The humble toilet is something many of us take for granted. While it doesn't evoke the same sense of wonder that airplanes or skyscrapers do, the invention of the toilet revolutionized the way we live in its own tiny way.

The origin and evolution of toilets

As early as the 4th century BC, the Roman Empire was famous for its advanced sewage and drainage pipe network.

In 1775, watchmaker Alexander Cummings improved the flushing method of modern toilets and applied for a patent for the U-shaped and S-shaped flushing methods. In the 19th century, Thomas Crapper improved toilets with siphonic water storage and flooded the market.

The 1880s was an important turning point in the development of public toilets, during which the United Kingdom carried out large-scale construction of the London sewerage network. The Public Health Act of 1875 in England was a milestone in the development of the built environment.

The first modern pay public toilet appeared in 1851 by toilet manufacturer and inventor George Jennings. At first, public toilets were not for women, but only for men. In 1852, the first public toilet for women was officially opened to the public.

Chinese toilet civilization

The origin of Chinese toilets was first discovered in the ruins of a clan tribe in Banpo Village, Xi'an, 5,000 years ago. Archaeology found that the toilet at that time was just a dirt pit.