ANCIENT CHINA’s

CONTRIBUTION
❑ The world is forever in debt to China for its innovations
and inventions. The Chinese were world’s most
technologically and civilized society over a thousand year
(600AD-1500AD)
❑ ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
PAPER MAKING &
PAPER PRINTING

✔ Before paper was invented, the Chinese kept records on strips of

bamboo but they stopped this idea because the bamboo took too much
room so in 105 AD (HAN’S DYNASTY) TS’ ai Lun had a great idea,
remixed together mushy mixture of mulberry bark, hemp, rags and old
fish nets. That’s how they made paper.
❑ THE FIRST EVIDENCE HAS BEEN FOUND ON TORTOISE
SHELLS AND FLAT CATTLE (ORACLE BONES)

▪ PAPER PRINTING
(BLOCK PRINTING, BY Bi Sheng 1045 A.D.) was also initiated by
Chinese
❑ PAPER MONEY

▪ Paper money was first introduced in the world in Song dynasty

and was named as FLYING MONEY”. It came into wide spread
use under Mongol’s rule and was named as “ Silk Notes”. In
Ming Dynasty it was named “Precious Note of Great Ming”
❑ FLAME THROWER

It was invented in 10th century AD

by Chinese against enemies using
gun powder
❑ SEGMENTAL ARCH BRIDGE

On the basis of earliest concept of

famous Chinese Engineer Li Chun “Great
Stone Bridge” was built in AD-610 and is
still very much in use today.
MAGNETIC COMPASS

The Chinese were the first to use it. Originally it was

a religious device (Homeface North- Harmony with
nature) then it was used to find directions on land and
sea.
CHINESE MEDICINE

Major achievements are:

• Traditional Chinese medicines

• Acupuncture
• Idea of blood circulation
• Acua pressure, etc.
• Diseases were caused by imbalances, hence in order to be cured, their
physicians had to practice moving the chi using acupuncture,
acupressure, herbal therapies, exercises, and prescription diets.

• During this time, the traditional Chinese medicine also flourished. Their
oriental medicine practices were influenced by elements fire (huo),
water(shui), metal (jin), earth (tu), wood (mu), and the yin-yang balance.
 Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

✔ China has one of the world’s oldest medical systems, acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies .
✔ aims to prevent or heal disease by maintaining or restoring yin-yang balance.

❑ Acupuncture

Acupuncture consists of the insertion of one or several small metal needles into the skin and underlying
tissues at precise points on the body.
 The Practice Of Traditional Medicine

TCM practitioner uses smell, hearing, voice vibration, touch, and pulse diagnosis to

discover the source of an unbalanced health condition, which organ it is related to,

and which meridians are affected.

The role of qi and meridians

An essential aspect of TCM is an understanding of the body’s qi (life force; literally, “vital breath”),
which flows through invisible meridians (channels) of the body. This energy network connects
organs, tissues, veins, nerves, cells, atoms, and consciousness itself.

In acupuncture thin needles are inserted into specific points along the meridians. The needles
stimulate the meridians and readjust the flow of qi to balance the body’s yin and yang. In place of
needles, massage (acupressure) can also be used to stimulate the acupuncture points.
Acupuncture is sometimes accompanied by moxibustion, the burning of small cones of an herb
(typically Artemisia moxa) at acupuncture points. Not only can the meridian network be used to
alleviate symptoms; it can also endow TCM with the ability to change consciousness in those
who receive treatment.
Herbal Therapy

TCM makes use of herbs and herbal formulas to strengthen organ function and support
good health.
The practitioner chooses the herbal formula whose essence, or signature energy vibration,
correctly stimulates or adjusts the body’s own energy vibration.
❑ MATHEMATICS

Earliest Chinese Math textbook was named “ 9-

Chapters”
✔ The warring states period is an excellent example of the idea that wars lead to
progress. Rapid change created pressure for new systems of thought and technology.
Feudal lords employed itinerant philosophers) The use of iron in China expanded
enormously, leading to major changes in warfare and commerce, both of which created
an increased need for mathematics. Indeed the astronomy, the calendar and trade
were the dominant drivers of Chinese mathematics for many centuries.

✔ Indeed part of the purpose of the Great Wall was the protection of these trade routes.
Knowledge moved more slowly than goods, and there is very little evidence of
mathematical and philosophical ideas making the journey until many centuries later
 Pi

▪ The first advanced knowledge of the value of Pi (3.14) was

originated in China

Pascale Triangle
▪ Pascale triangle originally called precious mirror of four
elements is Chinese contribution. In west it was presented in
1654 but this diagram (PT) comes from Chinese book
published in 1303.
 CALCULATOR & NUMBERS

▪ World’s first calculator abacus Chinese used

numbers, 1-9
❑ PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

In fact, the Chou Pei presents the oldest known proof of the
right angle triangle theory in the hsuan – thu diagram. This
theory, commonly known as the “ Phythagoarean theorem”
Great wall of China
❑ ASTRONOMY

In the field of astronomy Chinese were earlist to make star maps and
first to keep systematic record of their observations of the heavens.
They invent astronomical clock (susong clock) and mobile water driven
globe.
 Ancient Chinese Astronomy

The Chinese calendar was considered to be a symbol of a dynasty. As dynasties would rise and
fall, astronomers and astrologers of each period would often prepare a new calendar to be
made, with observations for that purpose.

Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses
mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of
interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and comets.

Astronomy was very much a royal preserve, and emperors directly employed astronomers to
chart the heavens and record phenomena, their main purpose being to record time accurately,
something that they started to do with great accuracy.
✔ Chinese is fascinating in that it developed its own particular methods and nuances.

✔ The Chinese were meticulous in keeping astronomical records , enabling modern

historians to establish that Chinese astronomy remained largely unchanged.

✔ The main job of the Chinese astronomers was to chart time, announce the first day of
every month and predict lunar eclipses. If they were wrong in their predictions, then they
were often beheaded.

✔ The Chinese were meticulous in other astronomical phenomena, such as comets,

sunspots, and novas, they attempted to catalog every single star, defining their
constellations by one major star.