The Tang was a period of intense scientific curiosity. Supported by the state, scholars achieved breakthroughs in astronomy, medicine, and chemistry that pre-dated European discoveries by centuries.
A Millennium of Advances
- Astronomy: The monk Yi Xing led a nationwide survey to measure a degree of the Earth's meridian in 724 AD.
- Medicine: The Tang government published the world's first state pharmacopoeia (Xinxiu Bencao) in 659 AD.
- Printing: The Diamond Sutra (868 AD) is the world's earliest dated printed book, marking the maturity of woodblock technology.