What did Steelyard Clepsydra look like?

A steelyard with a receiving vessel suspended at one end and a counterweight at the other. Water drips from a constant-flow clepsydra into the receiving vessel.

How did Steelyard Clepsydra work?

Constant-flow water input → receiving vessel weight increases linearly → the steelyard's tilt corresponds to time markings. Each jin of weight gained equals one ke (刻) of time.

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秤漏

Steelyard Clepsydra

A gravimetric timekeeping system that measures time by weight change, computing elapsed time by weighing the water accumulated in the receiving vessel.

秤漏

Scientific Principle

Weight-accumulation timekeeping: weight W = ρQt, mass is proportional to time. The steelyard's displacement indicates elapsed time.