With a lot of focus going into China recently, a lot of people have asked me about Chinese inventions. What did the Chinese invent, and what modern day inventions should we give the Chinese credit for?
According to Joseph Needham , we can thank the Chinese for their four great contributions to humanity: paper, gunpowder, the compass, and printing.

Paper and Printing

The origins of the inventions of paper and printing began around 2000 BCE, where the Chinese wrote onto bamboo strips and sowed them together. Apparently silk was also used but being expensive it was only used in royal circles. The great drive towards this invention was the need to record, the need to create a history. So when you think of the invention of paper and printing, think of how that necessitated a change towards recording a more accurate history and moving beyond the reliance upon oral recordings and traditions. There is also evidence to suggest that the Chinese invented toilet paper.

Gunpowder

The Chinese apparently invented Gunpowder in the search for elixir of immortality. It was no doubt invented by alchemists or pre-chemists whilst experimenting with various elements and they eventually started experimenting with saltpetre (or Potassium Nitrate), which is critical to oxidizing gunpowder. This led to them using it for fireworks and also for more sinister means such as bombs.

The Compass

The concept of the compass must be linked with that of magnetism. However it is possible that the Chinese ‘discovered’ magnetism by observing how needles could be set up and pointed almost by their own in a particular direction. This taught the Chinese how to magnetise a needle and thus how to find their way (as the needle would always point in a particular direction, no mater which direction they were). Thus the discovery of something intangible was made possible by the discovery of something tangible. The Chinese produced various forms of compasse, using for instance needles floating in water, or later a compass which specific points used in maritime navigation.

Other Chinese Inventions

I have already spoken about the Invention of the toothbrush, which is an invention by the Chinese. Other interesting ideas include the parachute, porcelain, tea, steel, and windmills.

For for information on the subject, check out the List of Chinese inventions.