The four great inventions refer to the four great inventions in ancient China that had great influence on the world. Namely papermaking, compass, gunpowder and movable type printing.
compass
The compass is a simple instrument used to determine the position. Formerly known as sinan. The main component is a needle (commonly known as a magnet) that can rotate freely on a shaft. The magnetic field against the earth can be kept in the tangential magnetic radial direction. The magnetic needle points to the south slope of the geographical north pole, which can be used to show the sense of direction. Commonly used in navigation, geodesy, tourism and military affairs.
compass
Compass is a simple tool to judge the direction. Originally known as Sina. The main component is a magnetic needle (commonly known as a magnet) that can rotate freely on the shaft. The magnetic needle can be kept in the tangential direction of magnetic meridian under the action of geomagnetic field. The north pole of the magnetic needle points to the geographical south pole, which can be used to identify the direction. It is often used in navigation, geodesy, tourism and military affairs.
The invention of compass is the result of China's long-term practice in understanding magnetic objects. Ancient China people came into contact with magnetite because he began to understand the nature of magnetism. It cites the first example of discovering the magnetism of iron. Then they found the directionality of the magnet. After many experiments and studies, I finally invented a compass that can be used.
The invention of the compass is the result of China ancients' understanding of the magnetism of objects in their long-term practice. In ancient China, people came into contact with magnetite and began to understand its magnetism. People first discovered the property that magnets attract iron. Later, the directivity of magnets was discovered. After many experiments and studies, a practical compass was finally invented.
The earth is also a big magnet, and its two poles are close to the geographical south pole and the geographical north pole respectively. Therefore, the magnets on the earth's surface can rotate freely, and they will produce a natural phenomenon in the north-south direction because of the repulsion of the same sex and the attraction of the opposite sex. This truth is not enough for the ancients to understand, but they are very clear about this phenomenon.
The earth is also a big magnet, and its poles are close to the geographical south pole and the geographical north pole respectively. Therefore, when the magnets on the earth's surface can rotate freely, they will represent the north and south because of the nature that magnets repel each other with the same polarity and attract each other with the opposite polarity. The ancients did not understand this truth, but they knew this phenomenon very well.
On the method of needle application, Shen Kuo described four methods:
1. water float-put a magnetic needle on the water surface and wear several wicks to indicate the direction.
2. Bowl lip and rotary titration-Place the length needle on the edge of the needle and rotate it to indicate the direction.
3. Fingernail rotary titration-Place the magnetic needle on the smooth nail surface at the top of the fingernail, and the magnetic needle can rotate freely to indicate the direction.
4.Aquaticum hanging method-some needle wax painted in the center and a sticky silk are hung in a place where there is no wind, and you can go straight.
Regarding the installation method of the magnetic needle, Shen Kuo introduced four methods:
1. Shui Piao —— Put some wicks on the magnetic needle to make it float on the water, and you can indicate the direction.
2. Bowl lip rotation method-put the magnetic needle on the edge of the bowl mouth, and the magnetic needle can rotate to indicate the direction.
3. nail rotation method-put the magnetic needle on the nail. Because the nail surface is smooth, the magnetic needle can rotate freely to indicate the direction.
4. Twilight hanging method-coat some wax in the middle of the magnetic needle, stick a silk on it, and hang it in a windless place to indicate the direction.
gunpowder
It is made by mixing saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal, but at that time, people used these three things as therapeutic drugs, so it was named "gunpowder", which means "gunpowder"
gunpowder
It is made of a mixture of saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal. At that time, people treated these three things as medicine, so they were named "gunpowder", which means "gunpowder".
Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, alchemists have used sulfur, saltpeter and other items to make elixir pills, and got inspiration from accidental explosion, and then found the formula of powder after repeated practice. During the Three Kingdoms period, Ma Jun, a clever technician in Wei State, made an entertaining "explosive battle" by wrapping gunpowder in paper, which pioneered the application of gunpowder.
Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, alchemists have used sulfur, saltpeter and other substances to make alchemy, and got inspiration from accidental explosions. After many practices, they found the formula of gunpowder. During the Three Kingdoms period, Ma Jun, a clever technician in Wei State, wrapped gunpowder in paper and made an "explosion war" for entertainment, which pioneered the application of gunpowder.
In the Tang dynasty, gunpowder began to be used in the military. People use a riprap machine to throw the projectile after ignition and burn the enemy. This is the most primitive artillery. Later, people wrapped the spherical powder head near the tip of the arrow shaft, shot the powder with a bow and arrow, and then burned the enemy. There are also gunpowder, poison, and some asphalt and tung oil, which are mixed together to make poison balls. After being ignited, they are shot with bows and arrows, and the enemy becomes an "enemy of ten thousand people". In the Song Dynasty, people would put gunpowder in the bamboo tube, and there was a small "directional stick" behind the gunpowder rod to light the fire pin on the fire tube.
It causes gunpowder to burn rapidly in the barrel, producing forward thrust, thus flying to bomb enemy positions. This is the earliest gunpowder rocket in the world. As well as the firearms and guns invented later, are all tubular firearms made of raw bamboo tubes, which is the ancestor of modern guns.
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, gunpowder began to be used in the military. People use trebuchets to ignite gunpowder bags and throw them out to burn the enemy. This is the most primitive artillery. Later, people wrapped spherical powder near the head of the arrow shaft, lit the fuse, shot it out with bows and arrows, and burned the enemy. There are also gunpowder, poison, plus some leaching, tung oil and so on. Mash them together to make poison balls. After lighting, shoot the enemy with a bow and arrow, becoming an "enemy of ten thousand people." In the Song Dynasty, people put gunpowder into bamboo tubes, tied tiny "directional sticks" behind the gunpowder, and ignited the nitrate on the fire tube, so that the gunpowder in the tube burned rapidly, generating forward thrust and making it fly to the enemy line to explode. This is the world's first gunpowder rocket. Later, muskets and guns were invented. These are primitive tubular firearms made of bamboo. They are the ancestors of modern guns.
make paper
The invention of papermaking technology is one of the outstanding contributions of the Chinese nation to world civilization.
About 3,500 years ago, in Shang Dynasty, China had characters engraved on tortoise shells and animal bones, which were called Oracle Bone Inscriptions. In the spring and autumn period, bamboo tortoise shells and animal bones were used instead, which was called bamboo slips. Oracle Bone Inscriptions and bamboo slips are both very heavy. When the thinkers of the Warring States period went out to give lectures, they put five cars on them with letters, so there was a story of learning to be rich with five cars. In the Western Han Dynasty, among the court nobles, he also wrote with fine silk or thin paper. Thick and waterproof silk is fine silk. Silk is the general name of small official silk written on fine silk. It is convenient to write, not only much more than simple bamboo slips, but also can paint on them. However, it is expensive and can only be used in the palaces of a few nobles.
In the 2nd century BC, there was paper in the early Western Han Dynasty. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, rumors were invented by Cai Lun. However, archaeologists discovered earlier paper.
make paper
The invention of papermaking is one of the outstanding contributions of the Chinese nation to world civilization.
About 3,500 years ago, in Shang Dynasty, China had written words carved on tortoise shell bones, called Oracle Bone Inscriptions. In the Spring and Autumn Period, tortoise shells and animal bones were replaced by bamboo chips and sawdust, which were called bamboo slips and wooden slips. Oracle Bone Inscriptions and bamboo slips are very heavy. Hui Shi, a thinker in the Warring States period, went out to give lectures and took five books and bamboo slips with him, so there is an allusion to being rich in learning and learning. In the Western Han Dynasty, among the court nobles, they wrote with silk or cotton paper. Silk is the general name of silk. Writing on silk is easy. It is not only much more than bamboo slips, but also can be painted on them, but it is expensive and can only be used by a few royal nobles. Paper appeared in the early Western Han Dynasty in the 2nd century BC. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the rumor was invented by Cai Lun. But archaeologists found earlier paper.
creator
In the first year of Emperor Yuan Xing of Han Dynasty (AD 105), Cai Lun, on the basis of summarizing the previous experience in making silk crystals, invented the plant fiber paper suitable for writing by using bark, broken fishing nets, rags and hemp as the first-class raw materials, which made the paper widely used as a writing material. Known as "Cai Hou Paper", there is a common understanding of the concepts on paper. What kind of article is called "paper"? In ancient times, there were paper toilet paper in Egypt, parchment paper in Europe, and silk cotton wadding paper and fine silk paper and colorful thick paper used for writing in China history.
Only the rainbow paper made of plant fiber has a far-reaching influence on the development of the world paper industry and the spread of human culture, and its basic technology is still in use today. According to the historical records and the research on the basic points of papermaking by later generations, Cai Lun summed up that the fabric laminate was made of plant fibers through the steps of cutting, soaking, rinsing, throwing pounds, curtain copying and drying. Fiber paper sheets that have not been treated by basic steps and do not have the basic properties of paper cannot be called the concept of China ancient traditional paper.
creator
In the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the first year of Yuan Xing (A.D. 105), Cai Lun, on the basis of summarizing the previous experience in making silk-woven crystals, invented plant fiber paper suitable for writing with bark, broken fishing nets, rags and hemp heads as raw materials, making paper a widely used writing material. It is called "Cai Hou Paper". Have a unified understanding of the concept of paper. What kind of article is called a "paper"? In ancient times, there were papyrus in Egypt and parchment in Europe. In the history of our country, there are silk tissue paper, silk paper for writing and colorful thick paper. Among them, only Cai Hou paper made of plant fiber has a far-reaching impact on the development of the world paper industry and the spread of human culture, and its basic technology has been used to this day. According to the historical records and the research of later generations, the basic points of Cai Lun's papermaking can be summarized as follows: fiber sheets made from plant fibers by cutting, boiling, bleaching, tamping, curtain-making and drying. Fiber sheets that have not been treated by the basic steps of papermaking and do not have the basic properties of paper cannot be called paper in the traditional concept of ancient China.
It was the improver who invented papermaking, not the inventor of paper. If this is the statement in the article, it is contradictory The earliest paper in the world is Egyptian papyrus and parchment widely used in Europe in the Middle Ages. Because of the single material and limited room for improvement, these two kinds of paper were replaced by China paper, which is made of many kinds of materials.
Cai Lun only improved papermaking, not the inventor of paper. If so, it is contradictory in the article. Egyptian papyrus is the earliest paper in the world, but parchment was widely used in medieval Europe. Because of the single raw material and limited room for improvement, these two kinds of paper were replaced by China paper which used various materials.
Movable type printing technology
It began with engraving printing in Sui Dynasty, and was developed and improved in Song Renzong, Bi Sheng, which led to the spread of movable type printing from Mongols to Europe, so it was called printing, and it was promoted to be the ancestor after its completion. China's printing is the pioneer of modern human civilization, which has created conditions for the wide spread and exchange of knowledge.
be printed from type
Woodblock printing, which began in Sui Dynasty, was developed and perfected by Bi Sheng in Song Renzong, resulting in movable type printing, which was spread to Europe by Mongols, so Bi Sheng was later called the ancestor of printing. China's printing is the pioneer of modern human civilization, which has created conditions for the wide spread and exchange of knowledge.
Engraving printing is to carve a protruding reverse writing on a wooden block with a knife, then ink it and print it on paper. The printing and wood carving of every kind of book have to start from scratch, which is very slow. If there is something wrong with the engraving, it is understandable to engrave it again.
Engraving printing is to carve a protruding reverse writing on a piece of wood with a knife, and then ink it on paper. Every time a new book is printed, the board has to be engraved from scratch, which is very slow. If you make a mistake, you have to engrave it again. You can imagine the hard work.
Bi Sheng, a lettering worker in the Song Dynasty, made a square long cylinder with fine and sticky clay from 1004 to 1048, engraved a word on it and put it in a kiln to harden it with fire to form movable type. Then arrange the content and characters of the article in order, put them in a box made of iron plate, then flatten and heat them on the fire, and you can print them. After the movable type printing, take it off and reuse it next time. This improvement is called movable printing after printing.
From A.D. 1004 to 1048, Bi Sheng, an engraver in the Northern Song Dynasty, made long rectangular columns out of thin and sticky clay, carved characters on them one by one, and put them in a kiln to make movable type. Then, according to the content of the article, put the words in order, put them on the iron frame to make a printing plate, and then put them on the fire to heat and flatten them, and you can print. Take off the movable type after printing and use it next time. This improved printing is called relief printing.
This printing method may seem primitive and simple, but the same way as modern font typesetting makes the printing machine enter a new era.
Although this printing method is primitive and simple, it has the same principle as modern printing, which makes printing enter a new era.
The four great inventions left a brilliant page in human history, science and culture. These great inventions have influenced and benefited the whole world and promoted the progress of human history.
The four great inventions left a brilliant page in the history of human science and culture. These great inventions have influenced and benefited the whole world and promoted the progress of human history.