The Song Dynasty, which led the world in science and technology, was short of which invention could have changed history?

Speaking of the Song Dynasty, we all know that this was a contradictory and controversial dynasty.

On the one hand, it is economically prosperous, but on the other hand, it is relatively weak militarily. On the one hand, it is civilized and open, but on the other hand, it pays tribute to foreign countries. On the one hand, it has advanced science and technology, but on the other hand, it is feudal and conservative.

In fact, if we look at the three hundred years of the Song Dynasty, its science and technology was very advanced at the time, even leading the world. However, it is a pity that the Song Dynasty was just one invention away from the possibility of success. Change history, turn things around.

Today we will talk about the science and technology of the Song Dynasty and that regrettable invention.

The famous scientific inventions of the Song Dynasty include movable type printing, Jiuligu compass, textile looms, etc. The people of the Song Dynasty were also engaged in mathematics, astronomy, construction engineering, metallurgy, navigation technology and ceramics. An outstanding achievement in firing.

We all know that the Western world became powerful with the explosion of science and technology in modern times. In fact, the scientific and technological development of the Chinese was already hundreds of thousands of years ahead of Europe in the Song Dynasty.

So, why didn’t the people of the Song Dynasty transform this technological power into the driving force for the development of the times? We all know the role of science and technology now, so why did the people of the Song Dynasty fail to play this role?

First of all, we need to know that the most regrettable thing about the Song Dynasty is its weak national defense and military. Facing the Liao, Jin and Mongolia, the Song Dynasty people were passively beaten for three hundred years, the emperor became a prisoner, and finally a hundred thousand elites jumped into the sea. Helpless and sad.

So, what the people of the Song Dynasty urgently needed most was to apply science and technology to the military!

So, did the people of the Song Dynasty do this?

That’s it!

The Song Dynasty army applied gunpowder technology to the military. However, the gunpowder at that time was still black powder and had insufficient explosive power to achieve major military technological breakthroughs. However, even so, in defensive warfare, gunpowder killed the enemy. The effect is still good.

In fact, the Song Dynasty was only one invention away from being able to integrate many technologies to form a powerful fighting force, and even reverse the situation, change history, and reverse the Liao, Jin and Mongolia.

This technology is the steam engine.

The steam engine was invented by the Westerner Watt, but after analysis, we will find that China fully had the material conditions to manufacture steam engines in the Song Dynasty.

The Chinese had already mastered the principle of transmission machinery in the Han Dynasty; the Song Dynasty also invented relatively sophisticated carving equipment that could carve ivory, which is similar to today's machine tools. Coupled with the Song Dynasty's superb porcelain firing technology, This ensures that sufficiently precise cylinders and pistons can be produced; as for the final principle of coal-fired water boiling, the Chinese have already mastered it.

It can be said that all it took was a "genius" idea to put it all together, just like the falling apple that made Newton discover the principle of universal gravitation.

If the Song Dynasty had a steam engine and a compass, it would have been possible to create an ancient version of the chariot.

The metallurgical technology of the Song Dynasty made great progress, and the manufacture of early iron chariots and even armored battleships was not impossible. With these things, even if they were only equipped with long guns and heavy crossbows, they could fight in the northern plains and Liao Dynasty. The cavalry of Jin Mongol compete with each other!

The military disadvantage of the Song Army's lack of excellent cavalry will no longer exist, and steam engine chariots will become the Song Army's artifact. In that case, history may have to be rewritten.

However, this is just our imagination. The fact is that China did not invent the steam engine when it had the conditions.

The reason, I think, is related to the development of psychology in the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty was beaten by foreigners and was a little confused. They turned all their pursuits inward and suppressed people's explosive creative spirit. Shen Kuo engaged in When inventing and creating, we had to worry about being attacked by political opponents and be cautious at all times. This may be the root cause that restricted the breakthrough development of Chinese science and technology at that time.