Lele’s folding flying wing was originally designed for the safe landing of the Mercury spacecraft, and was later replaced by a parachute. But this folding wing turned out to be the wing of today’s hang glider. Flying kites into the sky provides the principle and inspiration for airplanes to fly into the sky.

2. Bow and arrow

Chinese invented the bow and arrow in the 8th century BC. In 200 BC, Chinese invented the crossbow. It is mainly used for fighting and hunting. It can shoot horizontally, vertically, riding and shooting, and it is very powerful. Italy in Europe only used bows in the 10th century, which was 1,200 years later than China.

3. Chemical weapons

The history of chemical warfare with poisonous gas can be traced back to at least the early 4th century BC in China. In the early works of Mohism, there was a record about using bellows to release the gas from mustard burning in the furnace and penetrate into the enemy tunnel under siege. This is 2300 years earlier than Germany used trench mustard gas in World War I. There are the following types of chemical weapons in Chinese: "dung bombs", which are the embryonic form of gas bombs.

The "flying sand bomb" is to put a tube of gunpowder in a clay pot, and the ingredients of the gunpowder are extracted from quicklime, rosin and ethanol of poisonous plants. Put this weapon down from the city wall, and it will explode immediately, and deadly poisons will be scattered. "Tear gas bomb" was used in Chinese in the second century A.D., and the smoke it produced quickly made people burst into tears. Poison such as sea vein oil, Sichuan lacquer and starfish will make the enemy hoarse.

4, horse chest belt change

About the 4th century BC, Chinese invented the harness changer for horse chests. Prior to this, the only way for the West to change horses in the 8th century AD was to "change the harness before the neck". This is an unreasonable method, because the belt is tied to the throat, which means that once the horse tries its best, it will suffocate and die immediately. The horse chest strap changer invented in China overcomes this shortcoming. This invention of our country was later spread to Europe through Central Asia. European archaeologists found relics of chest strap replacement in ancient tombs from the 7th to 10th centuries.

5. Cast iron

In the 4th century BC, Chinese invented cast iron. China has used blast furnaces to cast iron at least in the 4th century BC, while Europe did not have such a similar technology before 1380. In addition, coal that can provide high temperature has been used as fuel since the 4th century, or earlier. But in Europe, it was not until the 17th century that Britain made an unsuccessful attempt to use coal to make iron.

6. Saddle harness

From the 4th century BC to the 1st century BC, Chinese invented the saddle changing tool. This is 1000 years earlier than the shoulder strap replacement that appeared 100 years after the chest strap appeared in Europe. Chinese also found that the shoulder sleeve changing tool can be used in another simpler way: the changing rope can be tied to the shoulder sleeve (on both sides of the collar, directly on the car). It is this form of shoulder sleeve replacement that is still widely used all over the world today.

7, saltpeter identification method

Chinese discovered nitrate before the 3rd century BC. This is 2000 years earlier than in the west. Before the invention of gunpowder, we must first recognize and obtain the most important of its three components, which is saltpeter. It was unknown in the West before the Middle Ages, but it was lacking in Europe. China is rich in resources and can be purified from other minerals. Chinese will use this method to identify the existence of saltpeter at least in the 3rd century BC. Chinese’s discovery of saltpeter laid the foundation for the later invention of gunpowder.

8. Parachute

Chinese invented the parachute in the 2nd century BC. Many people know that Leonardo da Vinci left a sketch of the parachute, which marked the time when Europeans first came up with the idea of making parachutes. But as far back as 1500 years before Leonardo da Vinci, Chinese had invented the parachute and used it very successfully in real life. How to prove it? We can find the earliest literary records from the masterpiece Historical Records by Sima Qian, the greatest historian in China, which was completed in 90 BC. The fact that he regarded the parachute as an antique a long time ago proves that the origin of the parachute can be traced back to at least the 2nd century BC.

Chinese used parachutes in the Middle Ages as an example, describing some things he witnessed in Guangzhou in 1192. At that time, many Arabs gathered, who had personally seen Chinese use parachutes. The French Simon also said in the book "Historical Relationship" that he had seen Chinese perform acrobatics with his own eyes. China is indeed the country that invented parachutes, and it is an ancient tradition to use umbrellas as parachutes! In 1783, the westerner Linomande jumped from the top of the tree or the roof many times, and the result was very successful. He called this a parachute. This was more than 1,900 years later than Chinese invented the parachute.

9, hundred smelting method-using pig iron steelmaking method

In 120 BC, Chinese invented the method of making steel with pig iron, also known as "Hundred Tempering Method". In the west, it was not until 1856 that pig iron was used to make steel, which was about 2000 years later than that in China.

10. Guide car

During the Western Han Dynasty around 100 BC, China invented the compass (it is also said that Chinese invented the compass during the Huangdi period).