Shen Kuo

Shen Kuo (also Shen Gua, Chinese沈括, Pinyin Shen Kuo, * 1031, † 1095 ) was a Chinese official, scientist, mathematician, geologist, military leader, diplomat and inventor of the compass for navigation. He is regarded as the most important scientist of the Song Dynasty.

Shen was the son of an official in Qiantang River, today's Hangzhou, born and classically educated. He passed state examinations and obtained the title of Jinshi. He was editor of the Imperial Academy and treasurer. As a civil servant, he oversaw the channel and dike at the shoes and at Bianhefluss. After these activities, he moved to Renzhou, Circle Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, where he pursued scientific studies in Mengxigarten. In his comprehensive 30 volumes work, the Mengxi Bitan (also: Meng Xi Bi Tan, Translator with: dream essays, brush notices or entertainments at Dream Brook ), he focused on mathematics, astronomy, geography, geology, mineralogy, chemistry, physics, metallurgy, meteorology, hydraulic engineering, medicine, architecture, biology, and agriculture.

He found that the compass needle does not point north, but to magnetic north, and could make the compass more usable for high maritime traffic over this correction.

In the field of geology, he developed a hypothesis about the origin of soil formations from sediments, as he had fossil shells found hundreds of miles from the sea.

He also dealt with the Buddhist monk Yi Xing ( 672-717 ) of the Tang Dynasty, who had calculated the possible positions on a Go board, which then prepared a special difficulty because he calculated the number still without points system in ten thousands had to express ( the then highest number of common names).