STUDY IN CHINA GLOBAL (SCG)Zhang Heng (78-139 AD) was a Chinese astronomer, mathematician, inventor, and geographer of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was born in Nanyang, Henan and spent most of his life in Nanyang, Luoyang, and Chang’an, where he made many important contributions to science and technology.
Zhang Heng was a true polymath and his achievements in astronomy, mathematics, and technology were numerous. He is perhaps best known for his invention of the first seismoscope, which he created to detect earthquakes. The seismoscope was a bronze vessel in the shape of a large wine jar that was suspended from a metal frame. When an earthquake occurred, a ball would fall from the dragon’s mouth and into the mouth of one of the eight toads surrounding the jar, indicating the direction of the earthquake.
In addition to his work in seismology, Zhang Heng was also an accomplished astronomer and mathematician. He calculated the circumference of the Earth and made important contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. He was also one of the first to propose a heliocentric model of the universe, in which the Sun was at the center of the universe and the Earth and other planets revolved around it.
Zhang Heng was also a prolific writer and scholar, and he wrote many important works on science, mathematics, and technology. He was widely respected and held in high esteem by his peers and successors, and his contributions to the fields of science and technology were highly influential in the development of Chinese science.
Overall, Zhang Heng was a remarkable individual and one of the most important figures in the history of Chinese science and technology. His achievements in seismology, astronomy, mathematics, and technology have left a lasting legacy and continue to inspire new generations of scientists and engineers. He remains an important figure in Chinese history and is widely celebrated as a true pioneer of science and technology.
