Inventions of the Qing

Science and Technology

During the Qing period, only archaeologist used the Silk Road to travel to and from China.  Foreigners traded with or without the Qing's authority around China.

The Qing Dynasty adopted the Manchu hair style and dress.  They forced all Chinese men to shave their foreheads and braid their hair in the back.  All Chinese men were to wear high collar and tight jackets that fastened at the right shoulder.  The Qing Dynasty was not known for technological inventions, but they promoted much of the trade in Europe.  The west impacted China for the first time during the Qing period.  There was too much trade pressures, which led to the Opium War. China lost the Opium War to Great Britain and signed the Treaty of Nanjing. Resulting trade ports to be open to the foreigners. The Jesuits, who resided in Beijing, introduced watches and astronomical instruments from Europe to the Chinese upper classes.  The Jesuits were very much interested in the Chinese medicine and how advance the Chinese medicine was.  European arts influenced the Chinese paintings and the Chinese musicians.  Missionaries from Europe inspired the Chinese about science.  The west liked the Chinese ideas of attaching iron chains to their bridges, the Chinese push carts, magnetism, and etc.  The Chinese knew about paper-making and expanded of how to produce printed materials to the west.  During the Qing period, China was technologically more developed than the west.