Seismoscope - Zhang Heng The Leonardo da Vinci of ancient China
was Zhang Heng (79-139AD) an inventor, astronomer, engineer,
scientist, scholar and artist. His most intriguing design,
created almost 2000 years ago was the design of the first
earthquake sensing device invented. This ancient, art-science,
sculptural instrument named Houfeng didong yi could remotely
detect earthquakes hundreds of kilometres away. Known as a
Seismoscope, this inertia sensing instrument was the very
beginning for the science's in the field of seismology. Zhang
Heng believed that earthquakes were caused by wind and air; "The
chief cause of earthquake is air, an element naturally swift and
shifting from place to place. As long as it is not stirred, but
lurks in a vacant space, it reposes innocently, giving no
trouble to objects around it. But any cause coming upon it from
without rouses it, or compresses it, and drives it into a narrow
space ... and when opportunity of escape is cut off, then 'With
deep murmur of the Mountain it roa