Preview

Ancient Chinese Contributions - Paper 2

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1108 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Ancient Chinese Contributions - Paper 2
Ancient Chinese Contributions In observing the development of Chinese ancient culture, it becomes apparent civilization can exist without timely opportunities, the right conditions, and a beneficial geographical situation. It is well known that China has an ancient and glorious history, from the feudal periods ending in 222 BC through the three Imperial and Intermediate Eras, up to the Modern era – over 4000 years of dynastic reigns (Institute of the History of Natural Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2009). It may also be well known that China is the source of many wonderful and useful inventions. The splendor and innovation enjoyed by the ancient Chinese have become legendary. The ten most useful contributions that the ancient Chinese made in our contemporary society were: paper money, kites, iron and bronze, gunpowder, printing press, umbrellas, clocks, compasses, porcelain, and alcohol (Yinke, 2009). However, out of those ten, the four most significant innovations are paper money, gunpowder, printing press, and clocks.
The Chinese invented paper money in the 9th century AD. For much of its history, China used gold, silver and silk for large sums, and bronze for everyday transactions. The notion of using paper as money is almost as old as paper itself. The first paper banknotes appeared in China about 806 AD. An early use of paper was for letters of credit transferred over large distances, a practice which the government quickly took over from private concerns. The Chinese, with their great gift for pragmatism, labeled this practice “flying money” (Temple, 2007). The first real use of a paper money system was in Szechwan province, an isolated area subject to frequent copper shortages (which is a component of bronze). It had reverted to an iron currency of coins, and paper was a welcome option. Iron banks sprang up to facilitate the trade, and the government was quick to take over the profitable enterprise. Amazingly, the Chinese only used paper money



Bibliography: Institute of the History of Natural Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2009). Ancient china 's technology and science. (1st Edition ed., Vol. 1, pp. 38-56). Hong Kong: China Intercontinental Yinke, D. (2005). Ancient Chinese inventions. (1st Edition ed., pp. 20-45). Hung Kong: China Intercontinental Press. Temple, R. (2007). The genius of china: 3,000 years of science, discovery, and invention. (1st Edition ed., Vol. 1, pp. 147-172). New York: Inner Traditions Williams, S. (1997). Made in china: Ideas and inventions from ancient china. (1st Edition ed., Vol. 1, pp. 17-22). New York: Pacific View Printing.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Miss

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Man, J./ 2008/ The Terracotta Army – China’s First Emperor and the Birth of a Nation/ Da Capo Press/ pp 61-65…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ways of the World

    • 361 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Chapter 9, China and the World: East Asian Connections, 500-1300, Study Guide, (Original: pp. 241-267; With Sources: pp. 379-405)…

    • 361 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Nobody will ever lose their directions with the invention of the Chinese compass. The Ancient Chinese also made porcelain and steel smelting. Chinese silk is used for clothing and is very important. The Ancient Chinese invented many great inventions for their time.…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Glosser, Susan. “‘The Truths I Have Learned’: Nationalism, Family Reform, and Male Identity in China’s…

    • 2057 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The growing economy during the Tang and Song areas contribute to many changes in China, with some changes that had global impact such as currency; however, perhaps one of the more significant change was the way of life. One particular example is the shift of way of life for peasants, from self-sufficiency to production for market, which inherently improved their life (McKay, 328). Additionally, with the growth of the population and the need for good and services led to the creation of currency, which replaced the need for trading goods. The high number and bulkiness the copper coins were replaced by the world’s first paper money, which were introduce in China (McKay, 328)..…

    • 303 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Abu-Lughod systematically explains why China was capable of being a major world power during the 1300s. Her main pieces of evidence was China’s “technological sophistication” and its “Business Practices and Institutions” followed by a in-depth study of the Hangchow, the world’s largest city at the time (322,330,337-340). To defend her claim that China was technologically superior to the rest of the Eurasian ecuemene, Abu-Lughod explains how several technological elements vital for economic power were in place in China before several other empires. Paper was invented by the Chinese, then diffused to other areas (323); the extent of Chinese steel and iron manufacturing was not met anywhere in the world until the Industrial Revolution (324); gunpowder (which fueled cannons and guns) originated in China, providing…

    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macmillan Company: New York and Collier-Macmillan Limited: London. Upshur, Terry, Holoka, Gorr, Cassar. World History; Before 1600: The Development of…

    • 841 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gunpowder Research Paper

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Many different people, events, and inventions from china has impacted some the most important aspects of life, such as religion, politics, and war. Gunpowder was an especially important contribution of the Chinese, fueling lots of modern-day weapons and allowing fireworks to be built for celebrations. The purpose of this project is to let students know that the Chinese played an important role in shaping the world up to this…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    [ 19 ]. Spence, Jonathan. The Search for Modern China. Norton 7 Company. New York. 1999. Pg 224…

    • 2375 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Despite the fact that China gifted numerous valuable inventions to the West, such as silk, tea, the Mariner’s Compass, and gunpowder, the most important of them all would definitely be paper, gunpowder, and medicines. These particular goods have shaped our society immensely today and would change the way we lived if they were not created. Defined in basic terms, paper is a material that is utilized to write on, gunpowder is an explosive, and medicines are preventions or treatments of disease.…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ancient China was one of the most complex civilizations of the early world. The ancient Chinese culture came up with many inventions to help cities and kingdoms thrive. Many of these inventions are still used today such as the compass, paper, and silk. These inventions not only helped ancient Chinese life, but ours as well. Even though they seem like a simple project, these inventions changed history.…

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    "Invention of Paper in China." Invention of Paper, Paper Use in Han Dynasty History, History of Ancient China. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.…

    • 136 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    Wong, R.B. China Transformed: Historical Change and the Limits of European Experience. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1997.…

    • 2780 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Confucianism In China

    • 773 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Looking back on the first civilizations of China provides a reflection of modern Chinese and East Asian societies.…

    • 773 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays