Ancient Chinese Compass And Its Effects On Civilization

Ancient Chinese Compass and its Effects on Civilization The Chinese culture is up to 5000 years old. Approximately 56 different ethnic groups live in China. Buddhism is by far the largest religion in China, significantly impacting their culture. Buddhism brought with it a whole new array of beliefs, such as a very detailed description of heaven and hell, the belief in reincarnation, and the idea of karma. Those three things made their way into the Chinese culture. A set of beliefs, called Confucianism, became social law in China around 400 B.C.E (Chinese Culture, Tradition, and Customs.). Up until 1450 C.E., China was more technologically advanced than any other country in the world, beating out Europe and the Islamic territories. The Chinese invented hundreds of items, but papermaking, cast iron, canal locks, gunpowder, kites, silk, and the compass are some of the most prominent (Diamond 242-243). However, the compass was the most important technological advancement in ancient Chinese civilization, because it opened up opportuniti es for exploration and promoted the advancement of civilization as a whole. For over a thousand years, China was the most technologically advanced civilization. China could boast inventions and/or improvements to many other items, including paper, bronze items, gunpowder, and silk. Papermaking was developed in China around 105 C.E., and required a long and complicated process to make it. To make paper, you needed to put hemp paste inShow MoreRelatedAchinese Contribution1133 Words   |  5 PagesAncient China was extremely advanced and many of its discoveries are still in use today’s world. Perhaps the Chinese has contributed more to the advancement of human kind than any other ancient culture. They have contributed to our world civilization’s achievements in the fields of agriculture, shipping, astronomy, printing, oil, martial arts, ammunition and mathematics. Ancient Chinese inventions such as gunpowder, silk, paper, printing, tea, wheel barrow, iron plows, deep drilling, porcelain,Read MoreThe Silk Road: Connecting China with The Mediterranean Essay975 Words   |  4 PagesThese routes connected many different civilizations allowing the exchange of goods and ideas. This variety of nationalities made it a â€Å"Cultural Bridge between Asia and Europe. † Before these pathways were established trade was nearly impossible, due to extreme desert conditions and high mountain tops. Many people died making the journey, even after the trade routes were established. So why make the trip? How did the Silk Road impact history? 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