Copper Smelting and bronze

"The six-. Six of its payment-Ju, that of the Qi Zhong Ding."
——"Zhou test the mind"
World's first bronze was found in Turkey since 9000 has been the history. China's earliest bronze in the Yangshao culture period, 6,000 years have passed. 2500 BC, the Longshan Culture Remains found in the Bronze Age copper and tin alloy, sometimes with a lead. Their pieces of uniform thickness, is more Taofan of the bronze casting. Remains of the Qijia Culture unearthed a number of bronze, brass, red copper, bronze mirror, copper crucible in whole or in pieces, and the remaining copper copper slag. This shows that in 2000 BC the Qijia Culture has entered the bronze period. Xia Dynasty is a basic grasp of the bronze metallurgy technology of the times, in the famous archaeological excavations in Henan Yanshi Erlitou unearthed a bronze Jue best describes the prevailing level of bronze, copper 92%, tin 7% of the compound Fan casting from.

Erlitou, Henan Yanshi unearthed bronze Jue

Bronze Age is the peak period, the Western Zhou Dynasty, Spring and Autumn and Warring States early, continuing for about 1,600 years. This period can be divided into the bronze at the musical instruments, weapons and miscellaneous for. Jongmyo main instruments used in worship activities. - In ceremony of ancient ritual in the use of red tape, or Chen in the temples, or for banquet, the restrooms, there are some sacrificial object is dedicated to the clay image. Bronze with a certain ceremony for the sanctity of life in general can not use the occasion. All bronze in the ceremony for the largest number, also produced the most exquisite. Ceremony for cooking include cooking, drinking, Jiuqi, water and statues category. At the instrument can be produced on behalf of the Chinese bronze ware of the highest level. Weapons in Bengo, Shu, Ji, spear, and so on. During this period the most exquisite bronze decorations, decorated text of more types. Bronze one of the most common pattern, is Taotie Wen, also known as Shoumian Wen. Shang and Zhou Tao Tiewen two generations of many types, some like dragons, like tigers, like cows, like sheep, like a deer, like birds, like the phoenix, like the people. Western Zhou Dynasty era, the mysterious Bronze decoration gradually diminish. Dragon and phoenix, is still the home of many bronze pattern that can be said of many of the tread pattern, is actually from Long Yi, Fung two major types of birds from the Evolution of decoration.

Longfeng decorated with the Bronze

Ancient Chinese bronzes have two prominent characteristics: First, the production of compact绝伦, and the other is a large, unique, showing that the ancient Jiangshi their skills and talent for creating the magnificent spirit. Ceramic composite with the production of bronze casting Fan Fan and the law, in ancient China the full development. Taofan the choice of materials, Mold, turned Fan, Making patterns are very sophisticated, pistachio casting, the casting, casting Next, stack casting technology is very mature. Then developed without the lost wax casting the points of Technology, bronze casting process is undoubtedly a big improvement. To be inlaid in bronze, to increase the sense of beauty, this technology very early on there. The materials are inlaid turquoise, jade, Hong Tong, is also useful when the Spring and Autumn gold, silver to the bronze inlaid decoration. The Western Zhou Dynasty bronze There is also a feature of inscriptions is widespread and many words, the Western Zhou Dynasty of Silla Dayu tripod has 291 characters, Maogong Ding has 497 words. These inscriptions known as Jin, not only shows that the production of exquisite bronzes and metallurgy, but also become an extremely important historical document, a card-history history of the role.
Bronze metallurgy with its magnificent grand eye-catching. Shang and Zhou bronze ware unearthed in the period, many on Baijin the ceremony, several of them to the most famous Yin Ruins in Anyang, Henan unearthed large Fangding Secretary mother E, it is the late Shang Dynasty artifacts, 133 cm high, 111 cm long, wide 79 cm, 1995 of up to 832.84 kg, is China's largest and most Shangzhoushidai the bronze, also the world's largest ancient bronze one. It Hunpu modeling magnificent, elegant solemn, tripod, covered with a pattern, people in the face of it, will feel a force, subject to certain shock, it is often the image as a symbol of ancient Chinese civilization and there.

Unearthed in the Yin Ruins in Anyang, Henan Secretary mother E major Fangding

"The six" diagram. "The six-(agent)" is "test the mind" On the alloy composition of the narrative, is the pre-Qin period of Chinese bronze ware manufacturing process concluded.

Eastern Zhou Dynasty era, metallurgy technology rapidly improved, this period of handicraft technical expertise, "the test in mind" in the production of Zhong Ding, ax jin, Ji Yi, the blade, cutting scrap vector, such as Kam Sui six bronze alloy made of Detailed provisions. Frequent because of the war, weapons casting for fast development, especially Wu, the more the sword, very sharp, who heard the world. This period also witnessed some of the famous swordsmith Jiangshi, such as go-getters, the rule of Europe and others. Some sword had been buried in the ground for more than 2,000 years, but can still cut a stack of paper. 1965 unearthed Gou Jian of Yue WANG, its surface after a certain chemical treatment, a rust-proof, the diamond-shaped patterns, abnormal gorgeous, there is no corrosion, such as the new color.

Engraved with the text of the king Fuci sword

Another two ancient bronze shocked the world is the quality of Qin Shihuang's tomb in Lintong of Shaanxi were dug by the two Tong Juma. The first ride four horses, carrying the canopy, Yuzhe to sit with. The second by 3.17 meters long, 1.06 meters high, can be said to date to explore the structure of the most complex bronze, the perfect shape and delicate, lively and horse Weimeng astounding. The two are bronze castings ride a horse, according to the emperor during his lifetime Chengyu 1 / 2 production, Tongti impose painting, there are many of the car immediately pieces of silverware, true to reproduce the emperor Chejia charisma.

Ancient Chinese copper metallurgy and the outstanding achievements of comprehensive, not only bronze, also developed the Water Law copper, brass and white copper, also speaking on the scale of metallurgy Wupi the world. Hubei Daye P. Hill, the ancient copper mine site two kilometers long from north to south, things one km wide, covering 140,000 square meters, the mine more than 50 meters deep, vertical shaft, roadway, Pingxiang, and so constitute a complete system of the mine, ore primaries Underground, roadway support, lighting, drainage, conveying and a series of complex issues have been resolved.

Tonglushan ancient copper mine in stretches of the ancient ruins of the mining shaft

Copper Mountain Spring and Autumn aeruginosa furnace recovery plans

Tonglushan ruins of the ancient copper mine hoist diagram

Production of iron and steel smelting

"There Zhe, under the iron."
—— "Tubes"
Ancient China's iron-smelting and iron manufacturing technology is extremely important significance, the iron is to push history forward the tremendous momentum. 20th Century Chinese archaeological discoveries show that China in the late Spring and Autumn Period, the production of iron on the very prosperity, to the late Warring States, has entered the manufacture of iron and iron-smelting golden age. The discovery of archaeological discoveries, powerful proof that the history of China Yetie technology is mature and more comprehensive, far ahead of all countries in the world.

Hebei Gaocheng to tomb unearthed in the iron blade of copper

Ancient World pig iron smelting technology first discovered in Central Asia, but due to iron-smelting furnace is too small, weak blast, the only chain to block the cavernous iron-smelting. From the late Spring and Autumn Period, China's iron smelting technology began独领风骚, vertical pig iron smelting iron-smelting furnace has become the main equipment. In particular to the Han Dynasty, the national franchise Yetie sophisticated skills workshops, to a large number of pig iron production.

The blast furnace blast equipment called "Tuo" (-t uó), is a skin-blower. This Tuo, Han also made a further improvement, leather produced by the wind and Mujia a capsule, into the exhaust outlet and I, together with several Tuo known as the row Tuo or exclusivity, it could increase Into the air volume, increased burning of firepower, and quickly to iron-smelting furnace temperature required by more than 1,200 degrees. The first, Tuo driven by human animal. According to historical records, then the iron-smelting, the need for hundreds of horses pulling large row Tuo blast, coupled with the shipment of ore hundreds of workers, who really strong Zhuang Ma. However, whether human or animal power blowers are unable to meet the growing needs of the iron-smelting, iron-smelting industry calls for a stronger blower there was more powerful hydraulic power blower - water row has emerged. Song Wang Zhen in the "agriculture of the" documented in detail the structure and water row principle, and graphics note. Pai is in the fast water flow from the coast of the erection of the huge wooden wheel, on the impact of water-driven round of rotation, driven by the transmission mechanism Tuo platoon rotation, which will be a strong wind into the blast furnace. Blower by including ancient hydraulic power agencies, transmission and body work into three parts have reached a considerable degree of comprehensive, production technology and the size and scale of the blast furnace in China in line with the world Wupi. Europe hydraulic blower in the 12th century.

Cast iron Han Hua Fan process map

Iron soften in ancient Chinese steel industry is another important invention. Refining iron out, because of the crisp, but not for lack of toughness forging good iron. Suitable for forging iron and cast iron, heat treatment because of the temperature and the different methods, the heart can be divided into white and black heart malleable iron malleable iron two. White Heart malleable cast iron is relatively high hardness and strength, black heart malleable iron has good impact resistant. Westerners write the history of the metallurgical works that these two extremely important, practical value of Europe and the United States are the invention of cast iron, white heart malleable cast iron is the French invented in 1722, also known as the "European-style malleable cast iron" , Black heart malleable cast iron is the invention of the Americans in 1826, also known as the "American-style malleable cast iron." However, according to historical records and archaeological findings provide evidence of China than the West as early as the past two millennia on the invention of manufacturing and white-black heart heart malleable cast iron technology. The technology is the key to long iron will be heated to high temperatures common, including changes in the compound of carbon, when the carbon content of between iron and steel, and also will change its nature, with strong scalability and maintained A certain hardness. This technology is of cast iron soften. The shovel unearthed in Luoyang, Henan, Hubei Daye Tonglushan unearthed in the ancient mine 2.60 hoe, are white heart malleable iron manufacturing.

Five Dynasties period when large cast - Iron Lion

Speculation Rail is the ancient Chinese iron and steel smelting important invention is a simple and effective iron-smelting operation. The method is too high carbon content of the malleable iron heated to Ban Liuti, and iron ore powder and then mixed up the "Fan Chao," so that elements of cast iron in the carbon leakage, oxidation, which are in low-carbon or carbon steel Steel. If we continue to go on speculation, have a lower carbon content Shutie. This approach began in the Western Han Dynasty, the Eastern Han Dynasty, "the peace" in a clear record on speculation iron technology, in Henan's Gongxian Yetie ancient ruins also found to speculation the production of iron and iron coins speculation furnace.

An agricultural matter, the more necessary, to promote the use of iron tools at the time the development of agricultural productivity. Photograph shows the Warring States Period

N of the fifth-largest invention

As the four great inventions of the absolute reputation, a lot of study of Chinese history of science and technology experts and scholars also want to research their own areas of the importance and high value to the fifth largest invention height. As Needham of hard work, because of new historical research and archaeological discoveries continue to come out, because of the history of Chinese science and technology workers for their hard work, the ancient Chinese science and technology inventions growing worldwide attention. The fifth largest scientific invention became the goal pursued by historians, but also will never be able to achieve the goal, there will be no more reference to the fifth largest of the invention. Who is not very serious, very unscientific joke, can be considered as the fifth largest invention of the few not under 20. China's metal smelting, oil coal mining, agricultural land for farming, cotton silk textiles, Chinese medicine, astronomy, calendar, ancient mathematics, ceramic technology, the ancient law school, construction technology, mechanical production, irrigation, etc., have made impressive , The immortal performance. Probably from arbitrary cited several, and have four great inventions can be comparable to the scientific and practical value. We are here to cite one of the most important and most easy to describe the outstanding example of the scientific inventions in ancient China and the essence of glamour to the show on the issue of interest to all readers.