Tang Dynasty Inventions

There were numerous Tang Dynasty inventions, especially in the fields of engineering, medicine, and the sciences.

Inventions in Engineering

The first clockwork mechanism in the world which kept time by counting the number of oscillations was invented by an engineer known as Yi-Xing.

The mechanism mainly consists of a waterwheel that rotates the armillary sphere which is connected to a bell that is mechanically timed in order for it to strike every hour. The clock also has a clepsydra clock and the entire clock is known as the astronomical clock.

Several mechanical inventions were also discovered in this era of the Tang Dynasty. On the other hand, one of the most famous mechanical inventions was the wine server. The device was carved out of iron and mounted on a lacquered or wooden frame. It consisted of a hydraulic pump that helps draw the wine out of the metal-headed faucet.

Developments in Medicine

A medicine author in the Tang era discovered that diabetic people had excessive sugar in their urine. On the other hand, discovery for the treatment of goiter was also made during this era. They also found that the thyroid glands of pigs and sheep can be used to cure goiter successfully.

Gun Powder

In the era of the Tang Dynasty, a famous alchemist mixed 15 parts of charcoal, 25 parts of saltpeter, and 10 parts of sulfur. Although the resulting combination did not contain life threatening properties, it exploded instantaneously when exposed to an open flame. This led to the invention or discovery of gun powder.

First Gas Cylinder

The first all-natural gas cylinder known to man was invented in the era of the Tang Dynasty. The cylinders were mainly bamboo tubes which were used to transport the gas around several kilometers.

Air Conditioning

The Tang Dynasty saw the invention of an early air cooling system in 747 when a cool hall for the emperor was constructed in the imperial palace. The device that was used is commonly known as Tang-Yulin and it had fan wheels that were powered by water and functioned like an air conditioner. The cooling system also included high rising jet-streams of clean mountain water.