How to make a sinan司南 by Lu Lei鲁磊
The ancient Chinese compass (罗盘 luópán) was a groundbreaking navigational tool invented during the Han Dynasty (2nd century BCE–1st century CE). Initially used for divination, it evolved into a magnetized ladle-shaped needle (司南 sīnán) on a bronze plate, later adopting the floating needle design by the Song Dynasty (11th century). Unlike modern compasses, it integrated geomancy (风水) markings for alignment with cosmic forces (qi).
The Chinese families often hire Daoist specialists (道士daoshi) to use a feng shui compass (罗盘 luopan) to determine auspicious locations, especially for ancestral graves (祖坟zufen). The Daoist analyzes terrain, energy flows (qi), and celestial alignments through the compass’s concentric rings (e.g., 24 mountains, I-Ching symbols), ensuring the site harmonizes with cosmic forces to bless descendants.
