May 15, 2009
Top 10 Ancient Chinese Inventions
As we continue celebrating May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a common question I get from readers is, what are some common inventions that came from Asians? Basically, this question relates to the larger inquiry of what have been the contributions of Asians and Asian Americans to American society and the world through the years/centuries?
While I can’t give an exhaustive list, to help us answer one part of that question, HowStuffWorks recently featured the Top 10 Ancient Chinese Inventions. Their article includes an extended description and historical summary for each invention (certainly worth reading) but for those who want to cut to the chase, here is their list in reverse order:
10. Gunpowder
9. The Compass
8. Paper
7. Pasta
6. The Wheelbarrow
5. Seismograph
4. Alcohol
3. Kites
2. Hang Gliders
1. Silk
As probably the oldest and most well-known Asian culture, the Chinese and their inventions certainly deserve to be recognized since such inventions undoubtedly have had a significant impact on world civilizations and events throughout history. At the same time, we should remember that many other Asian cultures, along with Asian Americans, have made other contributions to benefit their society in many other ways.
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Suggested reference: Le, C.N. . "Top 10 Ancient Chinese Inventions" Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. <http://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/2009/05/top-10-ancient-chinese-inventions/> ().
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