Compass Use in Navigation

Timeline

1. c. 1044Kaifeng · Northern SongNorthern Song texts such as the Wujing Zongyao record floating magnetic needles pointing south, marking the compass's transition from divination observation to practical navigation and laying the theoretical and instrumental foundation for later maritime use.
2. c. 1200–1368Quanzhou · FujianDuring the Song and Yuan periods, merchant ships at ports such as Quanzhou and Guangzhou were commonly equipped with water compasses and compass routes (records of navigational bearings), forming a systematic method of maritime navigation that supported long-distance trade between China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Arab world.
3. 1381–1390Liujiagang, Taicang · JiangsuAlthough maritime bans were repeatedly issued between 1381 and 1390 in the early Ming, tributary trade and smuggler ships still relied on the compass to determine their course; naval forces and merchant vessels at ports such as Taicang and Ningbo were equipped with compasses, accumulating navigational experience for Zheng He's seven voyages after 1405.
4. c. 1405–1433Indian Ocean routes · AsiaDuring Zheng He's seven voyages to the Western Seas, the compass was combined with compass route records in the Zheng He Navigation Chart, achieving transoceanic orientation and position estimation, representing the pinnacle of ancient Chinese maritime navigation technology.