Shennong taught the Chinese a lot of agricultural practices and he is also credited for inventing the plow, the axe, and irrigation. The Wheelbarrow however, was originally invented by the Chinese during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). As the first wheelbarrows were made out of wood, the Chinese nicknamed the invention the 'Wooden Ox'. Due to its flexibility, the wheelbarrow had a great impact on the development of society.