Wheelbarrow
From what our wheelbarrow looks like today, the ancient Chinese version was very different. Referred to as a "wooden oxen" in the year 231 and "gliding horse" in the year 234, the Chinese wheelbarrow had one main wheel and a platform surrounding it with four outstretched poles. The one wheel in the middle provided a central strength so the two men who wheeled it along almost did not bear any weight at all. Their job was just to wheel it forward by holding onto the two poles, with one man in front and one in the back. The platform around it could carry supplies or be used as a seat. This invention was simple but useful both in today's days and in their days. There were many different variations which the Westerners noted, such as the flying wheelbarrow, with the sail attached to it for extra speed. (fig 1.1)
A variation of the wheelbarrow with the sail. (Taken from Columbus was Chinese)
Go back to the Chinese inventions page.