Chinese Compass (Sinan / Luo Pan)

Timeline

1. 100–1100Central Plains and Jiangnan regions · ChinaFrom the sinan recorded in the Han Feizi to Shen Kuo's Dream Pool Essays describing magnetic needles floating on water and the suspension method, China gradually mastered artificial magnetization of steel needles and the phenomenon of magnetic declination, laying theoretical and craft foundations for the dial compass.
2. c. 1251–1260Quanzhou port and Lin'an Prefecture · Fujian CircuitBy the late Southern Song, dial compasses were fitted to merchant and warships, used with needle-route books recording courses, supporting trade and military movements toward the South Seas and the southeast coast; under pressure from the Mongol invasion, the navy relied even more on compass navigation at night and in fog.
3. c. 1260–1400East Asian and Indian Ocean routes · Indian OceanThrough Song and Yuan merchants and envoys, compass navigation spread to Goryeo, Japan, and the Arab world, becoming a common element of transoceanic navigation and providing directional reference for ocean voyaging before the later Age of Discovery.