How did the ancient Chinese navigate? They had deep sea naval forces far earlier than the Europeans and were known to cross great distances on land as well. How did they keep track of where they were going? Did they just guide by the stars or had they discovered the compass?
When did they discover the compass?
Full Version: Navigation for ancient chinese military
QUOTE (Taran ap Dafydd @ Jun 27 2008, 10:42 AM) 
How did the ancient Chinese navigate? They had deep sea naval forces far earlier than the Europeans and were known to cross great distances on land as well. How did they keep track of where they were going? Did they just guide by the stars or had they discovered the compass?
When did they discover the compass?
When did they discover the compass?
On the sea, the chinese navigated by :
1) Observing the star - The chinese had a development of astrology dating back to 4000 BC.
2) Compass - one of the "4 great chinese inventions" by the chinese. It was invented sometime during Northern Song period, but an earlier version of compass (known as "Sinan 司南" since warring states period)
A "Sinan 司南" from Han period (primitive form of compass before the Song compass). Magnetism was discovered in China as early as Pre-Qin period through the discovery of magnetite (the material for magnet).
On land, the chinese army navigated by what's known as "South Pointing Chariot" (chinese: zhinan che 指南车). Although legend had it that the Yellow Emperor (pre-ancestor of chinese) had invented this tool, most historians regarded South-Pointing Chariot to be invented during 3 kingdoms period by Ma Jun 马钧. The chariot is a two-wheeled vehicle, upon which is a pointing figure connected to the wheels by means of differential gearing. Through careful selection of wheel size, track and gear ratios, the figure atop the chariot will always point in the same direction, hence acting as a non-magnetic compass vehicle.
For more info, you can refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pointing_Chariot
A south pointing chariot used for military navigation.
If you have good astronomical charts, as the Chinese did, it is easy to find latitude. This is done by observing the declination of a star which is vertically above your position. Keeping this star always at the vertical ensure that you will travel east or wet at exactly the same altitude. You can vary the latitude by selecting the difference at which the star is from the vertical, or alternatively, the distance above the horizon.
QUOTE (General_Zhaoyun @ Jun 26 2008, 09:16 PM)
On the sea, the chinese navigated by :
1) Observing the star - The chinese had a development of astrology dating back to 4000 BC.
2) Compass - one of the "4 great chinese inventions" by the chinese. It was invented sometime during Northern Song period, but an earlier version of compass (known as "Sinan 司南" since warring states period)
A "Sinan 司南" from Han period (primitive form of compass before the Song compass). Magnetism was discovered in China as early as Pre-Qin period through the discovery of magnetite (the material for magnet).
On land, the chinese army navigated by what's known as "South Pointing Chariot" (chinese: zhinan che 指南车). Although legend had it that the Yellow Emperor (pre-ancestor of chinese) had invented this tool, most historians regarded South-Pointing Chariot to be invented during 3 kingdoms period by Ma Jun 马钧. The chariot is a two-wheeled vehicle, upon which is a pointing figure connected to the wheels by means of differential gearing. Through careful selection of wheel size, track and gear ratios, the figure atop the chariot will always point in the same direction, hence acting as a non-magnetic compass vehicle.
For more info, you can refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pointing_Chariot
A south pointing chariot used for military navigation.
1) Observing the star - The chinese had a development of astrology dating back to 4000 BC.
2) Compass - one of the "4 great chinese inventions" by the chinese. It was invented sometime during Northern Song period, but an earlier version of compass (known as "Sinan 司南" since warring states period)
A "Sinan 司南" from Han period (primitive form of compass before the Song compass). Magnetism was discovered in China as early as Pre-Qin period through the discovery of magnetite (the material for magnet).
On land, the chinese army navigated by what's known as "South Pointing Chariot" (chinese: zhinan che 指南车). Although legend had it that the Yellow Emperor (pre-ancestor of chinese) had invented this tool, most historians regarded South-Pointing Chariot to be invented during 3 kingdoms period by Ma Jun 马钧. The chariot is a two-wheeled vehicle, upon which is a pointing figure connected to the wheels by means of differential gearing. Through careful selection of wheel size, track and gear ratios, the figure atop the chariot will always point in the same direction, hence acting as a non-magnetic compass vehicle.
For more info, you can refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pointing_Chariot
A south pointing chariot used for military navigation.
It's interesting to look at the time-line in that wiki link and notice the 400 year difference between having it being invented and being used for the first time by someone in the west.
QUOTE (thePenguin @ Aug 9 2008, 08:07 PM)
It's interesting to look at the time-line in that wiki link and notice the 400 year difference between having it being invented and being used for the first time by someone in the west.
Transmission of technology from east to west took place rather slowly in ancient times, because of lack of development in naval exploration/navigation route. Very often, it had to be transmitted through a third party such as Arab traders.
It wasn't until Zhenghe's voyage to the East, followed by European's age of naval exploration after 15th century to the East that information was transferred more directly from East to West and Vice Versa.
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