Kuo, River

Θέση: Hangzhou

Γεννημένος: 1031

Θάνατος: 1095

Βιογραφία:

River Kuo, also known as Shen Kuo, was a Chinese polymath, scientist, and statesman of the Song dynasty (960–1279). He was a master in many fields of study including mathematics, optics, and horology. In his career as a civil servant, he became a finance minister, governmental state inspector, head official for the Bureau of Astronomy in the Song court, Assistant Minister of Imperial Hospitality, and also served as an academic chancellor. At court his political allegiance was to the Reformist faction known as the New Policies Group, headed by Chancellor Wang Anshi (1021–1085). He was the first to describe the magnetic needle compass, which would be used for navigation, and made improved designs of the armillary sphere, gnomon, sighting tube, and invented a new type of inflow water clock. He also wrote extensively about movable type printing invented by Bi Sheng (990–1051). He was born in Hangzhou, China in 1031 and died in 1095.