Chinas Contributions to Civilization - Coursework Example

China’s Contributions to Civilization Introduction China is one of the largest countries in Asia whose rich history is considered the oldest in the world. The rich cultural and historical heritage of China contributed to the economic prosperity, political glory and socio-cultural prestige of other countries all over the world. It has always been known that Western powers have contributed technological advancement, skills, education, system of government, religion and the abolition of pernicious customs and practices, among others. However, researchers have revealed that most of the discoveries and inventions of today have origins which could be traced to early histories of China. It is the objective of this essay to understand the distinctive qualities and contributions of the Chinese to human civilization. The Oldest Fossils With man’s pursuit to trace human evolution, there was anthropological evidence that support the claim for China’s oldest fossils exemplifying the remains of the first humans. In a study by Smart Corporation (par. 2), it was revealed that “Fossils that have been found in Chinese territory include those of Yuanmou Man, the first Homo erectus, who lived 1.7 million years ago, those of Lantian Man, who lived 750,000 years ago, and those of the Peking Man, who lived at Zhoukoudian in todays suburban Beijing 600,000 years ago. The fossils of Shu Ape, a primate that lived 45 million years ago, which is known as the "first anthropoid", were discovered in China in 1994.” This valuable discovery paved the way to better understand and evaluate the process of man’s evolution. This finding was corroborated by Smith (2008) in his Timeline adapted primarily from observations as published by Robert Temple and Joseph Needham. Schools of Thought The most relevant contribution that the Chinese gave to mankind is the Confucian philosophy which exerts profound influence over the minds of the people up to the present times. In a book written by Leuterio (31), she averred that the teachings of Confucius are preserved in the Analects, one of China’s great books, which is still being evaluated in philosophy and literary classes the world over. Smart (par. 9) added that “the warfare strategies introduced by the noted military strategist Sun Zi are still studied and referred to today. Taoism was an important school of thought, and is known for its simple dialectical elements. Its position of "quietude and inaction" has many identical views with the thoughts of modern man. Taoism, based on the Taoist doctrines, is an independent religion established in China.” Discoveries and Inventions in the Field of Engineering The extensive studies made by Smith (par. 11) which cites important works of Joseph Needham and Robert Temple, enumerated the distinct discoveries and inventions of the Chinese in the field of engineering, to wit: “spouting bowls and standing waves, cast iron, the double-acting piston bellows: air, liquid, the crank handle, the Cardan suspension, or gimbals, manufacture of steel from cast iron, deep drilling for natural gas, the belt drive (or driving-belt), water power, the chain pump, the suspension bridge, the first cybernetic machine, essentials of the steam engine, ‘Magic Mirrors, the Siemens steel process, the segmental arch bridge, the chain-drive, and underwater salvage operations”. All of these discoveries occurred several years before being officially discovered in the Western civilization. Accordingly, Smith noted that “the world-wide influence has often been minimized due to policies of self-imposed isolation. Inventions and discovery should contribute to the well-being of humanity, but historically in China they have been guarded, inaccessible, and purged at the whim of leaders”. (par. 7) Domestic & Industrial Technology Several historians regarded the Chinese as the ones who invented the first paper, brush, pen, and ink; the first printing press; gunpowder for festivals and warfare; and the first water mill. (Zaide 20) The paper, for instance, were invented by the Chinese as early as 2nd century BC and porcelain as early as 3rd century BC. (Smith 2008) Subsequently, the West discovered these items more than 1500 years after the Chinese. From among the other important discoveries under these categories, the following were enumerated by Smith (par. 12): “lacquer: the first plastic, strong beer (sake), petroleum and natural gas as fuel, the wheelbarrow, sliding calipers, the magic lantern, the fishing reel, the stirrup, biological pest control, the umbrella, matches, chess, brandy and whisky, the mechanical clock, printing - block printing; movable type, playing-cards, paper money, ‘permanent lamps, and the spinning-wheel.” Their invention of paper and printing materials validated historians’ contentions that China contains the greatest number of books from among the various countries in the world. Smart (par. 7) acknowledged China’s four greatest contributions as “the compass, gunpowder, movable type printing and papermaking, (which) not only changed the world but also accelerated the evolution of world history.” In addition, “China also kept the worlds most detailed and earliest astronomical records. The first people to take note of such astronomical phenomena as comets, sunspots and new stars were all Chinese. It was also the Chinese who produced the most advanced astronomical observatory apparatus of the time. In metallurgy, China long held a leading position. When Europeans still could not turn out a single piece of cast iron in the 14th century, Chinese people had already produced cast iron on an industrial scale four centuries earlier. (Smith par. 7) Medicine & Health A very significant contribution of the Chinese to human civilization is their distinct approach to eastern medicine. Up to now, the Chinese are known to apply traditional medicinal methods including acupuncture and the use of herbs to treat illnesses. However, not known to many, the Chinese were the ones to originally discover the following medical concerns: “circulation of the blood, circadian rhythms in the human body, the science of endocrinology, deficiency diseases, diabetes discovered by urine analysis, use of thyroid hormone, and immunology - inoculation against smallpox”. (Smith par. 13) Smart (par. 5) confirmed this by stating that “Shen Nong tried and tasted various kinds of wild plants to select crops appropriate to be cultivated for food and herbal medicine to cure disease.” Another discovery which originated in China and a remarkable contribution to human civilization was tea culture. Several studies have been made which underscore the benefits that tea brings to human health. According to the record of “Shennong (the Chinese god of medicine) deoxidize 72 poisons a day with tea when tasting hundreds of herbal medicine,” tea planting and production has had a long history of five thousand years. (boTea par. 1) Several eastern medicinal practices used cure advanced illnesses which could not be explained by the western world. The uses of herbal medicines and acupuncture have been practiced for several centuries now and have been known to be effective in restoring the body’s natural health conditions. Conclusion There are still other areas where the Chinese had shown their ingenuity and innovativeness in terms of creating new technologies and practical applications. Those not mentioned herein encompass endeavors ranging from mathematics, physical sciences, transportation, and sounds and music, among a diverse area. Contemporary China exhibit continuing growth in other sectors of the country. As recently shown in the last Olympics in Beijing, the country has advanced enormously and they should be duly credited for their contributions to human civilization. Their rich cultural heritage remains to be envied by other countries. Their legacy to the world should be viewed as profoundly distinct, creative, innovative, and simply remarkable. The role played by China to the development of human civilization, as revealed, should never be underestimated. Works Cited SMART Corporation. (2006). Chinese History. Retrieved on Aprl 16, 2009 from Smith, Randy. (2008). History of Chinese Invention and Discovery: The Wests Debt to China? ComputerSmiths.com. Retrieved on April 16, 2009 from Leuterio, Florida C. (2002). Asian History and Civilization. St. Augustine Publications, Inc. Sampaloc, Manila. Zaide, Gregorio F. (1969). History of Asian Nations. National Bookstore, Inc. Philippines. Bo Tea. (2007). Tea culture. Retrieved on April 16, 2009 from Read More