Compass

Compass is one of the four great inventions in ancient China. In the Warring States Period that has been 2000 years till now, the compass came into being. At first, the compass was made of natural magnetite, with the spoon-shape and smooth bottom. It can spin freely on a bronze or wood smooth square plate. Once it begins being still, the handle of the spoon points south. That is what we refer to as a "South Pointer".

 

China is not only the earliest country which invented the compass, but also the earliest country which used it in the navigation. By the end of 11th century the compass was already in general use among Chinese navigator, and the device itself was improved greatly. During Southern Song Dynasty, people assembled an entirety with magnetic needles and devices used to distinguish the directions, the entirety is the compass. Till Yuan Dynasty, there was some one making out south-pointing tortoise and south-pointing fish.

 

The greatest contribution brought by the compass is its use in the navigation. It caused an important change of the navigation technology and pushed forward the development of the global navigation and communication between different cultures. It also opened up a new era of mankind navigation activities. In Southern Song Dynasty,some Arab and Persia businessmen traveling by the Chinese fishing boat learned how to make the compass and introduced it to Europe. By the end of 12th century and early 13th century, Arab and some European country started to use the compass in navigation, more than a hundred year later than China.

 

Geomancy

Geomancy originated in China. It is an important part of Chinese traditional mystery. It has extensive knowledge and profound scholarship, flowing far along. Geomancy is the Chinese distinguished culture phenomenon. It is an art and a branch of knowledge of the relationship between environment and human beings. Geomancy focuses on the relationships between mankind, constructions and nature, that is the relationship of Heaven and mankind. This is in radical consistence with the spirit of "Unity of Heaven and Man".

 

Its core idea came from Yi Jing (Book of Changes). Its key content is to choose and deal with the inhabitancy, living circumstance, including house, tomb, village, city planning and construction, etc. Geomancy is very fastidious about the place of a house, its exposures, the inner structure and design. It's said a house influences people's spirit and health. What's more a house would also have effects on people's career, fortune and family, etc. The most famous idioms about geomancy are "鍧愬寳鏈濆崡" (zu貌 b臎i ch谩o n谩n, to sit North facing South), "鑳屽北鏈涙按"(b猫i sh膩n w脿ng shu菒, to sit against the hill and face the water).