The Four Great Inventions refer to the four inventions in ancient China that had great influences on the world. They are papermaking, printing, gunpowder and compass. Papermaking and printing lead to revolutionary progress in recording and transmitting information. The invention and spread of gunpowder changed the mode of war in the Middle Ages. And the compass greatly helped the European navigators to explore new routes. The Four Great Inventions are symbols of advanced science and technology in ancient China and of great significance in the development of Chinese and the world's civilizations.