Science and Technology in the Qin and Han Dynasties

With the development of metallurgy，mechanical devices such as the crossbow，armillary sphere and seismograph were invented.Papermaking and some other technologies also appeared in this period.

The Crossbow

The Qin State developed a strong，disciplined army that made extensive use of the latesttechnologies.The effectiveness of the crossbow depended on human strength the soldier had to pull back the bow string while lying down and bracing his feet against the crossbowarmas well as the quality of the trigger mechanism and bow string.3 In the hands of a well trained archer，the crossbow could fire a deadly bolt hundreds of yards.

The crossbow，which once greatly boosted the strength of the invincible Qin troops，first appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period.By the Han Dynasty，the precision and the flatness of the device were noticeable.The Han crossbows were divided into eight categories，demonstrating the manufacturing standardization that was primarily established in China early in the Han Dynasty.The craftsmen’s names were engraved on each crossbow.

Cai Lun and Papermaking

Cai Lun（.61-121），the inventor of paper，was a eunuch. For papermaking，he tried materials like bark，hemp，silk，and even fishing net，but his exact formula has been lost to history.The emperor was pleased with the invention and granted Cai an aristocratic title and great wealth.Cai’s contribution is considered one of the most important inventions in history，since it enabled China to develop its civilization much faster than before.

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