Compass

Date1842

MediumWood, glass

DimensionsObject/Work: 125 mm

ClassificationsScience/Medicine

Terms

Object numberC02963

DescriptionCircular, wooden Chinese astrological compass or Luopan. It has Chinese characters in red and black radiating out in circular bands from the compass in the centre. The compass is embedded into a metal plate known as the 'heaven dial' and has a glass cover. The needle points to the south as this is the most important direction in feng-shui. Taken from China during the 1842 war.

Compasses such as this one would have been used to find appropriate sites for graves, houses or other structures according to feng-shui. The characters on the circular bands replate to direction, astrology, the calendar and sometimes timing.

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