2. China – 中国
A Brief Introduction
The Country The People The Significant
Third largest country in Fourth largest economy
the world (next to Russia Most populous country
and Canada) with a land with 1.3 billion people. (next to US, Japan, and
area of 9.6 million km2 . German).
Standard spoken
Border 15 countries. language is Mandarin
World’s largest exporter.
Capital city is Beijing - based on Beijing dialect. World oldest continuous
北京 .
56 ethnic groups with the civilization (5000 years)
22 provinces, 5
autonomous regions, and Han as the majority with 29 World Heritage sites.
4 municipalities (Beijing 92% of the population. 2008 Olympic will
Shanghai- 上海 ,
Tianjin- 天津 , and Per capital in Shanghai commence on 08:08:08 pm
Chongqing- 重庆 ). is over US$7000 on 08/08/2008 at Beijing
Largest city is Shanghai (China per capital is stadium (the bird’s net)
with 19 million people. US$2000, USA is
$44000 and Burundi is
$90)
6. Chinese Food
中国食物
Hui (Anhui) Min (Fujian)
Yang (Jiangsu) Xiang (Hunan) Zhe (Zhejiang)
Lu (Shandong)
Beijing
Chuan (Sichuan) Yue (Cantonese)
Shanghai
7.
8. Chinese Inventions
Agricultural Exploration
Iron Plow Kite
Technology
Horse Harness Parachute Lacquer
Rotary winnowing fan Hot-air balloons Paper
Row cultivation of Rudder
crops
Wheelbarrow
Helicopter rotor Fishing reel
Porcelain
Engineering Umbrella
Cast iron Warfare Chess
Double acting piston Crossbow
Printing
bellows: air, liquid Matches
Gunpowder
Water power Paper money
Flame thrower
Suspension bridge Compass
Rocket
Chain drive Ice cream
Gun, cannon, and
Deep drilling for mortars. Silk
natural gas Martial arts
Belt drive
9. Marquis Cai Lun - 蔡伦
Invented by Cai Lun about 105 AD
Prior to paper, bamboo, stones, wood, and animal bones were
used as writing materials (heavy, cumbersome, and expensive).
Paper making technology was transferred to Korea and Vietnam
then on to Japan around the 3rd century.
Significant: impact global cultural advancement of China and
the world (literature & literacy).
For his contribution - Cai Lun ( 蔡伦 ) is considered one of the
100 most influential people in human history.
10. 1281 – a “bomb” was thrown against a charging samurai.
Discovered by Chinese alchemist (in search for an elixir of
immortality) around 9th century.
Consisted of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), sulfur, and charcoal.
Gunpowder spread from China to the world around 13th century
(Yuan Dynasty).
Significant: fireworks, cannon, rockets, missiles, guns, etc.
Irony: China used gunpowder primarily for firecrackers while the
West used it to develop guns and cannons which allowed the West
to dominate China in the 1800s.
11. The Chinese Diamond Sutra (868 AD), the oldest
existent woodblock printed book in the world.
Bì Shēng 毕升
Invented by Bi Sheng - 毕升 around 1040 AD.
First movable type was made of baked clay.
In late 13th century, wooden movable type was made by Wang
Zhen - 王祯 .
In 14th century, Hua Sui – 华燧 invented the metal movable type.
Significant: advanced the development of world civilization by
changing the ways that information and knowledge were
produced, exchanged, and shared.
11th Century Printed money
12. Ming Dynasty mariner’s compass Mariner’s compass
Zheng He - 郑和 : First user of the compass
First magnetic direction finder was used in China around 1044.
Zheng He - 郑和 made 7 naval expeditions (1405-1433) using
the compass for navigation with detail needle positions given in
the Mao Kun map.
Chinese compass had the needle pointing South. Western compass
has the needle pointed North.
Significant: Opened the oceans of the world for travel and for the
discovery of New World (America in 1492, among others). Made
explorations and trades possible, increased commerce and welfare
of all nations.
13. Chinese Four Great Modern Inventions
Bi Sheng - 毕升
Yuan Longping - 袁隆平 Li Siguang - 李四光 Wang Xuan - 王选
Hybrid Rice (1973): Developed by Yuan Longping - 袁隆平 . Substantially increased the
yield of rice (30 times more than the common rice). This inventions greatly contributed to
resolving the food problem of China and of the world.
Land Facie Oil-Forming Theory (1953): forwarded by Li Siguang- 李四光 . Enabled the
development of big oil fields in land (Daqing, Dagang, and Shengli oilfields) .
Synthesized Crystalline Bovine Insulin (1965): a collective work Chinese scientists to
synthesizing a living body (bioactive protein). This invention have substantial implications
in the understanding of life and in exploring life secret.
Chinese Language Laser Typesetting Systems (1987): Developed by Wang Xuan - 王选 ,
his inventions transformed China’s printing from letterpress printing to electronic
publishing. Wang Xuan is known as “Bi Sheng, Father of Printing in Modern Times.”
