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According to historical records such as the
"Ancient Mining Record", the earliest compass device appeared in
ancient China during the Warring States period (475 BC - 221 BC). It was called
"Si Nan" and was found in the Cishan area of Handan, Hebei Province.
The Si Nan was made by carving a natural magnet into a spoon shape and placing
it on a smooth copper plate. Since the south pole (S pole) of the magnet points
to the geographical North Pole of the Earth (magnetic north), when the Si Nan
spoon stops rotating freely, the handle automatically points south. The
emergence of Si Nan marked the first successful use of the Earth's magnetic
field to determine direction, opening a new chapter in the history of
navigation tools.
Around the Jin Dynasty and the Southern and
Northern Dynasties period (265 AD - 589 AD), people began to try grinding
magnets into long magnetic needles to replace the spoon-shaped structure. This
improvement greatly increased the sensitivity and portability of the compass.
The magnetic needle was fixed on an axis, able to rotate freely and stably
point north and south.
By the end of the Tang Dynasty (around the
9th century AD), based on Si Nan, the water compass was further developed. It
placed the magnetic needle in a container filled with water, reducing friction
by utilizing buoyancy and water resistance, making the direction of the
magnetic needle more precise.
During the Northern Song Dynasty (960 AD -
1127 AD), compass technology continued to evolve, and the "compass
fish" emerged. It was a thin, fish-shaped magnetized iron instrument used
for indicating direction.
In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 AD -
1279 AD), the dry compass was born, which no longer relied on water buoyancy.
Instead, the magnetic needle was installed inside a disk with scales, using
suspension or pivot balance, forming the basic form of the modern compass. At
this time, the compass not only indicated north and south but also had a
complex graduation system for accurately determining various directions. This
greatly enhanced the positioning ability in activities such as navigation,
surveying, and military operations.
The invention of the compass and its
subsequent improvements not only greatly promoted ancient Chinese maritime
activities, making the navigation of the Maritime Silk Road safer and more
efficient, but also had a decisive impact on global geographical discoveries.
During the Yuan Dynasty (1271 AD - 1368
AD), with the deepening of exchanges between the East and the West, compass
technology, along with its manufacturing techniques, spread to the Arab region
through sea routes and then to Europe. European navigators such as Columbus and
Da Gama successfully opened up new sea routes, connecting continents and
ushering in the era of globalization, relying on the guidance of the compass.
The invention of the compass is not only a
scientific understanding and application of natural phenomena but also the
crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient Chinese working people. It not
only greatly promoted the development of science and technology, especially in
the fields of navigation, geography, and military, but also profoundly changed
the economic structure, cultural exchanges, and worldview of human society. As
a milestone in technological innovation, the compass is not only listed as one
of the Four Great Inventions of ancient China but is also recognized as an
indelible contribution to the progress of human civilization.
据《古矿录》等文献记载，最早的指南装置出现中国古代的战国时期（公元前475年—公元前221年），在中国河北邯郸磁山一带，被称为“司南”。司南由天然磁石琢磨成勺形，放置在一个光滑的铜盘上。由于磁石的南极（S极）指向地球的地理北极（磁场北极），当司南勺自由旋转停止后，勺柄会自动指向南方。司南的出现，标志着人类首次成功利用地磁场来确定方向，开启了定向工具的历史新篇章。
大约在晋、南北朝时期（公元265年—公元589年），人们开始尝试将磁石磨制成细长的磁针，替代勺形结构。这一改进大大提高了指南工具的灵敏度和便携性。磁针被固定在枢轴上，能够自由旋转并稳定指向南北。
到了唐代末期（公元9世纪左右），在司南基础上进一步发展出了水罗盘，即将磁针置于盛水容器中，利用浮力和水的阻力减少摩擦，使磁针的指向更为精准。
北宋时期（公元960年—公元1127年），指南针技术继续演进，出现了“指南鱼”——一种薄片状、形似鱼的磁化铁器，同样用于指示方向。
到了南宋时期（公元1127年—公元1279年），真正意义上的旱罗盘诞生，即磁针不再依赖水浮，而是通过悬挂或支点平衡的方式，安装在带有刻度的圆盘内，形成现代指南针的基本形态。此时的罗盘不仅指示南北，还被赋予了复杂的分度系统，用于精确测定各个方位，极大地提升了航海、测绘、军事等活动中的定位能力。
指南针的发明及后续改进，不仅极大地推动了中国古代的航海事业，使得海上丝绸之路的航行更为安全、高效，还对世界范围内的地理大发现产生了决定性影响。
元代（公元1271年—公元1368年），随着东西方交流的加深，指南针技术连同其制作工艺一起，通过海路传入阿拉伯地区，继而传播到欧洲。欧洲航海家如哥伦布、达伽马等人在探索未知海域时，正是依靠指南针指引航向，才成功开辟了新航线，连接起各大洲，拉开了全球化的序幕。
指南针的发明，不仅是对自然现象的科学认知与应用，也是中国古代劳动人民智慧的结晶。它不仅极大地推动了科学技术的发展，特别是在航海、地理学、军事等领域产生了革命性影响，还深刻地改变了人类社会的经济格局、文化交流与世界观。作为一项具有里程碑意义的技术创新，指南针不仅位列中国古代四大发明，也被公认为对人类文明进步做出了不可磨灭的贡献。
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