Miracle of Nature's Engineering

The exhibition aims to promote the glory of ancient China’s science and technology, the sophistication of the Chinese culture, as well as its lasting impact on the development of human society. The exhibition is a result of joint efforts from the Beijing Olympic Organization Committee and the Ministry of Culture，as well as receiving generous support from the central government. This is the only large-scale exhibition of cultural relics inside the Olympic core area, making it one of the most important cultural events during the Games.

The exhibition is free and visitors can book tickets on ph.# 010-62016374.

About the Four Great Inventions

The Four Great Inventions were first raised by the British Philosopher Francis Bacon. He thought the Compass, Powder and Printing changed the world completely. And the sinologists Edkins added Paper making.

Francis Bacon was a famous politician and philosopher, not a scientist nor an archaeologist. His speech stood for his own opinion. And the three inventions he raised were not the three inventions in China, but in the west. Edkins was a sinologist. The four inventions he pointed out just aimed at the Japanese.

Once the traditional top four inventions were proposed, there were scholars bringing new viewpoints forward. Dr. Joseph Needham (1900-1995), world famous historian on science and technology, ever enumerated 26 Chinese skills introduced to the western. He thought Chinese important invention techniques were far more than the four top inventions.

In this ongoing exhibition, silk, bronze, papermaking and printing, and china are redefined as the new four inventions of ancient China, and the related cultural relics are displayed. Silk appeared in Neolithic times and is one of the most important inventions from ancient China. It was the basis of paper making. Papermaking and printing are linked together. Bronze is equally important as its appearance marked the beginning of a new age in history.