Chinese InventionsBy Lexi Lewis

Did you know that so many great inventions were made by the Chinese? There are some inventions that led to other inventions. The Chinese made some inventions we can’t imagine the world without today.

PaperPaper was invented by a worker named Cai Lun in 105 AD.in the Han Dynasty. Instead of making it out of trees like they do today, they did a different method than today. The material was pounded until it was smooth. Then, liquid was added tothe mix to make pulp. Next,the pulp was spread evenly on top ofa screen, which let the liquid drain out.The dried pulp was paper.Paper came in use later after it was made for more than writing.Other things were made like toilet paper, paper money.

Woodblock PrintingNext time you are typing a report or anything on your computer,and about to print the paper, now you will know the Chinese inventedit about 2,000 years ago. But the kind we are talking about now iscalled woodblock printing. Woodblock printing was very simple.People first wrote out the text or whatever they wanted to put ona sheet of paper. After that, they pressed the inked part on top of a wooden block, leaving a mirror- version of the text. The carver had to make sure all the text was turned around so it would makesense on the woodblock. Then, the inked part was carved away.

SilkSilk was a very famous and popular thing in ancient China.

Back then, silk was expensive. Poor people didn’thave silk. If you did, it was beautiful. Silk was used for so

many things besides clothing, from men’s ties to embroidery.The Chinese didn’t want the rest of the world to knowabout silk. So, they kept silk a secret for many years. Silk ismade from silk worms. Did you know it takes 40,000 silk worms to make just 12 pounds of silk?

Kite

Do you have a kite? If you look at one, can you imagine that the Chinese people invented it so many years ago?

Yes they did. Long ago, the Chinese invented kites to scare away evil spirits and to measure distances, to test wind and to scare off enemies at battle. There are so many shapes and sizes and different colors of kites. To this day, people use and enjoy kites all around the world and especially in China.

ToothbrushDid you know that the Chinese invented the toothbrush? It was called the chew stick. The first toothbrushes with bristles were invented in the 1400s CE. The handle was either bone or bamboo and the bristles were stiff hairs taken from a hog’s neck.

GunpowderHave you ever heard of gunpowder? The

Chinese have a interesting story behind it.

Many years back, Chinese doctors were looking for a medicine so people could live forever. Instead, the doctors found something they never meant to find- gunpowder. Their new product blew up easily and was useful for battle.

UmbrellaDid you know that umbrellas were invented in China about 2,000 years ago?

The umbrellas we use today can be folded up when we’re not using them. The tops of the first umbrellas were made with thick oiled paper so the water won’t get on the user.

MatchesYour parents are lighting a candle and your mom or dad tells you ‘Don’t touch that!’ as always.The Chinese invented matches. The first matches were thin sticks of pine. Sulfur on the tips lighted quickly when touched to a flame. Matches (fire sticks) became more and more useful as the years went by.

And so many more

The Chinese invented countless inventions we couldn't imagine the world without today. There are so many more inventions waiting for China to discover. I hope you learned a lot from my slideshow.