Hello students, I am Lao Chen. Today I want to talk to you about an interesting topic.
You know what? A few days ago on a foreign Q&A website, an American netizen asked this question: If China is so great, why has it never invented anything? When I saw this question, my first reaction was This student, do you not know much about Chinese history?
But if you think about it, this question is quite interesting. It gives us a chance to revisit China’s contributions to the history of technological development, and to see what foreign netizens think about this issue. Let’s have a good chat and see if we can give this American friend a vivid history lesson.
Speaking of China’s inventions, they are countless. Let’s start with the four most famous inventions, talking about it.
Papermaking is a major invention that changed the way human civilization spreads. Think about it, if there is no paper, we are still using sheepskin, bamboo slips to record things, how inconvenient it would be! The invention of papermaking made the spread of knowledge easier and contributed greatly to the progress of human civilization.
Compass, this gadget is remarkable. It made navigation safer and more reliable, and laid the foundation for the later geographic discoveries. Without the compass, could Columbus have discovered the American continent?
Gunpowder , this invention can be said to have revolutionized the way mankind fights. Although it was initially used to make fireworks, it later evolved into a powerful weapon. Without gunpowder, modern warfare might still be stuck in the Cold War era.
Printing , an invention that played a huge role in the spread of human civilization. It made the mass production of books possible and contributed indelibly to the popularization of knowledge.
Apart from these familiar inventions, there are many other lesser-known but equally important inventions in China. Tea, for example, a drink now loved all over the world, was first invented in China. Silk, for example, was not only an important trade item in ancient times, but also promoted cultural exchanges between the East and the West.
Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered an interesting answer. A New Zealander, Caroline Glass, replied to this question, “Yeah, poor China, they haven’t invented a single thing, except for papermaking”. Well, other than that? The compass, right? Sure, but have they invented anything else? Porcelain. Who cares about porcelain? They didn’t invent anything we actually eat. Instant noodles. That’s not exactly a fancy invention. I mean, what else have they given us besides garbage? They also invented gunpowder. Well, besides all that, what have they ever given the world? They invented the printing press, which allowed for the mass production of books.
This netizen lists a series of Chinese inventions in a humorous way, which makes people laugh and acknowledge China’s important contribution to the development of human civilization.
Interestingly, many foreign netizens have a deep understanding of China’s inventions. They have pointed out that China’s inventions are not only limited to ancient times, but also have made a lot of outstanding contributions in the field of modern science and technology. For example, the artificial synthesis of bovine insulin, which is a major invention that has benefited diabetics all over the world. And Hou’s alkali production method, which greatly improved the production efficiency of soda ash and had a profound impact on the chemical industry.
An interesting point was made by Halfman Huang. As far as I know, before the industrial age, about 70% of the technology can be traced back to its Chinese roots. Although this figure may be a bit exaggerated, it also reflects China’s important position in the history of technological development.
We also cannot deny that China did experience a period of technological backwardness in its modern history. But this does not mean that China is not capable of invention. It is precisely because of its deep tradition of innovation that China has been able to catch up with the world’s pace of scientific and technological development after the reform and opening up, and has made remarkable achievements in many fields.
Nowadays, China is at the forefront of the world in areas such as artificial intelligence, 5G communications and high-speed rail technology. Aren’t these achievements the continuation of the innovative spirit of the Chinese nation?
Students, through this topic, I want to tell you two points
First, history should be viewed objectively and comprehensively. Any country or nation has periods of glory and times of backwardness. The key is to draw wisdom from history and accumulate strength for future development.
Second, we must maintain an open and tolerant mindset. World civilizations interact and promote each other. China’s inventions have benefited the world, but it has also learned from other civilizations. In this era of globalization, it is all the more important to maintain such an open and tolerant attitude and jointly promote the progress of human civilization.
What I want to say is that as Chinese, we should be proud of our culture, but we should not be blindly arrogant. We should continue to carry forward the spirit of innovation and make new contributions to the development of human civilization. We should also learn to appreciate and respect the achievements of other civilizations, which is the proper posture of a truly confident great nation.
Students, what are your thoughts on this topic? Welcome to discuss with me in the comment section!
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