Zhang Heng

Han Dynasty polymath who invented the world's first seismoscope and revolutionized Chinese astronomy, cartography, and poetry.

Zhang Heng (78–139 CE), a Renaissance man of the Eastern Han Dynasty, made groundbreaking contributions to science and arts. His seismoscope, an intricate bronze device, detected earthquakes hundreds of miles away—a feat unmatched in Europe until the 19th century. This invention demonstrated China's technological prowess and emphasized empirical observation over superstition.

As chief astronomer, Zhang challenged the Huntian cosmological model, refining calculations for celestial movements and creating star maps with 2,500 stars. His hydraulic-powered armillary sphere, a rotating model of the heavens, predated similar European devices by millennia. Beyond science, his poetry like Fu on the Western Capital critiqued imperial excess, blending artistry with social commentary.

Zhang's multidisciplinary genius laid foundations for later innovations like Su Song's clock tower and Shen Kuo's magnetic compass. UNESCO now commemorates his lunar crater name, while modern seismologists credit his work as the origin of earthquake engineering. Historian Joseph Needham dubbed him 'China's Leonardo da Vinci' for bridging science and humanism.