Science and Technology in the Wei,Jin,Southern and Northern Dynasties

During this period of constant military strife，we can observe a further development of all science fields，such as agriculture，mechanical manufacture，mathematics and astronomy，although China lacked political unity and governmental technology policy.Some people made great achievements.

Ma Jun

Ma Jun（the 3rd century），an officer serving under the Wei in the Three Kingdoms Period，was gifted in designing weapons along with certain types of contraptions.One of his designs was the compass vehicle,which not only applies a gear-driven system but also an automatic clutch device. The invention of the automatic clutch device demonstrates the considerable development of a complex drive structure.In addition，he enhanced the weaving machine，greatly improving working efficiency.He also invented a kind of waterwheel，which could continuously lift water from a lower place to a higher one.

Ge Hong

Ge Hong（284-364）was a minor southern official during the Jin Dynasty，best known for his interest in Taoism，alchemy，and techniques of longevity.His most famous work was The Master Embracing Simplicity. It consists of 20“inner chapters” on Taoist themes，50“outer chapters” on more Confucian topics，and an account of his own life.The richness of Ge’s works has inspired many different avenues of academic research andpopular interest in the past decades.Most studies focus on his esoteric writings，such as the “inner chapters.”Recent surveys have emphasized Ge’s importance in the history of science，based on his detailed descriptions of alchemical processes，which are frequently studied in terms of modern chemistry.

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