指南针

独秀文译青年

【中文标题】指南针

【正文】

指南针首先是风水先生发明和使用的。北宋时期，指南针应用于航海事业中，使之有了经久不衰的生命力。北宋前，航海者是利用日月星辰的位置来判定方向。这种方法在天晴时尚可运用，一旦阴雨天，航海者的命运就难以把握了。自从有了指南针，它为航海者带来极大的方便，成为航海家的必备之物。郑和七次下西洋， 哥伦布对美洲大陆的发现和麦哲伦的环球航行，都与指南针的应用分不开。

The compass was firstinvented and used by geomancers. In the Northern Song Dynasty, the compass wasapplied in navigation, which made it immortal. Before the Northern SongDynasty, sailors judged directions through observing the positions of the sun,the moon and stars. This method could be used when it was sunny, but once itwas cloudy or rainy, sailors’ fate would be difficult to handle. Since theappearance of the compass, it has bring sailors great convenience, becoming a necessityof sailors. Zheng He’s seven voyages to the western seas, Columbus’discovery of the Northern America’s continentand Magellan’s voyage round the world were all inseparable with the applicationof the compass。

liulanchun

指南针的应用，促进了世界各地的交流