The Four Great Inventions of Ancient China 英语论文.doc

the four great inventions of ancient china introductionfour great inventions is about chinese history of science and the one point of view. it is point to the ancient chinas four kinds of inventions, is usually referred to papermaking, compass, powder and movable printing. it is the one that the first put forward by england sinologist needham and for the later the chinese government and many chinese historians have inherited.1. the four great inventionsgreat inventions in the humans civilization of the important position lead china to become one of the symbols of ancient civilization. ancient times, chinese science and technology in the world in many ways once front row, but the past glory history is not equal to the glory of now. five centuries later, europe in the feudal society. in the long period of time, chinaese science and technology have been able to move forward, while european science and technology are stagnating. the 15 and 16th century, because of the collapse of the feudal system and the capital of the socialist system forms gradually. europes modern natural science becomes to birth, but by leaps and bounds, beyond china, lead the world. since then, chinas scientific development basically has been behind from western countries. western powers using chinas invention of the paper and printing, spread scientific knowledge and universal education. using chinas invention of the compass and powder, explore the world. finally, it calls directly to china. during the qing dynasty, it forces chinese cede territory and pay indemnities, mading china a semi-colonial and semi-feudal country.1.1 paper-making technologythe four great inventions of generation is the paper-making technique by in the eastern han dynasty eunuch, cai lun invented by, but also have the archaeological evidence, paper-making technique in the earlier period of existence, and he was just an improvement of the important paper, while large-scale commercial use. paper-making technique of information and store of knowledge of the circulation has much influence. although according to ancient book records, the eastern han dynasty (25 in to 220 in) eunuch, cai lun (63 to 121) invented papermaking process, and set up the paper making the use of new materials. but in china the filling and packaging that old paper products, such as tianshui put the horse beach paper map, dates back to the first two centuries; up to three centuries, as writing medium paper has been widely used for the public, it replaced the traditional but more expensive media such as bamboo, wood, and can be copied, later into the burning of the wet kiln hard clay plate, etc. 1.2 compassthe compass to the location of a judge is a simple machine. its predecessor is sina. the main part is a root into shaft can free rotating cizhen (known as lodestone). cizhen in geomagnetic field effect can keep in magnetic meridian under the direction of tangent. cizhen of arctic point to geographic south pole, use the performance can tell direction. it is often used for navigation, land measurement, travel and military. the compass n refers to the north, e refers to the east, w refers to the west, s refers to the south.cenggongliang northern song dynasty describes the use of artificial magnets made guide fish “while iron or steel plates clipping to purchase the shape, burning coals in red, tail to refer to the north in the water, they form the heat of the residual magnetism compass, holding water can be put in the bowl, through the residual magnetism and magnetic guide to action.” the wu by general to account this device and pure mechanical transmission of both used for navigation.1.3 gunpowderthe four great inventions of gunpowder in addition to making fireworks and the firecracker went off and so on, also is a kind of explosives, used in a war as a military purpose. it originated in the tang dynasty and even the qin dynasty. song dynasty, about 12 centuries metaphase development has a certain killer solo firearms (fire chong) and balls per type firearms (even chong) used to make up the people at that time not fighting the disadvantages of gold. china is in practical use of firearms on early in europe about five centuries. the europeans about in 13th century will know how when black powder role, and after centuries of development and improvement, mainly is the granular gunpowder and fire caps invention. black gunpowder is gradually replacing cold weapon, in a land war siege tactics, building the city technology, the development of the naval battleship, tactical and so on in various aspects, causing revolutionary effects, and black powder as explosion medicine and propellant, has been to the 19 th century it is gradually replaced by smokeless powder, tnt, guweisuan, pentyl and so on. however these new explosives is not a chinese invention.1.4 movable printingthe four great inventions of movable printing was the predecessor of the modern printing, and paper-making technique for the preservation of the same knowledge and circulation the influence. it is said that in the northern song bisheng invented clay type printing which is considered to be the worlds first printing type technology.the northern song dynasty in the type of lettering workers between 1004 and 1048, with fine quality and contain sticky daub, made it a square long mantle and engraved on the writing on the words, a word a seal, on the tuyao burn hard, forming type printing. and then press the content, in accordance with the word order, good was put in a iron box made on plate, again in the fire heating planish, can printing. after the printing the type printing take down, next time can also be used again. this improved printing called live plate printing.2. historical significance 1. the invention of paper provided economic, human convenient writing materials, starting a text of the carrier human revolution.2. the emergence of the printing quickened the spread of culture, changed the condition that only european superior talents could read.3. the invention of the compass for european navigator of sailing around the world and the discovery of america to provide important conditions promoted the development of world trade.4. the invention of gunpowder weapons changed the combat style, helped europe bourgeois destroyed feudal fortress and accelerated the process of european history.4. four great inventions commentthe british philosopher francisbacon points out “printing, gunpowder, compass the three invention has been in the world scope of the thing all look and the situation has changed. the first kind is in the academic, the second is in the war, the third one is in the navigation, thus caused in and to count the change of any sect, world. any empire, any stars to human affairs are not the influence of these mechanical found.” marx comment “gunpowder, compass, printing-this is forecast bourgeois society coming three great inventions. gunpowder blown to pieces the knighthood, compass opened the world market and established colonies, and becomes the protestant printing of tools, overall into science means of renaissance, into a spirit can create the necessary premise of the most powerful levers.” theres no mention paper-making technique, but it is for printing and the formation of the promotion to provide the necessary condition. england sinologist maidousi pointed out “chinese invention genius is very early performance in many ways. the chinese three great inventions (sailing compass, printing