Four Great Inventions of Ancient China

Paper Making The first version of paper was made of hemp, rag, and fishing net but it was too hard to write on so it wasn't widely used. Cai Lun ( 蔡倫 ), a eunuch in the Eastern Han Dynasty ( 東漢 ), invented a fine, white paper made of bark, hemp, cloth, and fishing net that could easily be written on.

Gunpowder The Chinese first used gunpowder to make explosives in wars. The Chinese invented cannons made of cast iron and rockets. Gunpowder was used to make bamboo fireworks in the Song Dynasty.( 宋 朝 )

Compass Before the compass was invented, explorers had to look at the sun, moon, and stars for directional guidance. The Chinese first used magnetic rocks to determine north and south. This technique was later incorporated into the design of the compass.

Printing Moveable type printing was invented by Bi Sheng ( 畢昇 ), a craftsman who worked in a book factory. Characters were carved onto reusable clay blocks which were fired and then arranged in a metal holder brushed with ink. This invention contributed to the history of printing.