The Tang was also a golden age for Chinese poetry, with notables like Du Fu and Li Bao applying their craft, encouraged by the official government. And the Sung Dynasty, which lasted from 960 to 1258, kicked even more ass, it's not cursing if you're talking about donkeys. By the 11th century, Chinese metalworkers were producing as much iron as Europe would be able to produce in the 18th century. Some of this iron was put to use in new plows, which enabled agriculture to boom, thereby supporting population growth. Porcelain was of such high quality that it was shipped throughout the world, which is why we now call it China. And there was so much trade going on that the Chinese ran out of metal for coins, leading to another innovation, paper money. And by the 11th century, the Chinese were writing down their recipe for a mixture of salt, peter, sulfur, and charcoal that we now know as gunpowder.