Amazing Facts about achievements of China

Achievements of China

• Many nations claim to have invented Ice Cream but origins of ice cream date back to China’s T’ang period,where they packed soft milk and rice mixture in the snow.
• The use of toilet paper in human history dates back to 6th century AD in China.

• The oldest known archaeological fragments of paper date to 2nd century BC in China.The pulp papermaking was started in 2nd-century AD by Cai Lun, an official at the Han(Han dynasty) court.Later papermaking spread to eastern countries and from there to Europe.

• Long ago, sericulture or silk farming was a closely guarded secret of Chinese.Their monopoly in silk production was defended by an imperial decree, condemning to death anyone attempting to export silkworms or their eggs.
• The writings of Confucius say  that in the 27th century BC a silk worm’s cocoon fell into the tea cup of the empress Leizu sitting under mulberry tree. Then the heat unwrapped the silk until it stretched across her entire garden.Later she realized that the cocoon was the source for silk when the silk ran out.

• Woodblock printing originated in China  dating to before 220 A.D.Woodblock printing was extensively used for printing text, images or patterns.

• Gunpowder was invented and developed in the 7th century in ancient China.It is a mixture of saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal.Chinese military forces used this technology to manufacture rockets,bombs,cannons and explosives and fight with Mongols.

•  Compass was invented in China between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD during the Han Dynasty.

• The Chinese invented kites 3000 years ago.They were used to frighten the enemies in battle.They used high tensile strength silk and light weight bamboo framework for making them.It was said to be the invention of  5th-century BC Chinese philosophers Mozi (also Mo Di) and Lu Ban (also Gongshu Ban).

• Chinese invented crossbow and repeated crossbow.They where the first in the world to to use lethal chemicals and gas weapons.They used bellows, mustard smoke and lime in chemical warfare in 4th century BC.