Xie Fei (inventor)
Encyclopedia
Xiè Fēi was a Jie state Later Zhao
scholar who occupied a position as Head of the Healing (Medicinal) Department in the State Chancellery. He is known as a mechanical
engineer
who built a South Pointing Chariot
(also called a "south-pointing carriage"), a directional compass
vehicle which apparently did not use magnetic principles, but was operated by use of differential gears (which apply equal amounts of torque
to driving wheels rotating at different speeds), or a similar angular differential principle.
For the great ingenuity shown in the construction of the device, the Later Zhao Emperor Shi Jilong
granted him the noble title of hou
without land possessions and rewarded him generously.
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
scholar who occupied a position as Head of the Healing (Medicinal) Department in the State Chancellery. He is known as a mechanical
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
who built a South Pointing Chariot
South Pointing Chariot
The south-pointing chariot was an ancient Chinese two-wheeled vehicle that carried a movable pointer to indicate the south, no matter how the chariot turned. Usually, the pointer took the form of a doll or figure with an outstretched arm...
(also called a "south-pointing carriage"), a directional compass
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
vehicle which apparently did not use magnetic principles, but was operated by use of differential gears (which apply equal amounts of torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
to driving wheels rotating at different speeds), or a similar angular differential principle.
For the great ingenuity shown in the construction of the device, the Later Zhao Emperor Shi Jilong
Shi Hu
Shi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
granted him the noble title of hou
Hou (title)
Hou is a tile for ancient Chinese ruler, which may equivalent to King/Queen or Emperor/Empress.The Chinese character Hou is an ideogrammic compounds, in oracle bone script it is written the same as Si as the combination of mouth and hand. Hou usually refers to female rulers in oracle bone script...
without land possessions and rewarded him generously.