The emergence of Zhang Heng's seismoscope has a profound historical background. This paper intends to explore the formation and material basis of Zhang Heng's scientific thought. It appears that the simple int...The emergence of Zhang Heng's seismoscope has a profound historical background. This paper intends to explore the formation and material basis of Zhang Heng's scientific thought. It appears that the simple intention of "observing visions and distinguishing good fortune or misfortune"was his motivation to develop the seismoscope. Tracing its historical background,the authors proposed in this paper that the development of this seismoscope started around 128 A. D., and based on perceptual knowledge, two ideas about earthquakes came into being,i. e.,earthquake location could be judged according to the instrument shaking direction, and the earthquake and earth split were essentially different. In the instrument manufacture,Zhang Heng advocated a principle of "making utensils to imitate cosmos". By this principle,the following three problems were readily solved: the seismoscope imitated the response of the suspension system to earthquakes( i. e. natural seismoscope). Technically,the trigger mechanism of the latch was used for reference,and it recorded the physical evidence of earthquake occurrence by an ingenious way of a ball dropping from a dragon's mouth. The solution of these three key problems lead to the emergence of the seismoscope in 132 A. D. and the successful detection of an earthquake in 134 A. D. His invention deepened humanity's knowledge of natural laws, and promoted the development of science and technology in that time and later.展开更多
The difficulties in the reconstruction of Zhang Heng’s Seismoscope come mainly from the lack of understanding of its mechanical principles. Such a discrepancy affects the rational reconstruction of the external form ...The difficulties in the reconstruction of Zhang Heng’s Seismoscope come mainly from the lack of understanding of its mechanical principles. Such a discrepancy affects the rational reconstruction of the external form of the seismoscope and the fair assessment of its position in science. In connection with the two basic conjectures on its basic principles over the past hundred years: namely, the suspended pendulum and the upright rod, the authors have conducted a comprehensive study from the viewpoint of modern seismology. In this study, various aspects are involved, such as the properties of the seismoscope, its description in the “History of the Latter Han Dynasty", the structure and movement of the central pillar, historical earthquakes in the Longxi region, earthquake intensity in Luoyang, and modern seismograms from the Luoyang seismic station. The result shows that Zhang Heng’s seismoscope works following a suspended pendulum principle; it is triggered to move by seismic Rayleigh waves; and resonance plays the role of amplification. The long-prevailing conjecture of the upright rod, which was mistakenly called the “inverted pendulum" for a time, is believed to be improper. Both theory and practice show that it cannot be used in a seismoscope and will lead to an irrational reconstruction of the external form.展开更多
Longxi earthquake was the only earthquake example, which ZHANG Heng＇s Seismometer had detected. Therefore this event attracted the attention of the academic circle and also served as crucial evidence to examine the r...Longxi earthquake was the only earthquake example, which ZHANG Heng＇s Seismometer had detected. Therefore this event attracted the attention of the academic circle and also served as crucial evidence to examine the rationality of the reconstructed model of the seismometer. But for a long time, owing to the fact that the Jincheng-Longxi earthquake on February 28, AD 138 was mistaken as the event went against the historical records, it was refuted by the researches of both in China and abroad. By making careful textual research of historical records, especially by analyzing the description of Longxi earthquake of Houhan Shu, by studying the historical background exposed by historical literatures at that time, ZHANG Heng＇s biography, his poems and place names of Han Dynasty, by comparing five earthquakes occurred in Qing Dynasty and their attenuation of seismic intensity, the conclusion can be drawn that the Longxi earthquake should take place on December 13, AD 134 （the third year of Yangjia reign）. As a rough assessment, the epicenter was in Tianshui area and the magnitude was about 7. Due to the political corruption and inability to scientifically explain earthquake phenomenon at the end of Eastern Han Dynasty, a tragedy occurred during the later years of ZHANG Heng＇s life that had direct relations with the earthquake successively occurred in AD 133 and AD 134 after invention of seismometer in AD 132. In order to analyze the ground motion at Lingtai caused by the event in AD 134, the digital broad-band seismic records of three Longxi earthquakes in recent years recorded by Luoyang seismic station are used. The numerical modelings are made from three aspects of seismic magnitude definition, digital broad-band seismograms and empirical Green＇s function method. The results have shown that the maximum horizontal displacement at Lingtai is between 6-8 mm, and the maximum acceleration is less than 10^-2 m/s^2. These results have played an important role in quantitative test of the scientific reconstruction model of ZHANG Heng＇s Seismometer.展开更多
Historical data regarding Zhang Heng's seismoscope is not singular proof. Actually,the four earliest historical documents,i. e.,Continuation of Historiography of Han Dynasty, Historiography of the Later Han,Book o...Historical data regarding Zhang Heng's seismoscope is not singular proof. Actually,the four earliest historical documents,i. e.,Continuation of Historiography of Han Dynasty, Historiography of the Later Han,Book of the Later Han and Ding Record all have relevant records of its structure,size,principle,response to earthquake and actual applications. These five aspects are supported by archaeological research,unearthed cultural relics, historical earthquakes and modern seismological study. These historical materials contain a great deal of specific information about this ancient seismoscope. In conclusion, the authenticity and reliability of Zhang Heng's seismoscope are verified.展开更多
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(40644019)the Special Found of Scientific Research Program for "The Optimization and Design for Reconstruction Models of Seismoscope",China Earthquake Administration
文摘The emergence of Zhang Heng's seismoscope has a profound historical background. This paper intends to explore the formation and material basis of Zhang Heng's scientific thought. It appears that the simple intention of "observing visions and distinguishing good fortune or misfortune"was his motivation to develop the seismoscope. Tracing its historical background,the authors proposed in this paper that the development of this seismoscope started around 128 A. D., and based on perceptual knowledge, two ideas about earthquakes came into being,i. e.,earthquake location could be judged according to the instrument shaking direction, and the earthquake and earth split were essentially different. In the instrument manufacture,Zhang Heng advocated a principle of "making utensils to imitate cosmos". By this principle,the following three problems were readily solved: the seismoscope imitated the response of the suspension system to earthquakes( i. e. natural seismoscope). Technically,the trigger mechanism of the latch was used for reference,and it recorded the physical evidence of earthquake occurrence by an ingenious way of a ball dropping from a dragon's mouth. The solution of these three key problems lead to the emergence of the seismoscope in 132 A. D. and the successful detection of an earthquake in 134 A. D. His invention deepened humanity's knowledge of natural laws, and promoted the development of science and technology in that time and later.
文摘The difficulties in the reconstruction of Zhang Heng’s Seismoscope come mainly from the lack of understanding of its mechanical principles. Such a discrepancy affects the rational reconstruction of the external form of the seismoscope and the fair assessment of its position in science. In connection with the two basic conjectures on its basic principles over the past hundred years: namely, the suspended pendulum and the upright rod, the authors have conducted a comprehensive study from the viewpoint of modern seismology. In this study, various aspects are involved, such as the properties of the seismoscope, its description in the “History of the Latter Han Dynasty", the structure and movement of the central pillar, historical earthquakes in the Longxi region, earthquake intensity in Luoyang, and modern seismograms from the Luoyang seismic station. The result shows that Zhang Heng’s seismoscope works following a suspended pendulum principle; it is triggered to move by seismic Rayleigh waves; and resonance plays the role of amplification. The long-prevailing conjecture of the upright rod, which was mistakenly called the “inverted pendulum" for a time, is believed to be improper. Both theory and practice show that it cannot be used in a seismoscope and will lead to an irrational reconstruction of the external form.
基金Joint Seismological Science Foundation of China (104133)
文摘Longxi earthquake was the only earthquake example, which ZHANG Heng＇s Seismometer had detected. Therefore this event attracted the attention of the academic circle and also served as crucial evidence to examine the rationality of the reconstructed model of the seismometer. But for a long time, owing to the fact that the Jincheng-Longxi earthquake on February 28, AD 138 was mistaken as the event went against the historical records, it was refuted by the researches of both in China and abroad. By making careful textual research of historical records, especially by analyzing the description of Longxi earthquake of Houhan Shu, by studying the historical background exposed by historical literatures at that time, ZHANG Heng＇s biography, his poems and place names of Han Dynasty, by comparing five earthquakes occurred in Qing Dynasty and their attenuation of seismic intensity, the conclusion can be drawn that the Longxi earthquake should take place on December 13, AD 134 （the third year of Yangjia reign）. As a rough assessment, the epicenter was in Tianshui area and the magnitude was about 7. Due to the political corruption and inability to scientifically explain earthquake phenomenon at the end of Eastern Han Dynasty, a tragedy occurred during the later years of ZHANG Heng＇s life that had direct relations with the earthquake successively occurred in AD 133 and AD 134 after invention of seismometer in AD 132. In order to analyze the ground motion at Lingtai caused by the event in AD 134, the digital broad-band seismic records of three Longxi earthquakes in recent years recorded by Luoyang seismic station are used. The numerical modelings are made from three aspects of seismic magnitude definition, digital broad-band seismograms and empirical Green＇s function method. The results have shown that the maximum horizontal displacement at Lingtai is between 6-8 mm, and the maximum acceleration is less than 10^-2 m/s^2. These results have played an important role in quantitative test of the scientific reconstruction model of ZHANG Heng＇s Seismometer.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(40644019)the Special Found of Scientific Research Program for "The Optimization and Design for Reconstruction Models of Seismoscope",China Earthquake Administration
文摘Historical data regarding Zhang Heng's seismoscope is not singular proof. Actually,the four earliest historical documents,i. e.,Continuation of Historiography of Han Dynasty, Historiography of the Later Han,Book of the Later Han and Ding Record all have relevant records of its structure,size,principle,response to earthquake and actual applications. These five aspects are supported by archaeological research,unearthed cultural relics, historical earthquakes and modern seismological study. These historical materials contain a great deal of specific information about this ancient seismoscope. In conclusion, the authenticity and reliability of Zhang Heng's seismoscope are verified.
