Shen Kuo (1031-1095) was a Song dynasty Chinese polymath who served as a government official while working across astronomy, mathematics, geology, engineering and medicine. His work Dream Pool Essays records the earliest known description of the magnetic compass needle used for navigation and the phenomenon of magnetic declination, the difference between magnetic and true north, along with observations connecting fossilized bamboo found far outside its normal climate range to evidence of long term regional climate change, and a theory of gradual land uplift and erosion shaping mountains and coastlines that anticipated later geological thinking. He also proposed reforms to the Chinese calendar system based on solar terms rather than lunar months, though the reform was not adopted in his lifetime. His writings remain a primary source for the history and practice of Song dynasty science and technology.
Facts
Birth YearSourced to the subject's own account Death YearSourced to the subject's own account FieldSourced to the subject's own accountPolymath: astronomy, mathematics, optics, horology and geology, alongside a career as a statesman 1 Death PlaceSourced to the subject's own accountDream Brook Estate, near Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, China 1 NationalitySourced to the subject's own account Notable WorkSourced to the subject's own accountDream Pool Essays (Mengxi Bitan, 1088), including the first description of the magnetic needle compass and the concept of magnetic declination (true north) 1 BirthplaceSourced to the subject's own accountQiantang (modern-day Hangzhou), China 1 Field
Field (category)Sourced to the subject's own account Field (category)Sourced to the subject's own account Field (category)Sourced to the subject's own account Connections
Works In
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
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Source Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)Lead sentence 1tier 3Quote, Lead sentence 1
Shen Kuo (Chinese: 沈括; 1031–1095) or Shen Gua, courtesy name Cunzhong (存中) and pseudonym Mengqi (now usually given as Mengxi) Weng (夢溪翁), was a Chinese polymath, scientist, and statesman of the Northern Song dynasty.
Sources
1. Shen Kuo (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLife section, Birth and youth
Shen Kuo was born in Qiantang (modern-day Hangzhou) in the year 1031.
Impeachment and later life section, final paragraph
It was there that Shen Kuo spent the last several years of his life in leisure, isolation, and illness, until his death in 1095.
Impeachment and later life section
Shen Kuo permanently moved to the Dream Brook Estate in 1088
Introduction, paragraph 1
Shen was a master in many fields of study including mathematics, optics, and horology.
Introduction, paragraph 2
In his Dream Pool Essays or Dream Torrent Essays (夢溪筆談; Mengxi Bitan) of 1088, Shen was the first to describe the magnetic needle compass, which would be used for navigation
Works In: Astronomy, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Mathematics, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Meteorology, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Optics, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Mineralogy, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Botany, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Zoology, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Pharmacology, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Entomology, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
Works In: Climatology, Infobox: field
Agronomy, Astronomy, Archaeology, Anatomy, Antiquarianism, Mathematics, Pharmacology, Medical science, Entomology, Mineralogy, Music, Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Optical engineering, Soil science, Encyclopedism, Geomagnetics, Optics, Hydraulics, Hydraulic engineering, Mechanical engineering, Metallurgy, Metaphysics, Meteorology, Climatology, Cartography, Botany, Zoology, Economics, Finance, Military strategy, Ethnography, Divination, Art criticism, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Administration
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