Technology in Ancient Civilizations: the Chinese

Technology in Ancient Civilizations: the Chinese

Evidence of Chinese culture can be found all the way to the year 1500 BC. The History of China [1] can be divided into 2 main periods: Ancient China and the Chinese Empire. Ancient China spread from 1600 BC – 256 AD. Chinese history is divided into periods called dynasties. They were distinguished by the figure of the Emperor, who came from a ruling family. The Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 BC) was the first strong historical period, reigned by 31 kings. Archaeological findings suggest that they were technologically advanced. The Zhou dynasty (1046 – 256 BC) followed, constituting the Chinese Iron Age. The Chinese Empire spread from 221 BC to 1911 AD. It was the first organized State, in the sense that they had a centralized government and a core of bureaucrats who executed the wishes of that governments. They were amongst the first people to write history. Confucius [2] was a minor official who lived during the Warring States period and developed a philosophical and political system he hoped would lead to a more stable state and society. He spent a great deal of his time trying to convince one of the powerful kings to embrace his system but while none ever did, Confucius got the last laugh because his recipe for creating a functioning society was ultimately adopted and became the basis for Chinese government, education, etc. He argued that the key to provide a peaceful state was to look to the past and the model of the sage emperors. By following of upright moral behavior, the Chinese emperor could bring order to China. Confucious’ idea of morally upright behavior is about a person knowing his or her place in a series of hierarchical relationships and acting accordingly. Everyone lives their lives (although women were marginalized) in relationship to other people, and is either a superior or an inferior. Filial piety referred to a son treating his father with reverential respect, and the father acting respectably towards his son. The goal of both is to be a “superior man” (Junzi); if they are all Junzis, the society as a whole will run smoothly. The emperor is like the father to the whole country. In order to be a Junzi, you need to study history as well as poetry and paintings in order to understand and appreciate beauty. The idea of Ren and Li was also crucial. Ren refers to “propriety”: engaging in the best possible behavior in relationship to people. Li refers to rituals associated with Chinese religion, like veneration of ancestors. Confucian classics emphasized the idea that good emperors behaved like good Confucians. The fate of the Empire relies on one man and his actions. The Mandate of Heaven relates mis-behaviours to storm, floods and peasant uprisings.  The Mandate of Heaven implied that the fact that one dynasty falls and is replaced by another in a cycle that lasts for 3000 years is explained by divine intervention based on whether the ruler behaves in a proper, upright manner. It reinforces a vision of moral behavior that is a cornerstone of Confucianism. The Qin dynasty lasted only 38 years but is one of the most important in China’s history. So important that it gave the place it’s name: Chin-a! They reunified China under a single Emperor for the first time in 500 years. The Qin dynasty were known for their brutality, which as some point was necessary to keep things in order. The Wen dynasty reigned under Confucian values which meant no harsh punishments for criticizing the government, executions declined and most importantly the government stopped burning books. But so much for Chinese culture and philosophy, let us take the focus back to what concerns us: technology. The Chinese were great achievers in mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and literature. The Chinese were the ruling civilization in world commerce and technology for a thousand years, many centuries ahead of Europe until the Industrial Revolution. But what happened? The Mandarins were an elite that when took power they did not want anyone disturbing their Status Quo and endangering the system.

These bureaucrats slowed the once dynamic Chinese economy and caused it to regress. Let us take a look at their most known developments:

1.     The Great Wall of China [3]: the Great Wall began as multiple walls built by individual feudal states during the Chunqiu period to protect against nomadic raiders north of China (Mongols, etc). As the structures came together they collectively came to be known as the Long Wall. It was built during 220 – 206 BC by Qin Shi Huang, and then rebuilt and completed under the Ming Dinasty reaching 5500 miles! When the Chinese empire expanded to Mongolia, the wall fell into disuse. 

2.     Gunpowder: it was invented by the Chinese already in 800 AD, it was used for fireworks and signal flares, and was refined during wars with the Mongols, creating the first grenades & cannon. It’s use as an explosive came when it was borrowed by the West. 

3.     Iron and Steel Smelting: it was developed in the Early 5th century, with steel appearing around 380 AD. The state monopolized it early creating a smelting bloom (furnace). This development did not come to Europe until the mid-1700s, when Britain started melting iron.

4.     Deep drilling and the use of natural gas: the Chinese developed a technology of driving bamboo poles deep into the earth. Depths up to a kilometer were achieved through this technique. This drilling also tapped into reservoirs of natural gas. This was captured in barrels and used as fuel to evaporate the water from brine to produce salt.

5.     Technological advances: they invented the Compass to determine which direction to follow by using a natural magnet, toilet paper, paper and the movable type printing, alcoholic drinks, the seismograph to detect earthquakes, paper currency (around 600 – 900 AD, 500 years before Europe), kites and hang gliders, silk, porcelain, wheelbarrows, suspension bridges and the mechanical clock. All of these were exclusive developed by one of the most advanced and fantastic civilizations in history, many times under-looked by the Western world.  The Chinese left us with fantastic developments which are many times under-looked by the Western world. They made a mistake though: they underestimated the impact of the Industrial Revolution. In their arrogance, they did not see a need to abandon their state of agrarian society to join the industrial progress which Europe led in the 19th century. However, this changed in the 1970s when China began it’s present period of industrialization. A millenarian and innovative culture, after decades of continuous “Chinese growth rates” they have finally caught up to the Western World. Now, they are ready to take a major role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.