China has captivated the world with its high-speed economic growth. The country is exerting an ever-greater impact on the world. As its economy, culture, science, technology and society rapidly advance, people throughout the world fix their eyes on this ancient yet great nation. They are eager to learn about its past, which might provide a clue to the driving force behind its current rapid economic growth. The Western world used to know little about China's past, except for the four major inventions. As a matter of fact, China as an important source of human civilization had given birth to brilliant ancient science and technology and led the world in most of the history of world civilization, and till the mid- 19th century its economy was the largest in the world. The development of science and technology in ancient China was based on the observation and study of the human body, the objective world, the heavens, and the earth, which led to the concept of "Integration of nature and man." The achievements nourished Chinese culture and civilization, and contributed greatly to mankind. Ancient Chinese inventions and discoveries are rich and numerous. |
