During the Song Dynasty, the Chinese people further developed the making of the compass, paper, gunpowder, and the art of printing.
宋朝时期，中国人进一步发展了指南针、造纸术、火药和印刷术。
Together, they are called the four great inventions that China contributed to the world.
这些被 称为“四大发明”，是中国对世界作出的贡献。
As early as the Warring States period the magnetic force of magnetite was discovered, and a sort of instrument was made of magnetite to show directions.
早在战国时期，人们就发现了磁力，并用磁石制造了一种仪器，用它来辨别方向。
This was certainly the earliest compass in the world.
这无疑是世界上最早的指南针。
During the Han Dynasty, people made a spoon-like compass.
汉朝时期，人们制造了一种形如勺子的指南针。
A small spoon, made of magnetite, with a very smooth bottom, was placed on a square copper plate.
这是一个磁石制的勺子，勺子底很平滑，置于一个四方形的铜盘上。
The center of the plate was ground smooth to make it easy for the spoon to move.
盘子中心很光滑，因此勺子可以很容易地转动。
When the spoon, after it was turned, came to a stop, its handle would point to the south.
勺子停止转动后，勺柄所指的方向就是南方。
This form of compass was further improved during the Song Dynasty.
这种指南针在宋朝时期得到了改进。
People made iron needles and rubbed them on a piece of magnetite, so that they would become magnetic.
人们制造了铁针，把这些铁针在一块磁石上摩擦，使它们具有磁性。
Then one such needle was hung with a thin thread, or put on something light that floated on the water in a bowl.
然后将它们用一根细线吊起来，或是将它们置于一些 可以漂浮在一碗水上的轻物体。
The latter was the compass that was first used in navigation.
后来这种用法首先在航海中使用。
China was the first country in the world to use the compass on sea-going ships.
中国是第一个在海船上使用指南针的国家，
Historical records show that in 1099 -1102 the compass was used on ships sailing to or from Guangzhou.
据历史记载，在1099年到1102 年的几年间，中国人就在来往于广州的海船上使用了指南针。
It was generally believed that paper was first made by a man called Cai Lun in 105 during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
人们普遍认为公元105年东汉时期的蔡伦是第一个造纸的人，
However, in recent decades, earlier paper made during the Western Han Dynasty was unearthed in Xinjiang, Shanxi and Gansu.
但是，最近在新疆、山西和甘肃出土了西汉时期造的纸。
So it is reasonable to believe that paper was invented in the Western Han and was improved by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han.
因此，我们有理由认为西汉时期就发明了造纸术，而东汉的蔡伦改进了这一技术。
In later periods, different materials were used for making paper, and its quality became better and better.
后来，人们利用不同的材料造纸，纸质越来越好，
The famous Xuan paper, produced in Xuanzhou, Anhui Province, first appeared in the Tang Dynasty.
安徽宣州所产的著名的宣纸，最先出现于唐朝。
Its quality was so good that all calligraphers and painters liked to use it.
它的质量很好，因此，所有的书法家和画家都喜欢使用。
Even today it is still considered the best kind of paper for calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting.
直至今天，人们仍认为宣纸最适于书法和国画。
During the Song Dynasty， bamboo began to be used for making paper, and the output of bamboo paper increased rapidly.
宋朝吋期，开始用竹子造纸，竹纸的产量迅速提高。
In 751，during the reign of Tang Xuanzong, the Chinese technique of making paper was introduced to the Arab world, and from there to Europe in 1150.
751年，唐玄宗统治时期，造纸术传入阿拉伯，1150年又从阿拉伯传入欧洲。
In other words, Europe knew how to make paper about a thousand years late than China.
也就是说，欧洲比中国晚了1000多年才知道怎样造纸。
The Chinese invented gunpowder about 1, 100 years ago.
大约1100年前，中国发明了火药。
Towards the end of the Tang Dynasty, gunpowder was first used in war.
唐末，火药首次用于战争。
In 904, during a battle between local forces, a weapon then called “flying fire” was used.
904年，在地方势力的战争中，使用了名为“飞火”的武器。
It was a packet of gunpowder tied to the head of an arrow.
这种武器是将一包火药系在箭头上。
After the fuse was lighted, the arrow was shot to the enemy side, and the gunpowder would cause damage or kill men.
点燃引线后，箭射向敌方，火药即可杀伤敌人。
During the Song Dynasty, the making and use of gunpowder reached a new level.
宋朝时期，制造和使火药达到了一个新水平。
Varioud kinds of weapons with gunpowder were invented.
发明了各种使用火药的武器。
The Song, Jin and Yuan armies all used these weapons in war.
宋军、金兵和元军都在战斗中使用这种武器。
Gunpowder was introduced to the Arab world during the 13th century.
13世纪，火药传入阿拉伯。
In the following century some European countries began to make gunpowder weapons1 with methods they had learned from the Arabs.
14世纪， 欧洲一些国家开始制造从阿拉伯人那里学来的火药武器。
Before printing was invented, people had to rely on handwriting to reproduce a book.
印刷术发明之前，人们必须用手抄来复制书籍，
It was very slow and errors easily occurred.
这种方法很慢，很容易出错。
Wood-block printing first appeared in the early Tang Dynasty.
唐朝初期，首次出现了木版印刷。
It was developed from the use of seals and stone engraving.
这种印刷术是从印章和石刻发展而来的。
Words engraved on stones could last very long, and later, in about the 4th century, the method of rubbing a piece of paper on an engraved stone coverd with ink was used to maked copies.
刻在石头上的字可以保留很久，后来，大约在4世纪，人们把一张纸铺在刷有油墨的刻字石板上来印刷。
This gave workers the idea of engraving word on a wood-block and print them with the quick development of the economy and culture in the Tang Dynasty, books and other publications like calendars were needed by the public, and this demand promoted wood-block printing.
一些印刷工人由此想到，可将字刻在木板上来印刷。随着唐朝经济文化的迅速发展，人们需要书籍和日历等印刷品，这种需求促进了木版印刷术的发展。
According to records in certain books, block printing was very common in the late Tang Dynasty.
据书籍记载，木版印刷在晚唐时十分普及。
During the Song Dynasty, the technique of block printing was very advanced.
宋朝时期，木版印刷术十分先进。
Books were beautifully printed.
书本印刷得很精美。
Even today the books printed at that time are valuable and treasured by libraries and book collectors.
直至今日，当时所印刷的书仍极有价值，是图书馆和书籍收藏家的珍藏。
Block printing was not very convenient.
木版印刷并不很方便。
Every two pages of a book had to be engraved on a wood block, and a big book would require many blocks.
每印两页就要雕刻一块木板，一部大书需要很多木板。
Besides, there had to be large places for storing the blocks.
除此之外，还需要很大空间来储藏木板。
To overcome these shortcomings, Bi Sheng invented the movable type during the years between 1041 and 1048.
为了克服这些缺点，1041-1048年，毕昇发明了活字印刷。
One word was carved on one piece of clay, which was hardened with fire.
一个小泥块上刻-个字，经过火烤变硬，
Then clay charaters were set on an iron plate according to the text of a book.
然后根据书籍文字将这些泥块汉字排列在一块铁板上。
Then ink was applied to them and sheets of paper spread over them，and the printing was done.
然后刷上油墨，铺上纸张，就可以印刷了。
Bi Sheng's invention made printing faster and easier than before.
毕昇的发明使印刷比以前更快更简单。
Later, movable type of metal and wood was made and widely used.
后来，人们又制成了金属活字和木活字，并广泛应用。
One county magistrate of the Yuan Dynasty had over 30, 000 wood characters carved, with which he printed a book he had written.
元朝的一个地方官刻了3万多个木活字，用来印刷他自己写的书。
It was a book of more than 60, 000 words, and he finished printing 600 copies less than a month.
这本书有六万多字，他一个月内就印了600册。
The technique of printing was gradually known to other Asian countries and Europe.
印刷术逐渐传入亚洲其他国家和欧洲。
It goes without saying that the printing invented by the Chinese has great influence on the advance of civilization.
卬刷术对文明进步的巨大影响是不言而喻的。
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