Four Great Inventions四大发明
Four great inventions: the compass, gunpowder, paper and movable type printing, were ancient China’s outstanding scientific and technological contributions to world civilization.
The Compass罗盘
The world’s first compass was made in China during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C. ) by balancing a piece of lodestone carved in the shape of a ladle on a smooth, flat plate and letting it spin. When it stopped, the handle always pointed to the south. After the Northern Song Dynasty (A.D. 960-1127) the Chinese people connected the compass with a square plate engraved with directional points, thus creating the basis for the compasses of today.
The compass give play to important function in the navigation after introducing to Europe.
Gunpowder火药
The Chinese people invented gunpowder in the 7th century. After the invention of gunpowder, human beings suddenly had an unprecedented great force. At the end of the Tang Dynasty and the beginning of the Song Dynasty (10th century), gunpowder began to be used in weapons. From 1225 to 1248, gunpowder and firearms were introduced to Arab countries from India, and then taken to European countries from Arab regions.
Paper造纸
Cai Lun, who lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), produced high quality paper using tree bark, remnants of hemp, linen rags and other materials. The invention of Cai Lun’s paper-making technique marked the ripening of China’s paper-making technique, and meanwhile enabled the people to leave behind them the days of writing on bamboo slips and cotton cloth.
China’s paper-making technology was introduced to Korea and Japan in the 7th century, taken to Arab countries from Central Asia and eventually to European countries during the 12th to 16th centuries. China’s paper-making technology played a great role in the Europea
n Renaissance and other cultural and scientific undertaking of the world.
Printing印刷术
The typography is one of the most important four inventions in ancient China.
The invention of China’s printing technique went through two stages, block printing and movable-type printing. BI Sheng’中国4大发明s movable-type printing was introduced to Korea and Japan in the 8th century, and then to Arabia and Europe in the 12th century.
In China, different religions are respected. People have their own right to choose their belief in God or Allah or in others. people believing in different religions live happily together.
gift
• Gift giving is a big part of any culture. China is no exception. There are sth interesting in g
ift giving in China.
• For example,
Do not give knives, scissors, letter openers, etc. It implies the severing of a relationship
Do not expect that a gift will be opened immediately
Avoid giving things to people in groups of four, since the number four in Chinese is a homonym for the word 'death' .
Never give a Chinese gentleman a green hat. It is associated with adultery.
Do not give aged people a clock. It is a homonym for the word ‘death’.
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