| 2634 BC | Emperor Huang Di (or Ti) invents chariot to guide his troops out of enemy's smoke screen |
| legendary | Fang Bo builds the first south-pointing chariot for emperor Huang Di |
| legendary | Chou Kung gives such a device to ambassadors to get them back home |
| BC | The Duke of Chou constructs the first south-pointing carriage to help envoys from beyond the frontiers find their way home |
| 120 | Chang Hêng reinvents the vehicle |
| 220 .. 265 | Two scholars prove before the court that such a vehicle is impossible |
| 233 .. 237 | Ma Chün constructs a working vehicle for emperor Ming Ti |
| .. 400 | Kou Yuan-Shêng reports, that the south-pointing chariot (probably Ma Chün's machine) is normally garaged in the north gateway of the Government Workshops outside the south gate of the capital |
| 300 | Tshui Pao reports, that the construction is described in a book (not preserved) named Shang Fang Ku Shih |
| 334 .. 349 | Hsieh Fei makes one for emperor Shih Hu |
| 394 .. 416 | Linghu Shêng makes one for emperor Yao Hsing |
| 417 | Linghu Shêng's vehicle is captured by emperor An Ti. It is reported that (at this time) there is no (longer any) machinery, but only a man inside who turns the figure. |
| 423 .. 452 | Kuo Shan-Ming fails to make one for emperor Thopa Tao |
| 423 .. 452 | Ma Yo succeeds, but is killed by Kuo Shan-Ming |
| 478 | Tsu Chhung-Chih makes a new improved (bronze gears) vehicle for emperor Shun Ti |
| 658 | Monk Chih-Yü constructs vehicle for Japanese emperor Wu |
| 666 | Monk Chih-Yu constructs another vehicle for Japanese emperor Wu |
| 806 .. 821 | Chin Kung-Li presents a south-pointing carriage to emperor Thang |
| 1027 | Engineer Yen Su describes his construction |
| 1088 | Su Sung constructs a water wheel clock, using an escapement |
| 1107 | Chamberlain Wu Tê-Jen (Wu Tê-Lung according to other sources) presents a specification, which is successfully built twice |
| 1341 | Chu Tê-Jun describes jade figure from miniature south-pointing carriage |
| 1720 | Joseph Williamson uses differential gear in clock |
| 1879 | Mr. Starley first uses differential gear in a vehicle |
| 1909 | Professor B. Hopkinson remarks, that some mechanism would have been required to ensure that the gears connected to the chariot wheels at right and left were engaged or disengaged when the chariot turned right or left. |
| 1910 | The first mechanical navigation aide "Jones Live Map" is invented. Like in the south-pointing chariot the movement of the road wheels is geared down, but this time to show the relative position of the vehicle on a map |
| 1925 | Moule proposes a realization of Wu Tê-Jen's specification |
| 1937 | Wang Chen-To proposes a realization of Yen Su's specification and builds a working model from it |
| 1947 | Dr. J.B.Kramer discovers references to the mechanical nature of the south-pointing chariot and declares, that the Chinese therefore did not invent the magnetic compass |
| 1947 | George Lanchester proposes that the ancient machines (Ma Chün notably) embodied some kind of differential gear. He builds a working model to prove his concept. |
| 1948 | Pao Ssu-ho proposes another reconstruction. |
| 1955 | F.W. Cousins introduces the Lanchester reconstruction to a broader public, namely the Meccanco fans |
| 1956 | J. Coales points out, that by hanging a carrot from the emperors hand, the south-pointing chariot would become self-steering ! |
| 1977 | Professor André Wegener Sleeswyk publishes a scientific essay on the historic chariots. He prooves their feasibility exactly to the words in the ancient texts. |
| 1978 | Mr. Alan Partridge starts a contest in The Meccano Magazine for the design with the fewest gears. It is shown subsequently that no gears are necessary at all ! |
| 1979 | Mr. Noel C. Ta'Bois publishes a concise treaty on the theoretical aspects. Working specimen are shown, which do not adhere to the "width equals wheel diameter" rule. |
| Some yet unknown designer presents a fourth variant, this time featuring a coaxial gearing around a three-piece axle. |
| Sources: | Needham. Joseph: Science and Civilization in China, Volume
4, Part II, 1965
http://www.usd.gov.hk/hkmh/JOBJECT/j_lobject17e.htm http://www.interaktv.com/HISTORY/ChinaDyn.htm http://www.teatime.com/tea/world/chindyn.htm http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum210/tml/asianTML.htm http://www.user.xpoint.at/grueller/Artikel1.html The Meccano Magazine Sept'55, Jan'57,Jan'77,Jan'78,Apr'78,Oct'79 Chinese Science, Volume II, Jan'77 |