Sundial

Sundial is used to mark the beginning of the opening ceremony of 2008 Beijing Olympic game. Sundial is not unique to China since many civilizations have all developed different versions or styles of this ancient time keeping instrument. One simple example is to just plant a column on floor, and to observe the change of its shadow under the sun. This will tell the time in daytime. The method was still used in many part of China until a hundred years ago. Indeed, the meaning of the Chinese words sundial （日晷） means the shadow of sun.

The most famous sundial in China is the one in Forbidden city. It is considered the standard time of the entire empire. The sundial is put in the court yard of the emperor with the stand scale or Jia Liang, to indicate that the emperor is the final authority of the country.


Another famous sundial was becoming popular with the rise of a Chinese university, Tsinghua University. The sundial was used to remind the students the time to go back and study. It is now a favorite visitors' spot to refresh the best time of the life.

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