Introduction

For decades, the or great inventions of the compass, gunpowder, paper making and printing have been celebrated as historic examples of ancient china's innovative spirit. Less well remembered is that this was an imported idea first spread by european missionaries who focused on three cors inventions among the four,. The fourth, paper making, was also added after 19 forty nine. It was part of a propaganda push to reb confidence in a shattered country which had suffered a lengthy period of civil war and foreign occupation. Most recently, bajing has been pushing for a great rejuvenation to invigorate the chinese nation by 20 forty nine. Not too surprisingly, the message around the campaign seems familiar