abacus, calculator, chinese inventions, mathematics

What Is a Chinese Abacus?

The Chinese abacus (abaci in plural) is an ancient mathematical tool known as “suanpan,” meaning a calculator. It is used to solve numerical problems and was commonly used in East Asia. Before the abacus was invented, early man used his fingers and toes to count. Then, as human enlightenment progressed, traders and ancient accountants started ...

Nathan Machoka

Chinese abacus with porcelain pearls.

China’s Abacus Is an Invention That Is Still Mysterious to the West

The abacus is a counting tool that has been used in China for thousands of years. It is widely used in shops, restaurants, and anywhere where bills need to be settled. The calculator has a rectangular frame made of wood, bamboo, or steel. It is assembled with rods, and is divided into two parts: the ...

Max Lu

Chinese abacus with porcelain pearls.

What Are the Top 5 Chinese Inventions?

In its long history, there have been many spectacular Chinese inventions. Here are my top 5 favorite Chinese inventions 1. Silk Silk is one of the greatest Chinese inventions. The history of silk began 5,000 years ago with a Chinese legend. Empress Leizu, who was the wife of Emperor Huang Di (also known as the Yellow Emperor), was ...

Emma Lu

Chinese-style painting with water and bridge in foreground and misty mountains in background.

Ancient Chinese Inventions That Were Truly Ahead of Their Time

The ancient Chinese were arguably the most sophisticated engineers in history, as can be seen in the variety of ancient Chinese inventions. They used chrome on their swords as early as the Qin Dynasty in 300 B.C. They were the first to construct a working torpedo and floating fortresses that moved by propellers, and they designed snorkels ...

Max Lu

Chrome bumper on a car.

Zhang Heng’s Famous Chinese Inventions

Zhang Heng (A.D. 78-139) was a Chinese astronomer, mathematician, inventor, geographer, cartographer, artist, poet, statesman, and literary scholar from Nanyang, Henan Province, China. He is noted for many ancient Chinese inventions. He was well-versed in the fields of mechanics and gears, and applied his extensive knowledge in several of his ancient Chinese inventions, such as the world’s first water-powered armillary ...

Max Lu

A drawing of Zhang Heng, the Chinese astronomer, mathematician, seismologist, hydraulic engineer, inventor, geographer, cartographer, ethnographer, artist, poet, philosopher, politician, and literary scholar who lived during the Han Dynasty.

Some Cool Facts About Ancient China

Ancient China was and remains one of the most fascinating places in human history. Full of wisdom, lore, and ingenuity, the ancients were the harbingers of tradition and propriety. Read on for some interesting facts that you may not have known about the most powerful, influential, and continuous culture that humanity has known. Keep in ...

Emma Lu

Old Chinese coins.

9 Amazing Things Invented by the Chinese

China today is often mocked as the “copycat nation” due to its tendency to take Western products, re-engineer them, and sell the counterfeited items across the world. However, this is a very recent phenomenon. Before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took control of the country, some of the most amazing things were invented in ancient ...

Armin Auctor

Ancient Chinese sitting and standing on platform.

5 Great Chinese Inventions

There are five great Chinese inventions you probably don’t know were invented in China. Did you know that the Chinese first used tear gas almost 2,000 years ago? Did you also know that they were able to fly into the air with the use of kites and land with parachutes? What sounds like science fiction ...

Emma Lu

Chinese kite flying in cloudy sky.

The History of Silk in Ancient China

Of all Chinese inventions, the history of silk (絲 sī) is perhaps the oldest. Traces of silk fabric have been found among remains from around 1300 B.C. The use of silk in China possibly goes back even much earlier. It’s said that until the second century B.C., silk remained an article known only to the ...

Raven Montmorency

Old-time Chinese silk weaving workshop.