Su Song by https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop The Story of His Life and Importance en-us 2018-02-25 09:18:05 UTC 2023-03-02 12:49:58 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Brightnessdown.png Su Song kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235105721 2018-02-25 16:15:52 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235105721 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235153820 Su Song was born ion China in 1020 and later died in 1101. He was a very successful man with many accomplishments. He was a polymath, poet, cartographer, art collector, astronomer, expert on the complex properties of the Chinese calendar, a prize-winning scholar, a statesman, and an expert in Chinese medicine[1]. Although he is known for his vast knowledge, he is most known for his contribution to horology by designing one of the most important and desired inventions of the time--a massive, roughly 3-story tall astronomical tower clock[2]. He built it in Kaifeng and it took him 12 years, finishing in 1088. The tower clocked worked by using an inflow of water that came from a supply tank that was kept at a constant volume so that the rate of water flow never varied. Unfortunately, the clock was destroyed in 1127 by Manchurian army who disassembled and were unable to reassemble it due to its complexity[3]. Su Song’s water clock was an important invention to China because it was the first working mechanical clock that kept accurate time as well as allowed people to observe constellations that were important to Chinese astrology.[4] Even with today’s technology, we have been unsuccessful in creating a fully functioning replica of Su Song’s masterpiece which shows just how magnificent it really was.

[1] Forster, Jack. “Past Masters: The Astronomic Water Clock of Su Song”, Revolution. https://www.revolution.watch/past-masters-the-astronomical-water-clock-of-su-song/?archive. Last Day Accessed: 2/25/2018.
[2] Rivers, Dara. “Waterclock”, Middle Age Technologies. http://fourriverscharter.org/projects/Inventions/pages/china_waterclock.htm. Last Day Accessed 2/25/2018.
[3]Forster, Jack. “Past Masters: The Astronomic Water Clock of Su Song”, Revolution. https://www.revolution.watch/past-masters-the-astronomical-water-clock-of-su-song/?archive. Last Day Accessed: 2/25/2018.
[4]Rivers, Dara. “Waterclock”, Middle Age Technologies. http://fourriverscharter.org/projects/Inventions/pages/china_waterclock.htm. Last Day Accessed 2/25/2018
]]> 2018-02-25 21:55:25 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235153820 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235157398 He was a scholar, meaning he would often meet with other scholars to perform their political duties.]]> 2018-02-25 22:24:45 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235157398 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158050 A blueprint of his water clock in his records.]]> 2018-02-25 22:30:01 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158050 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158288 As a cartographer, he drew out maps of the world.]]> 2018-02-25 22:31:59 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158288 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158453 A cut out view of the layout of his massive water clock and how it operates.]]> 2018-02-25 22:33:18 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158453 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158637 As an art collector, this is a traditional painting that would have been commonly seen in his collection.]]> 2018-02-25 22:34:39 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158637 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158732 Su Song was a schoar during the Song Dynasty.]]> 2018-02-25 22:35:27 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158732 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158796 Typical attire that he would have worn during his life.]]> 2018-02-25 22:35:52 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158796 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158916 a 5 foot replica of his water clock.

]]> 2018-02-25 22:36:40 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235158916 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235159086 He was an expert in Chinese medicine herbs.]]> 2018-02-25 22:38:07 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235159086 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235159699 A replica of an amillary sphere Su Song created to calibrate astronomical observations.]]> 2018-02-25 22:42:59 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235159699 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235166441 Life size replica of the water clock located in Suwa.]]> 2018-02-25 23:31:42 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235166441 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235167030 Chinese constellations that would have been viewed using Su Song's water clock.]]> 2018-02-25 23:35:49 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235167030 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235167115 Chinese astronomer using a device before Su Song's invention.]]> 2018-02-25 23:36:26 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235167115 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235180754 Star map drawn out by Su Song.]]> 2018-02-26 01:13:59 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235180754 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235181747 Su Song's armillary sphere on top of the water clock for astronomers to use.]]> 2018-02-26 01:20:32 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235181747 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235182362 The "celestial ladder" in Su Song's book--the oldest illustration of an endless power transmitting chain drive.]]> 2018-02-26 01:22:50 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235182362 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235183004 An endless roller chain and sprocket used in the clock tower to operate the rotation of the armillary sphere.]]> 2018-02-26 01:25:47 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235183004 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235191647 A page from the Chinese calendar which Su Song was an expert on.]]> 2018-02-26 02:18:48 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235191647 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235193629 The Ben Cao Tu Jing was a book written by Su Song and others.]]> 2018-02-26 02:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235193629 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235194079 As a poet, he would have created similar looking poems like this one. ]]> 2018-02-26 02:33:24 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235194079 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235195805 Su Song provided illustrations of the water clock tower in his book, Xin Yi Xiang Fa Yao.]]> 2018-02-26 02:42:34 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235195805 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235196622 Su Yong worked alongside other scholars to compile and edit Bencao Tujing, a book on pharmaceutical information.]]> 2018-02-26 02:47:29 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235196622 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235197763 Su Song worked with other mathmeticians and artisans to build the water clock.]]> 2018-02-26 02:54:14 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235197763 kaila_mcdaniel https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235198323 During this time, it was common to eat rice, millet, tea, and tofu.]]> 2018-02-26 02:58:20 UTC https://padlet.com/kaila_mcdaniel/il7dlgdzwrop/wish/235198323