Chinese Technological Advancements

Chinese Technological Developments China’s technological influences have been unbelievable. Many of their technological developments have been fascinating, resourceful, durable, and have been used by countless others. Some examples of Chinese technology were silk making, establishing a complex system of writing, the smallpox vaccine, the mechanical clock, gunpowder, block printing, the movable type, the use of acupuncture, the uses of herbal remedies, farming, the trade of the Silk Road. and creating the first books. The Chinese were a very smart and resourceful people. They helped increased the world’s ability to access and store information, they helped people live healthier lives, and they helped bring the world closer together through

Writing was immensely important because it helped unify China. Some of the earliest forms of writing were on oracle bones. Shang priests wrote questions to the gods or ancestors, then they heated the bones until they cracked and then tried to decipher what the god's meant. Over time the writing system grew and the Chinese developed thousands of characters. Each character represented a word or idea. Not long after the writing system developed, books were being created. The Chinese bound thin strips of wood or bamboo together and delicately drew characters on the surface. Another invention was the movable type. This was an earlier version of a printing press. It had thousands of characters, and once in place were able to print a significant number of the same writing. This invention allowed people to make many copies, and allowed people from far off to stay connected to their civilization. The Chinese writing and books helped the spread of ideas and kept the country

China brought the world closer together through trade networks. The Silk Road linked China to the West and opened up the possibility of new ideas and trade. The Silk Road stretched for 4,000 miles. It linked China to the Fertile Crescent and the Middle East. Through trade China was able to get glass from Rome, and cotton and Buddhism from India. Silk was also China’s most valuable export. To protect their control of this very valuable trade item, the Chinese kept the process of silk making a secret. There was a very high demand for silk because it was a beautiful material and it also did not rip easily. At first only royalty and nobles could afford this luxurious fabric, but as demand increased more and more people wanted silk. The Silk Road opened up many new possibilities not only for China but the rest of the