Ancient Chinese contributions and inventions

Ancient Chinese Contributions

(1) Identify eight to ten of these useful inventions or contributions.

Cultivation of millet: millet was discovered in Northern China, with valid evidence from places like Jiahu, Peiligang, and Cishan. In Cishan, archeological remains were found which included storage pits of about 300 in number, other 80 that contained millet remains, and the storage capacity for millet gave an estimation of about 100,000 grains. In 4000 BC, the areas of Yangshao had started using the foxtail cultivation method that completely had its own storage pits and tools that were fine for digging and proper crop harvesting. Using the DNA of the population of East Asian, Chinese farmers, specializing in production of millet are still evident today. The research showed that the Chinese farmers' ancestors made an arrival to the area 30,000 BP (Jiang, 2008).

Noodle: In 2002, the culture of Qijia in a place known as Laija an excavation of archeology showed noodles that were 4,000 years of age and they were millet made. The noodles were preserved using a bowl of upturned earthenware, which had created a space that was airtight between the sediment on which it was found on; they had a resemblance of china's noodle, traditional lamian. This was made by hand stretching and pulling the dough (Needham, (2009).

Rowing oar: since the early stages of Neolithic period, the use of rowing oars was there; pottery that had canoe shape and oars made of six oars that were made of oar that exited in 6000 BC were discovered in the culture of Hemudu at a place known as Yuyao, Zhejiang (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).

Plastomancy: in an archeological site known as Jiahu, the earliest use of turtle shells were traced there. Many archeologists suggest that the shells must have been used in dances that were ceremonial as rattles, healing tools for the shamanti or divisional purposes as ritual paraphernalia (Needham, (2009).

Triangular-shaped plowshare: they were found to have existed around 3500 BC in the culture of Majiabang around Lake Taihu. Haris David suggest that there must have existed more fixed intensive cultivation field that by this time must have developed (Garrison, 2009).

Rammed earth: evidence of archeology show that rammed earth use was discovered in Neolithic archeology sites, which are in the Longshao and Yangshao cultures along River Yellow in China. It dates back to around 5000 BC. Architectural techniques of rammed-earth had been used commonly for foundations and walls in China in about 2000 BC (Jiang, 2003) (Needham, (2009).

Pottery steamer: the use of steam in cooking started with cooking vessels of pottery, which were better known in a simple language as van steamer and all this is evidenced by archeological excavations. A van was usually made up of two strong vessels, zeng that had perforated floor and surmounted a caldron or pot with a base that was tripod and a cover-top (Garrison, 2009).

Pottery urn: in the 7000 BC is where the first pottery urn can be traced by evidence in a site known as Jiahu. In this place were found 32 urns that had been buried. Another place where evidence was found was Laoguantai, Shaanxi (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).

Cultivation of rice: in the year 2002, a Japanese and Chinese group made a report that they had discovered phytoliths of rice, which was domesticated and had been fossilized in the eastern China. This discovery dates back to about 1100 BC: this could even be earlier. Because of contamination problems that are potential, there is controversy about phytolith data. It might be true that domesticated rice had been cultivated some place in the middle of Yangtze valley. The age might be 7000 BC (Jiang, 2008).

Saltern: in the harvesting salt, one of salterns considered being earliest and found in Yungsheng Lake, Shaanxi around 6000 BC. Zhongba ruins where salt making evidence can be tracked that dates back to about 2000 BC (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).

(2) Nominate four that you believe are the most ingenious or innovative. (3) Explain why you believe these four inventions or contributions are the most useful inventions or contributions from the ancient Chinese.

Paper publishing and printing: possible, the Chinese had the desire to make serious developments in the print word. Lun TS'ai invented manufacturing of paper and its process. In addition, its first introduction was carried out in China. Using the baked clay, the paper had a very recommendable quality. In other areas, parchment and papyrus were being used. In 693 AD, China invented the first printing press ever. The first ever newspaper was availed in Beijing; this took place in 700 AD. This was woodblock printing (Needham, 2009).

Papermaking: the Chinese invented papermaking. The original term that was used to refer to paper money was flying money. This was because the money in paper form was very light and wind could easily carry it. The government quickly adapted paper money as business merchants as certificates for exchange were using it: the government sought to use it for tax payments forwarding. In the year 1024, the government of Song took the process of printing money and made it be used as an exchange medium; it was accompanied with coins, which were commonly referred to as deposited cash (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).

Fireworks and gunpowder: As one of the four most great and significant Ancient China inventions, gunpowder was the firs ever explosive to be used by man. The invention should be attributed to the great alchemist of the Ancient China. His inspiration was drawn from fire-ignition that came due to the process of pill making. In the process, there was the use of niter, sulfur among other substances. The gunpowder formulae were subsequently created (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).