because if we look at the current buildings, we will know that all walks of life will be restricted if there is no cast iron technology.
The Four Great Inventions are a viewpoint about the history of science and technology in China, which refers to the four inventions in ancient China, generally referring to papermaking, compass, gunpowder and block printing. This statement was first put forward by Joseph Needham, a sinologist in Britain and China, and was later inherited by many historians in China, China, government, government and China. In addition, Robert Temple put forward the theory of China's one hundred inventions based on Needham, and wrote The Genius of China.
China has many inventions, not just four. There are also:
bows and arrows, pottery, the emergence of agriculture and animal husbandry, observation of astronomy, pioneering medicine, decimal system, calculation, nine-cause songs, catalogues, accurate length of the tropic year, Chinese medicine theory, crop rotation system, shipbuilding, waiting for the wind and seismograph, star-drawing across the ocean, toilet bowl, drawing six bodies, turning and grinding, celestial science, four elements, and twelve averages. Square plate chain pump, wheel mill, hydraulic wheel mill, hydro-metallurgical blower, vane rotary winnowing machine, piston bellows, pull spinning machine, hand spinning machine, wheelbarrow, maritime transport, vehicle mill, harness for farm animals, stirrups, chest harness, yoke, bow, kite, helicopter propeller, movable comic-book rotating drum, deep drilling method, etc. Gunpowder is used in war technology, magnetic compass (magnetic spoon), magnetic needle compass and magnetic compass for navigation, paper, block printing, movable type printing, metal movable type printing and porcelain.
In 155, Italian, Italian and Italian mathematician Jerome Cardin first proposed that the magnetic compass, printing and gunpowder were the three great inventions of China, and considered them as "inventions that could not be matched in ancient times". After that, Jane Bodin reiterated the same conclusion.
In the 19th century, Albert, a sinologist, believed that gunpowder compass, banknotes, cards, abacus and movable type printing invented by China were introduced to Europe and Europe from Mongolia and ancient times. The compass spread to Arabia around the end of the twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth century, and then it was spread from Afghanistan, Latin America, Germany, Europe and Europe. Later, it evolved into a dry compass in Europe, and then it was sent back to China in the Ming Dynasty.
The "Three Great Inventions" were first put forward by Francis Bacon, an English, Chinese, philosopher, scholar and economist, and were later recognized by scholars such as Matthew and Marx.
Francis Bacon, an English and Chinese philosopher, pointed out in New Tools: "The three inventions of printing, gunpowder and compass have changed the whole face and situation of things all over the world: the first is academic, the second is war, and the third is navigation; And it has caused countless changes: unexpectedly, no religion, sect, emperor, country or star has more influence on human affairs than these mechanical discoveries. " We now know clearly that the invention came from China. Later, Marx inherited Bacon's statement and mentioned: "Gunpowder, compass and printing-these are the three great inventions that predicted the arrival of bourgeois society. Gunpowder blew the chivalry to pieces, the compass opened the world market and established a colony, while printing became a tool of Protestantism, a means of scientific rejuvenation in general, and the most powerful lever to create the necessary premise for spiritual development. " But Marx did not attribute these three inventions to China.
British, Chinese and sinologist John Maddox also followed Bacon's statement and pointed out: "China people's genius for invention has been manifested in many aspects for a long time. The three great inventions of China people have provided extraordinary impetus to the development of Europe, Europe, culture and civilization. "
Ai Yue Se, a missionary, scholar and sinologist who came to China, was the first to add papermaking to the above three inventions. When comparing Japan, Japan and China, he pointed out that "we must always remember that they have no outstanding inventions like printing, papermaking, compass and gunpowder."
Needham's praise and emphasis on these four great inventions made this statement greatly recognized by China and written into teaching, science and books.