This water-powered observatory is actually the "ancestor" of the world clock!

Day and night alternate, and the stars move. The wise ancient Chinese began to explore the mystery of time a long time ago and invented a series of time-telling tools, such as the sundial that uses the sun's shadow to measure time and the copper kettle clepsydra that uses water drops to tell time.

In the Song Dynasty, the country was strong and scientific and technological talents emerged in large numbers. The ancients' ability to explore astronomy and geography reached a new height, and they invented the "Water-powered Astronomical Observatory", which is known as China's fifth greatest invention. A large ancient device is displayed in the exhibition hall of Kaifeng Museum, which is its model. Recently, the reporter came to Kaifeng Museum and climbed this "giant" with volunteer guide Yang Ying to explore the exquisiteness of the ancient "black technology" for everyone.

Why is it called "black technology"?

When it comes to clocks, everyone is familiar with them. Many people like the mechanical structure inside clocks very much, and think that the overlapping gears have a unique aesthetic appeal. In fact, in ancient my country, such a mechanical device with gears inside gears had already been produced, and this was the water-powered astronomical observatory.

Yang Ying introduced that in the Northern Song Dynasty, astronomers Su Song and Han Gonglian and other technology experts formed a "scientific research team". After years of hard work, they finally built this outstanding astronomical timing instrument in Bianjing (now Kaifeng City, Henan Province) in the seventh year of Yuanyou in the Northern Song Dynasty. It combines three functions: astronomical observation, astronomical performance (demonstration) and time reporting. It is like a small water-powered observatory. It can be said that it is not only one of the most sophisticated and complex instruments in ancient China, but also considered to be the "ancestor of the world clock." Moreover, because the escapement is used in the water-powered instrument, some Western scientists believe that this precision instrument from ancient China is likely to be the first real astronomical clock in the history of the world.

What does the Water Transport Astronomical Observatory look like?

It is understood that after Su Song built the water-powered astronomical observatory, he compiled all the information into a book called "New astronomical observatory" with diagrams. According to the book, the entire water-powered astronomical observatory is about 12 meters high and 7 meters wide. It is a wooden structure building with a square shape, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. It is divided into three floors and can be accessed by stairs. The top floor is equipped with a celestial sphere and a sundial to observe celestial phenomena; the middle floor is equipped with a celestial sphere to demonstrate celestial phenomena; the bottom floor is equipped with timekeeping instruments and the power mechanism of the entire observatory. Judging from its scale, it is better to call it an astronomical building than an instrument.

The time-telling device is located in the southern part of Tainan. It has a five-story wooden pavilion. It can report the passage of time, quarters, watches, and chips through the sound and image forms such as ringing bells, striking bells, beating drums, hitting gongs, or the appearance of wooden figures. The rear part of the lower floor is the power device. There is a huge pivot wheel with a diameter of more than 3 meters, on which are installed 36 water buckets. There is a clepsydra that leaks very quickly next to the pivot wheel. The water in the pot flows into the water bucket. When the bucket is full, the pivot wheel turns downward. There is a escapement device on the top of the pivot wheel, which controls the pivot wheel to only turn through one water bucket. After the pivot wheel rotates, it drives a rotating shaft that runs through the upper, middle, and lower three compartments, and drives the armillary sphere to track the celestial body through the gear device, drives the celestial globe to rotate once in 24 hours, and drives the time-telling device to accurately tell the time.

The wooden figures in the 5-story wooden pavilion can perform wonderful and accurate timekeeping movements, which are driven by a complex mechanical device called the "day and night turbine". The operation of the entire mechanical wheel system depends on the constant flow of water, which drives the water wheel to do intermittent motion and drives the instrument to rotate.

The core of the power system is the pivot wheel and the pillar. A set of lever devices are attached to the top and side of the pivot wheel, which are equivalent to the escapement in clocks and watches. The design principle is very similar to the anchor escapement that appeared in Europe in the 17th century. After the famous British scholar Joseph Needham conducted in-depth research on the water-powered astronomical observatory, he said in "History of Science and Technology in China": "We take this opportunity to declare that our previous statement that 'clock devices... are entirely an invention of early fourteenth-century Europe' is wrong. The mechanical clock using the axial blade escapement and gravity transmission was invented in Europe in the fourteenth century. However, many centuries ago, China already had a water-powered mechanical clock equipped with another escapement."

The pace of reproduction has never stopped

About 40 years after the Water-powered Astronomical Observatory was built, the Northern Song Dynasty fell, and the capital Bianliang was captured by the Jin army. The Water-powered Astronomical Observatory was also destroyed, but its influence still existed. Both the Jin and Southern Song wanted to copy it again. Qin Hui sent people to find Su Song's descendants and search for Su Song's manuscripts. He also consulted Zhu Xi, hoping to restore the Water-powered Astronomical Observatory. However, no one understood the method of Su Song's manuscripts, so no one could copy them. The task of copying the Water-powered Astronomical Observatory has never been successful through all dynasties.

In 1958, Chinese archaeologist Wang Zhenduo first restored the model of the water-powered astronomical observatory, published a paper titled "Unveiling the Secret of China's "Astronomical Clock"", and drew a detailed restoration map. The water-powered astronomical observatory displayed in Kaifeng Museum is the only model in China that has been completely restored indoors in a 1:1 ratio according to the original craftsmanship. The starry sky ceiling above the observatory was built according to the starry sky map in Su Song's "New Astronomical Clock Method", and light projection was used to achieve the starry sky transformation demonstration.

Whether it is the increasingly accurate calculation of time or the continuous exploration of celestial phenomena, these are all explorations we make on the road of constantly understanding nature. This unremitting pursuit of exploration is deeply engraved in the blood of our nation. To this day, we are still on the road of exploration with determination to innovate and constantly seek.

The wisdom of our ancestors can be seen from the Water-Powered Observatory. Built out of curiosity about nature and in order to better explore it, the Water-Powered Observatory has never been a simple "black technology", but more of a love for life and a persistent pursuit of life.