China's four great modern inventions are hybrid rice, laser
photocomposition system for Chinese character typesetting, total
synthesis of bovine insulin and compound artemether, according to
the country's netizens.
More than 100,000 netizens contributed to the debate and 51,442
valid votes were cast in an election jointly organized by the
Guangdong Association of Invention (GAI), Nangfang Daily,
Beijing News and sohu.com, said Zhou Zhaolong, vice GAI
director.
Zhou said originality, global influence and social benefits were
the three key criteria for the inventions chosen.
Hybrid rice developed by famous Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping
since the early 1970s is widely grown in China, with yields up to
12,000 kg per hectare. It has greatly increased yield on China's
limited amount of arable land and been introduced to some Asian and
African countries.
The computerized laser photocomposition system for Chinese
character typesetting has transformed China's printing from
letterpress printing to electronic publishing.
The new system invented by late Peking University Professor Wang
Xuan in the 1980s has been described as the second invention of the
printing system for Chinese characters after Bi Sheng's invention
of movable clay type in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Bi
Sheng's invention ushered in a revolution in the history of
printing.
The complete synthesis of bovine insulin -- the first time that
human beings have synthesized protein -- is a huge breakthrough in
the life sciences. The procedure was carried out in 1966 by a team
headed by late academician Wang Yinglai.
Compound artemether is a medicine invented in China in the
late1970s which has proven itself to be effective in treating
malaria patients worldwide.
The compass, gunpowder, paper-making and printing are regarded
as ancient China's four great inventions. "Electing four great
modern inventions will encourage the new generations to press
forward on the road of discovery," said Wang Yusheng, former
director of the China Science and Technology Museum.
Guo Jun, vice-director of the Guangdong Academy of Sciences, the
Guangdong branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the
election will focus people's attention on China's scientific and
technological innovations and enhance national esteem.
(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2007)