His puppet theatre is similar to that of a Greek model invented by Heron of Alexandria, the difference being that the latter used instead a rotating cylindrical cogwheel with ropes and pulleys to operate his mechanical theatre. Ma Jun once invented for the Wei emperor Cao Rui an intricate hydraulic-powered, mechanical-operated puppet theatre (much more complex than the mechanical puppet set discovered by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founding emperor of the Han dynasty, when he observed the state-absorbed items taken from the treasury of Qin Shi Huang). In China, the south-pointing chariot was re-invented a second time by Zu Chongzhi (429–500) due to the original detailed instructions being lost. Referring to history of differential gears, Ma Jun's differential gear is the earliest historically verifiable design. With this mechanical-driven compass-vehicle device, Ma Jun created one of the first mechanical devices in the world to employ differential gear designs. After being instructed to craft such a device, Ma Jun completed his fully functional design of the south-pointing chariot in the year 235. Ma Jun retorted, "Empty arguments with words cannot (in any way) compare with a test which will show practical results". Gaotang Long and Qin Lang mocked Ma Jun for his belief in historical texts that the south-pointing chariot had actually been invented in the past (as the legend goes, by the Yellow Emperor), something they viewed as nonsensical, non-historical myth. While serving in the Wei government, Ma Jun got into a dispute with Gaotang Long ( 高唐隆) and Qin Lang over the concept of the south-pointing carriage, or the south-pointing chariot. Ma Jun crafted a loom that had only twelve treadles, which not only made the process faster and more efficient, but also allowed the weaving of new intricate patterns. In his time, silk looms generally had fifty heddles and fifty treadles, some even up to sixty of each. One of Ma Jun's early inventions was an improved silk drawloom, which, according to Fu Xuan, earned Ma Jun considerable recognition for his innovative skill. Replica of a south-pointing chariot, 2005 Nonetheless, he gained fame for his mechanical genius, and is universally considered one of the greatest mechanical engineers of ancient China.Įngineering and technological achievements Fu Xuan noted that Ma Jun was not the best orator or master of rhetorics, and had trouble conveying his ideas to others with his somewhat introverted personality. Ma Jun was very well known in Wei as a very gifted designer of weapons and certain types of devices, and was praised especially by Fu Xuan in an essay of his. Ma Jun once oversaw the construction of Chonghua Palace ( 崇華殿) under the orders of Cao Rui, the second Wei emperor. Ma Jun was a somewhat distinguished official serving under the state of Cao Wei, becoming an Official Who Concurrently Serves in the Palace ( 給事中). Despite this degree, Ma Jun was relatively poor in his youth, yet found means to gain recognition by employing his natural genius in creating mechanical contraptions and inventions. In his youth, Ma Jun travelled throughout present-day Henan and obtained the position of a boshi (博士 a minor literary degree). In the later medieval dynastic periods, Ma Jun's south-pointing chariot was combined in a single device with the distance-measuring odometer.Īccording to his friend and contemporary poet and philosopher Fu Xuan (217–278), Ma Jun was born in Fufeng Commandery ( 扶風郡), which is located around present-day Xingping, Shaanxi. The device was re-invented by many after Ma Jun, including the astronomer and mathematician Zu Chongzhi (429–500). It is because of this revolutionary device (and other achievements) that Ma Jun is known as one of the most brilliant mechanical engineers and inventors of his day (alongside Zhang Heng of the earlier Eastern Han dynasty). His most notable invention was that of the south-pointing chariot, a directional compass vehicle which actually had no magnetic function, but was operated by use of differential gears (which applies equal amount of torque to driving wheels rotating at different speeds). 220–265), courtesy name Deheng, was a Chinese mechanical engineer, inventor, and politician who lived in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Mechanical engineer, inventor, politician
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