alcohol, chinese inventions, compass, gunpowder, paper, silk

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.

Silk Weaving, One of Ancient China’s Greatest Inventions

Among ancient China’s greatest inventions, silk weaving would have to be near the top of the list. Silk comes from a natural protein fiber that is composed mainly of fibroin produced by the Bombyx mori caterpillar, which spins a cocoon. The silk threads are taken from silkworm cocoons that have been boiled and silk weaving turns the ...

Emma Lu

Silk weaving – Newly spun silk on a spindle at a silk factory in Inle Lake, Myanmar.

10 Popular Ancient Chinese Garments

In China, ancient Chinese garments were more than just a means to cover people’s bodies. They deemed clothing as an embodiment of culture and prestige symbols. Clothing in ancient China reflected the social status of the wearer. So there was a huge difference between the attire worn by the wealthy and peasants. In general, peasants ...

Emma Lu

Qing Dynasty imperial clothing.

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.

The Legendary Silk Road

The legendary Silk Road connected the famous big cities of China with those of India, and reached all the way to the Mediterranean Sea from the period 100 B.C. until the year A.D. 1500. It was a route that opened up many countries for trade. Chinese tradesmen exchanged mainly Chinese silk in return for Roman ...

Nspirement Staff