In 1827, the Englishman John Walker invented matches, which were then improved by France, Germany and Sweden, and in the 1840s matches were introduced to China as a tribute.
In the following decades, as matches became a visible, useful and affordable "foreign product", the demand for matches among the general public gradually took shape. Sensing the business opportunity, merchants opened match factories in coastal cities. Owning to the fact that matches were a new and previously non-existent industrial product in modern China, the establishment of the match industry faced more natural, social, and governmental problems, as well as more localized adjustments and adaptations. This study examines three localization attempts during the transplantation of the match industry to China in the late Qing Dynasty (1877-1912)：switching from tree glue to fish glue when the problem of moisture return arose due to climatic differences, switching from Japan sulfur to local sulfur when the supply of raw material was insufficient due to wars, and starting to cultivate local technicians when there were poor communications between business owners and technicians. Through this process, we not only see how the modern Chinese folk industry, represented by the match industry, gradually moved toward modernity, but also enrich the discussion of technology transfer and globalization to a certain extent.

Prof Jian Yang

In the late Ming Dynasty, book workshops created and published a batch of ephemeris with highly precise positions of the sun, moon, and five planets, which were sold in large quantities as reference manuals to astrology practitioner. Through comparisons of format, content, and data, it becomes evident that the source of these ephemeris was the undoubtedly Qizheng chandu li七政躔度历 (Ephemerides of the Seven Luminaries)compiled by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. The Qizheng chandu li was never officially released to the public, so the publication of these almanacs by bookshops undoubtedly broke the official monopoly on astronomical data and facilitated the flow of knowledge from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to the general public. In this process of dissemination, profit-driven booksellers played a crucial role in collecting information, adapting formats, and enhancing distribution. Focusing on this downward movement of knowledge, a cross-class cultural sharing space emerged from the commercial publishing wave of the late Ming Dynasty. Cultural integration and knowledge sharing weakened the social allocation of knowledge, ultimately impacting social division of labor and class differentiation.

Punjab was annexed by the British in 1849 and the colonial regime immediately undertook large scale development of the province due to its strategic importance and for economic benefits. Western technologies were introduced in agriculture, industry, transportation and communication and everyday life. Modernization of industries began in late 19th century and preference was given to agro-industries. New industries, which included chemical industries, were set up as the province was geared towards modernization. This paper examines the setting up of modern chemical industries in colonial Punjab and the technologies involved in the production of cement, sulphuric acid, alum, saltpeter, carbonic acid, turpentine, lime, lac, perfumes, paints and varnishes. The resultant impact through improvement of living standards and generation of employment by these new industries is discussed in the concluding part.

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the manufacturing history of the modern 75 mm mountain howitzer in China, focusing on the assimilation of foreign technology. The industrialization of China commenced in the late 1870s under the influence of European technology, leading to the establishment of several arsenals for producing mountain howitzers. It is noteworthy that Northwest Industrial Corporation, as one of China's major military enterprises before 1949, played a pivotal role in this historical process.This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the machinery utilized in the production of Chinese 75mm mountain howitzers, providing insight into the key characteristics of modern Chinese mountain howitzer manufacturing. This highlights the intricate developmental trajectory of China's military industry during 1876-1949.