Who invented the compass? Which dynasty? Which country?

Invented in Cishan during the Warring States period, the inventor did not record it. Compass, also called Sina in ancient times, is mainly composed of magnetic needles and can rotate freely where there is a magnetic field. Judging the direction according to the tangent direction of meridian and the law that the north pole of magnetic needle points to the geographical south pole.

In modern times, it is the experience summed up by ancient people in long-term practice that makes them know the characteristics of magnet magnetism. In ancient times, it was used for sacrifice, military and divination to determine the orientation. In four great inventions of ancient china, this great invention promoted the progress of human beings and the development of civilization, and greatly promoted navigation and maritime trade.

The things about compass recorded in ancient books and the authors of ancient books are located in Zhao Yan Cultural District centered on Guhan. Compasses in ancient China, recorded in the classic range, were all made of natural magnets. According to pre-Qin classics, only Wu 'an Cishan (now Wu 'an, Handan City, Hebei Province) produced natural magnets. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was possible to create Sina, only the Zhao Yan Cultural District centered on Handan, and Wu 'an was probably the hometown of compass.

The development of compass

In the Tang Dynasty, a portable instrument similar to a compass appeared, but it was by no means a compass. This object is considered as a transitional form of compass. Wang Zhenduo did not clearly judge the specific time when the compass was invented. Due to the lack of materials and scientific rigor, he did not make a judgment easily. The invention of the compass should be the result of gradual improvement over a long period of time, and the forms of different periods should also appear in different forms, and only one time interval can be given.

About the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty, due to the needs of military affairs and navigation, as well as the development of materials and technology, artificial magnetic disks, needles and artificial magnetization were used to make guide fish, which was more advanced than Sina in performance and use. Shortly after the invention of the guide fish, a compass with more significance, simpler manufacturing method, more convenient use and wider use was invented.

/kloc-After 0/2 century, the compass spread to Arab countries and Europe, which greatly promoted the development of world navigation and cultural exchanges between China and the West. The invention of the compass is a great contribution of the Chinese nation to world civilization.