The ancient Chinese society was very creative and innovative. During the Han Empire, the Chinese society was portrayed as one of the most creative and innovative, especially in terms of the works of art. It competed so closely with the neighboring Kogurion Empire, which had creative citizens as well. During this time, human beings tried as much as possible to make work easier. Human beings found out that there was so much to be done and this could not be possible without the invention of machinery and technology. As such, man had to make work easier, effective, and efficient through constant inventions and innovations. Consequently, various tools and machines were developed to help manage the work (Sayre, 2012). The ancient Chinese society proved to be creative in coming up with tools and machines that were able to salvage humanity from tiresome work. The following are some of the best innovations of the Chinese society during the technological renaissance.
- Load stone compass to help indicate direction of the wind (4th century)
- Planting crops in rows (4th century)
- The Seed Drill that was used to uniformly plant seeds (202 BC)
- Iron plough used for farming (202 BC)
- Deed Drilling of boreholes (202 BC)
- Ship Rudder for guiding ships in high seas (202 BC)
- Harness of Horses (220 BC)
- Porcelain (518 AD)
- Toilet paper (581 AD)
- The movable type of printing (960 AD)
The above inventions and innovations were very important in redefining the general lifestyle of humanity. They made life easier hence making it possible for man to spend less time in doing various works within the community. Of the above inventions, the following were some of the most important in respect to simplifying life.
- Deep Drilling of boreholes
- Iron plough used for farming
- Ship Rudder for guiding ships in the sea
- The movable type of printer
The Chinese society had people with great abilities in terms of technological inventions and innovations. Although there were many inventions in the Chinese kingdom, the four were some of the most outstanding. Iron plough used for farming was an innovation that solved agricultural problems, particularly food shortage problem. In other words, the Chinese society was undergoing agricultural revolution. There was need develop tools and machines that would help farmers ease their work. The plough was a great invention in the field of agriculture because through it, the burden of tilling the land was moved from man to animals. More land could be tilled within a shorter period as compared to what individuals would till. It increased the agricultural output and ensured food security in the empire. The ancient Chinese society got enough from the farms, some of which had to be exported to other kingdoms in exchange with other products such as ornaments.
Deep Drilling of boreholes was another great invention. The ancient Chinese empire received a fair amount of rainfall. However, there were instances when there was a dry spell whereby rain shortages were experienced. Some communities did not have fresh water bodies that could be relied upon for domestic use. Furthermore, such water bodies were not under the reach of many communities. Deep Drilling of boreholes was a solution for such communities that did not have access to clean water, especially during dry seasons. The fresh water from such boreholes could be used domestically. The deep drills also offered clean water for the animals reared within this community. Bottero (1992) claimed that this was one of the most beautiful inventions in the Chinese kingdom during the 4th century. It came when it was needed most and it solved the major problem of water in the emerging towns within the Chinese society.
Ship Rudder, which was utilized in guiding ships in the high seas, was one other important invention at the time. This empire relied on trade as one of its main economic activity. The merchants of the Chinese empire conducted trade with other communities overseas in what was referred to as bilateral and multilateral trade. The sea transport was therefore very important to such merchants. Before this invention, the merchants would easily lose direction in the high seas, especially after such incidents as storms. They would not be in a position to identify the right direction and therefore they would end up losing directions in the seas, making their voyages take longer than expected. This invention is still in use today only that it has been advanced due to the emerging technologies.
The movable type of printer was another great invention of the ancient Chinese community. The world was transforming and formal education was becoming a necessity in society. People had to go to school and learn in order to match other societies. As such, this invention was very important in the field of education. This printing machine was also used in government offices to type letters and other important governmental documents. As Barnstone (2003) noted, these documents looked more official and presentable when printed as opposed to when presented handwritten. They were standardized when typed and it was easier to convince people that it was a government document.
The above inventions redefined the destiny of the Chinese society. The scientists invented these tools and machines when other societies had not even thought about them. For instance, during this time, many societies depended on basic methods of farming. The advancements of this society’s agriculture, transport and other sectors of the economy made it easy for them to conquer other societies hence helping them to expand. This would further help the empire grow much stronger (McKenzie, 2000).
Of the above inventions, some are still important in the modern day world, though they have been advanced. The movable type of printer is one such invention that humanity may not live without it in the modern society. The world has changed and education is redefining almost everything in life. For instance, a student cannot do without printing his or her documents. Although technology has advanced and there are so many things that can now be done online, printing of documents still remains very important. For a document to be considered legal, it must be signed by the concerned authorities. As such, the document must be printed to make signing possible. The assignments and the term papers must be printed, although some may be presented in soft copies. It would be difficult to lead the life of a student without printing.
In essence, the ancient Chinese society, otherwise known as the Han Dynasty, was one of the most innovative and creative kingdoms in the world. Its ability to develop new methods of doing work enabled it to prosper and conquer many other kingdoms. Its strength made it to survive for a long period hence growing stronger in the face of challenges. In other words, the inventions of various tools and techniques helped the Chinese kingdoms in conquering other kingdoms that seemed to lag behind in terms of technology. Technology can either affect the community positively or negatively. For the case of ancient Chinese kingdoms, technology affected them positively.
References
Barnstone, T. (2003). Literatures of Asia. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Bottero, J. (1992). Mesopotamia: Writing, reasoning, and the gods. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
McKenzie, L. (2000). Non-western art: A brief guide (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Sayre, H. M. (2012). The Humanities: Culture, continuity and change, Volume 1. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.