A 75-Year-Old in Chongqing Reproduces Ancient China’s Tools

Over ten ancient China's tools models have become the most valuable treasures of a study base in Shapingba District Chongqing, for the young to learn traditional technologies. Tang Jialu, a 75-year-old man, reproduced vertical axis windmills, water-powered nine connected grinders, water-powered blast blowers, and other production tools created by ancient Chinese people, according to the detailed information documented in Tiangong Kaiwu, a Chinese encyclopedia covering a wide range of technical issues published in the 17th century. Tang said his passion for ancient China's technologies came from his love for the country's traditional culture and also the conviction that they are the foundation of China's "cultural confidence."

"European-style windmills are the mainstream, which the wind from one direction can only power. But in the Han dynasty, Chinese people developed vertical axis windmills, which can rotate as the wind comes from any direction. It mirrors the wisdom of our ancestors," added Tang confidently.

"A highlight in Chinese culture"

Tang thought China had many skilled craftsmen, although they might be lesser-known. These people master traditional folk crafts with a profound cultural background, a "gold mine" waiting to be explored. He visited Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Guizhou, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang to find these crafts. He drew tools used by ancient Chinese people by observing and listening and devoted much time to reproduce them on a 1:1 scale according to the drawings.

Tang's works have attracted attention from domestic research institutes and foreign countries, including the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Streams of people came to him for academic exchanges. All of these confirmed his belief that ancient Chinese technologies were a "gold mine." Later, Tang turned the majority of agricultural tools written in Tiangong Kaiwu into reality, of which some are exhibited in the above-mentioned study base.

He said, "China, with thousands of years of continuous history, witnessed the birth and development of abundant agriculture and agricultural machinery, which had a great variety of types, were embedded with ingenious design and were exquisitely crafted. They show how ancient transportation systems worked and how ancient Chinese people made clothes, buildings, and food. They are an embodiment of their diligence and wisdom and a highlight in Chinese culture, and we are responsible for inheriting and promoting them."

"I want to attract more children"

"When I see children's curiosity about ancient China's technologies, it seems that I have planted a seed of culture in their hearts. Sometimes students call these technologies' cool tech', which I think reflects their curiosity," said Tang. "They, growing up in modern society, find such tools strange because, in their views, ancient technologies are outdated and inflexible. But they are wrong. How could ancient Chinese people have developed those 'advanced' tools back then? I believe this is what students are curious about," he added.

With Tang's introduction, students learn the working principles behind the tools and can even make simple ones by hand. During this process, they develop a better understanding of the wisdom of ancient Chinese people. When exploring the values of ancient China's technologies, students can know how they helped the country's agricultural and industrial development and then boost national pride.

"We should draw power from the traditional culture, which is the soul of our nation," Tang explained that he wanted to build a museum, exhibiting ancient technical inventions reproduced in a 1:1 scale and extracting outstanding traditional culture to bridge the young and China's history. As a result, the long-standing Chinese civilization can be inherited, and young people can develop "cultural confidence."