Shen Kuo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shen Kuo
沈括 |
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Modern artist's impression of Shen Kuo
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| Born | 1031 |
| Died | 1095 Runzhou, Song Empire
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| Known for | Geomorphology, Climate change, Atmospheric refraction, True north, Retrogradation, Camera obscura, Raised-relief map, fixing the position of the pole star, correcting lunar and solar errors |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Agronomy, Geology, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical Science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Geophysics, Magnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Geography, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Music, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics |
| Institutions | Hanlin Academy |
Shen Kuo (or Shen Gua Chinese: 沈括; pinyin: Shěn Kuò; Wade–Giles: Shen K'uo; 1031–1095) was a Chinese scientist and politician. He lived during the Song Dynasty. He was a polymath, being good at many fields of study.
Many of his most important works came from his use of astronomy. In 1088, Shen was the first to describe the magnetic needle compass, which would be used for navigation. He was also one of the first to suggest that the Earth goes through gradual climate change. His hobbies consisted of music, painting, calligraphy, and philosophy.
Images for kids
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The Bencao on traditional Chinese medicine; printed with woodblock printing press in 1249; Shen grew ill often as a child, and so developed an interest in medicinal cures.
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Shen's confidant, Emperor Shenzong of Song (r. 1067–1085), a Song era portrait painting.
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Portrait painting of Wang Anshi.
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Boundaries of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Liao Dynasty, and the Western Xia.
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Painting of a Buddhist luohan, by Liu Songnian, painted in 1207; Shen Kuo not only listed literati painting as one of his cherished pastimes, but also Buddhist meditation.
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A Han Dynasty incense burner, showing artificial mountains as a lid decoration, which may have influenced the invention.
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Five bracket arm bases and two cantilever arms, from the Yingzao Fashi of 1103.
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Yang Hui triangle (Pascal's triangle) using rod numerals, from a book by mathematician Zhu Shijie, 1303
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An 18th-century diagram of camera obscura
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A Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD) ladle-and-basin lodestone south-pointing compass, used by ancient Chinese geomancers, but not for navigation.
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Bronzeware from the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC); Song era antiquarians and archeologists in search of antiques for reviving ancient rituals claimed to have found bronzewares dated as far back as the Shang era, which contained written inscriptions.
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View of the Taihang Mountains, where Shen Kuo had his epiphany about geomorphology.
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Bamboo and rocks by Li Kan (1244–1320); using evidence of fossilized bamboo within China's dry northwestern climate zone, Shen Kuo hypothesized that climates naturally shifted geographically over time.
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Shen accurately hypothesized that rainbows were caused by sunlight passing through rain droplets.
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One of the five star maps published in 1092 AD for Su Song's horological and astronomical treatise, featuring Shen Kuo's corrected position of the pole star.
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The original diagram of Su Song's book of 1092 showing the inner workings of his clocktower; a mechanically rotated armillary sphere crowns the top.
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The Chinese Diamond Sutra, the oldest known printed book in world history (868), using woodblock printing.
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A revolving table typecase with individual movable type characters arranged primarily by rhyming scheme, from Wang Zhen's book of agriculture published in 1313.
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Ideas of the philosopher Mencius deeply influenced Shen.
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A painting by Dong Yuan, who Shen praised for his ability to portray landscapes and natural scenery in a grand but realistic style.
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Poet and statesman Su Shi, whose pharmaceutical work was combined with Shen Kuo's in 1126, in a Yuan Dynasty portrait by Zhao Mengfu.
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A sketch of Shen Kuo by an anonymous artist of the Qing dynasty, 18th century
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