1. Gunpowder
In the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, it was used to make rockets and fireballs. Then came the explosive thunderbolt. During the Southern Song Dynasty, new weapons such as iron cannon, musket and ware appeared. These weapons are powerful and widely used in the war against Mongolia.
Wu Jing zong Yao is a masterpiece of detailed military theory and technology compiled by the government during the period of Injong, in which there are a lot of firearms introduction and gunpowder preparation methods. Later, when the Mongols went west, gunpowder was spread to the west.
2. Movable type printing
The Song Dynasty was also the era with the fastest scientific and technological progress in the history of ancient China, and the so-called movable type printing with clay was born in the Song Dynasty. However, it was not until 144, when the type movable type printing appeared in Gutenberg and printing began to spread in Europe (it was introduced to China in 1833), that the literacy rate of residents around the world began to climb.
3. Compass
In the early Northern Song Dynasty, people discovered the artificial magnetization method, and made a compass by rubbing a steel needle with a natural magnet. People learned to fix the compass in the azimuth plate and made the compass needle. At that time, the compass was still a water compass, that is, the magnetic needle floated across the wick on the water. The water compass was widely used in the Southern Song Dynasty. As for the drought compass, China didn't appear until the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1522-1566)? .
4. Astronomy and Calendars
Calendar I of the Song Dynasty was changed for nineteen times, which was an era of frequent calendar reforms in China history. Yuan Shizu has successively built observatories in Shangdu, Dadu and Dengfeng, and returned to Sitiantai, and set up 27 astronomical observatories as far away as the far north South China Sea, which has made outstanding achievements in determining ecliptic and observing stars.
famous astronomers in the yuan dynasty included Guo Shoujing, Wang Xun, yeluchucai, Jamalidin and others. Yeluchucai once compiled the Yuan Calendar of the Western Expedition, and in 1267 Jamalidin wrote it into the Perpetual Calendar. Guo Shoujing and others revised the calendar, and presided over the compilation of the Timing Calendar by the method of cutting off the yuan in modern times.
5. Mathematics
Traditional mathematics made great achievements and progress in the Song Dynasty. Jia Xian, Qin Jiushao and Yang Hui were outstanding mathematicians. Famous achievements include "Yang Hui Triangle", and mathematical works include "Counting Books and Nine Chapters" and "Yang Hui Algorithm".
A number of outstanding mathematicians and their works emerged in the Yuan Dynasty. For example, Li Ye and his Round Sea Mirror and Yi Gu Yan Duan. Zhu Shijie and His Enlightenment of Arithmetic and Four Yuan Jade Jian. Li Ye's celestial skill (that is, the method of establishing equations) and Zhu Shijie's quaternary skill (that is, the solution of simultaneous equations of multiple higher degrees) are new achievements with worldwide influence. The abacus also began to take shape in the Yuan Dynasty.
6. Agronomy
Agricultural techniques in the Yuan Dynasty can be found in three books, namely, Summary of Agriculture and Mulberry, Wang Zhen's Agriculture Book and Summary of Agriculture and Mulberry's Food and Clothing.
7. Geography
In geography, the compilation of the Unified Records of Yuan Dynasty, the exploration of Heyuan, the publication of Map of Yu and the publication of a large number of travel books are its main achievements.
Extended information:
Art in Song and Yuan Dynasties:
1. Porcelain
The Song Dynasty was the heyday of ceramic art in China, with its beautiful shape, elegance and dignity, which not only surpassed the achievements of predecessors, but also could not be matched even by imitations by later generations. After scholars' research and induction, the five famous kilns in Song Dynasty are Ding, Ru, Guan, Ge and Jun. With the convenience of the maritime silk porcelain road, China porcelain began to sell well all over the world.
2. Painting
The combination of literati painting and flower-and-bird painting made the flower-and-bird painting in Song Dynasty look particularly beautiful and refined. In the early Song Dynasty, there were two famous artists, Huang Jucai and Xu Chongsi, whose situation was quite prosperous. The landscape of the northern Sect developed in the courtyard, while that of the southern Sect developed outside the courtyard was similar. Zhang Zeduan, the author of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, was promoted by him. His son Zhao Gou was also edified and became an outstanding calligrapher.
3. Calligraphy
In Song Dynasty, calligraphy advocated valuing the meaning, focusing on philosophy, bookishness, stylization and artistic expression, and at the same time advocating individuality and originality. Su (Su Shi), Huang (Huang Tingjian), Mi (Mi Fei) and Cai (Cai Xiang) were four great calligraphers in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Wu Shuo, Song Huizong, Lu You, Fan Chengda, Zhu Xi, Wen Tianxiang and other calligraphers further extended, among which Song Huizong's special calligraphy style was called Shoujinti.
Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Song and Yuan Dynasties