A full-scale armillary sphere model is being showcased at an exhibition of ancient technologies and arts which is on going at the Shen Shou Art Gallery in Chongchuan district, Nantong, Jiangsu province.

Armillary spheres, the ancient equivalent to modern astronomical telescopes, were used to measure the locations and movements of stars and have a history of more than 2,000 years. 

The first multifunctional armillary sphere powered by a mechanical clock was invented by Jiang Yu, a famous scientist during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) who was born in Nantong.

The full-scale model was created over the course of four years by Wu Min, a master of Chinese traditional arts, along with his team. It took three gold medals at the 42rd Milan Expo and China Art Exposition, which was held in Milan, Italy in 2015, and also won the gold medal at the China Arts and Crafts Expo in 2014.

Wu said that the number of working armillary spheres is shrinking, and the craft is in danger of disappearing. He expressed hope that more people will be encouraged to preserve the tradition through his efforts.

The exhibition will last to Oct 20.

A full-scale armillary sphere model is showcased at an exhibition of ancient technologies and arts, which is on going at the Shen Shou Art Gallery. [Photo/ntjoy.com]