Banknotes, books, and accurate navigational tools have become a part of daily life for many people. Yet, they don’t recognize that these everyday objects didn't always exist. Not to mention, they all emerged in the same region, near the same time, and diffused along similar paths. The mariner’s compass, block printing, paper money, and several types of paper were all developed and used during the Tang dynasty, and they had a great impact on China. Knowledge of these creations was spread by groups of people and animals along the Silk Road, sub-Saharan, and Indian Ocean trade routes.
The period of the Tang dynasty was a high point in Chinese history. This period lasted from 618 to 907 AD (Strayer 243). It succeeded the Sui dynasty and preceded the Song dynasty (243). The time of the Tang and Song dynasties has been described as a “golden age” of arts and literature (244). Furthermore, economic and agriculture achievements during the Tang and Song dynasties caused China’s population to soar (244). These dynasties also established a government structure that was used for many decades (244). Not to mention, industrial production increased and China became highly commercialized in the Tang and Song dynasties (245-246). Many people moved into the cities as well, so China came to be very urbanized (244). The successes of the Tang dynasty were outcomes of the discoveries made at that time, and some of those discoveries are different kinds of paper.
According to Dr. Keith Ray, paper is one of China’s four great inventions. Paper is made by laying out a mix of organic fibers and draining off the water (Lienhard). Papyrus was invented in Egypt around 2,200 BC, but the Chinese created the modern-like version of paper around 105 AD (Ray). The ...
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...n H. "No. 894 Inventing Printing." The Engines of Our Ingenuity. Houston Public Media. 1993. Radio. Transcript.
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Gardner, Angela. "Inner Asia, 600-1200." Cypress Creek High School, Orlando. Nov.-Dec. 2013. Lecture.
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Pickering, John. "The History of Paper Money in China." Journal of the American Oriental Society 1.2 (1844): 136-42. JSTOR. Web. 8 Dec. 2013. .
This invention was a change to the Chinese because paper was invented in China around 105 CE. So the Chinese have paper and now it allowed an easy way for people to communicate. It caused a change in their culture because with paper they can now pass down culture easier than before. Before its invention the writing surfaces that were used were, bones, tortoise shells, and bamboo slips. But as the Chinese civilization started to grow they proved to themselves that these writing surfaces won’t work because of the bulk and weight.
There is a great art that can be found in being able to describe the world of an ancient civilization. Especially in one where large man made walls form because of the creases of a sleeping dragon’s back, or that the layout of the fields and streams of a small village create the image of a galloping unicorn when looked from up above. Yet, this is Imperial China, or as Barry Hughhart writes in his Novel Bridge of Birds, “an Ancient China that Never Was” (Hughhart 1984). This novel explores the history and the world of Ancient China, and the tales of the people who have walked across the land. Offering a summary of the book, we will be able to analyze
Crandall, Abbey, and Daniel Green. "Chicago Inventions." Chicago World's Fair. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.
During the Tang and Song dynasty, many excellent achievements have been accomplished which are still being preserved and used widely over centuries. Their citizens were excelled in many fields with several of new and practical inventions which all directly affected the citizens’ lives.
All fields of science affects the lives of many people, but the inventors are left out. Inventors make many lives more comfortable and convenient. George Edward Alcorn, Jr. was a not so well-known inventor, but he...
During the early Ming Dynasty, China was one of the most economically and technologically advanced countries in the world. As Ebrey pointed out, “Europe was not yet a force in Asia and China continued to look on the outer world in traditional terms.” China was regarded as the center of Asia at the beginning of 15th century and the idea of “Middle Kingdom” (Zhong guo) began to take off at that time. The early Ming Emperors were not interested in promoting commercial trade at all. Emperor Hongwu, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, implemented the Hai jin policy which forbade maritime shipping and private foreign trade outside of the tributary system (Ebrey, p. 209). Emperor Yongle, the son of Emperor Hongwu, lifted this policy to a certain extent when he ordered his eunuch Zheng He’s voyages. However, he was only intereste...
"Four Inventions of Ancient China: Paper Making, Gunpowder, Printing, Compass." Four Inventions of Ancient China: Paper Making, Gunpowder, Printing, Compass. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Seabrook, John. "Annals of Invention The Flash of Genius." The New Yorker 11 January 1993. web.
The Tang Dynasty (618 -907 A.D), also known as China’s glorious revelation, was a time of major change both politically and economically in the Chinese Empire. During this time period, trade became greater than ever. The military power strengthened. The population also increased during this time period from fifty million to eighty million in just two centuries with its large population base, the dynasty was able to raise professional and conscripted armies of hundreds of thousands of troops to contend with nomadic powers in dominating Inter Asia. The Tang also has a strong influence on its neighboring states such as Korea (which was at the time made if of three kingdoms) and Japan. During this time period the Silk Road expanded and trade
In Document 1,2, 3, and 4 the Han dynasty is shown making things and inventing things for their citizens to use. During this time period the Han dynasty was described as the Golden Age in China. Confucianism gave a new way to life. The Historical context is that during this time period when the Yellow river flooded the crops and trade would be put to a stop.
Landes also portrays the supposed innovative manner in which Europe dealt with Chinese inventions. Despite printing having already been invented in China, the ideographic form of block printing limited distribution of publication, sugge...
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440 to multiply written documents easily, making books cheaper and more nationally available. In 1798, Alois Senefelder invented Lithography to copy graphical designs, developing the culture of advertising (wet-canvas, no given date, Jules Cheret: the father of the modern poster). Ho...
Today we can look around ourselves and see thousands of technical innovations that make life easier; But if we take a step back and ask ourselves “How?” we will soon realize that most often, these technological advancements did not just “poof” into existence, but are usually the outcome of building upon yesterday’s technology. If we follow this cycle back into time, we can attribute almost any modern day invention to an ancient civilization during its golden age. China was no exception. China’s Song and Tang dynasties fostered scientific advances comparable to Rome’s during its Pax Romana. The most significant and impacting of these were the development of primitive gunpowder and porcelain of the Tang and paper money, and the magnetic compass of the Song Dynasties. Although these may seem very far off, if you look hard enough, you can see traces of their impacts in society today because most of the advancements today we owe to them.
The invention of the printing press was one of the most useful technologies in history because it helped spread ideas, produced books, and greatly improved the economy. Johannes Gutenberg, who was a German goldsmith, developed the printing press “in Mainz, Germany between 1446 and 1450” (Ditttmar, 1133). The printing press was made to print books, newspapers, and flyers. The machine was made from wood and was based off screw presses, that worked with inked movable type heads that allowed the paper to be quickly and efficiently pressed with letters. The type head was made by pouring lead-tin alloy into a hand mold, along a rectangular stalk.
The printing press was invented in 1453. The movable printing technology was invented in China in 1040 but Johannes Gutenberg was able to perfect this technology by creating the Gutenberg printer in 1440. The printer was a movable type. A movable type was where individual blocks could be set up in order to print almost anything. Before this, wooden blocks, carved by hand were used to print things. These blocks would have consisted of what the individual wanted to print which would take an incredible amount of time. Gutenberg’s invention of a movable type printer established the ability for mass communication.