"How did Mo Jiazi do it?" The little sorcerer asked in shock. At that moment, his face no longer had the disdain from before. His respect for Mo Jiazi skyrocketed. If Mo Jiazi could be accurate down to the second, then he could be accurate down to how many seconds were in a minute, how many seconds were in a moment, how many seconds were in an hour, how many seconds were in a day, and how many seconds were in a year.
"I think Mo Jiazi has already made the answer public." Yin-yang Zi looked below the four-sided clock. A huge pendulum clock was swinging continuously. Every time it swung, the second hand would move.
"The Mohist's machinery is indeed magical. I can't believe they came up with such a magical method." The people of Chang 'an who were watching also instantly understood this principle. It turned out that the time for each swing of the pendulum was fixed. The Mohists defined the time for each swing of the pendulum as one second. This was much better than the Daoist's definition of one breath as one second.
"This is something you don't know. I heard that Mo Jiazi discovered the pendulum clock's principle because of a love story on a swing," one of the Chang 'an citizens gossiped mysteriously.
"Is there such a thing? Tell us, tell us!" The surrounding people immediately started cheering.
"I heard that the Eldest Senior Sister of the Mo Clan and His Highness Prince Jin were dating on a swing. After they were discovered by Mo Jiazi, not only was she not punished, but Mo Jiazi also got the inspiration for the pendulum clock from the swing."
Then, the gossiper exaggerated the story of how Meton discovered the pendulum clock. Naturally, he ignored the fact that Mo Sha and Mo Tan were punished. Instead, he focused on Wu Meiniang and Li Zhi's unrequited love.
"Ugh!"
Everyone looked at each other. They did not expect such a significant invention to be related to a man and a woman on a swing under the moon.
"Who hasn't played on a swing before? We only want to play, but Mo Jiazi discovered the truth from it. It's really infuriating to compare oneself to others," many of the citizens sighed in admiration.
"Mo Jiazi is just a little bit quick-witted," the little sorcerer from the Yin-Yang school said unhappily.
Yin-yang Zi shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Since ancient times, many great things have been related to luck. Mo Jiazi is a person with great luck. It seems that the heavens stand with Mo Jiazi......"
The Yin-Yang school was an expert in the Dao of Luck. Naturally, they could tell that the Mo family's Dao of Luck was at its peak. It would be extremely difficult for the Yin-Yang school to steal the Mo family's Dao of Luck.
........
. com, a total of twelve chimes.....
"It's time!" The people around the clocks discussed excitedly.
..... Yin-yang Zi suddenly raised his head and looked at the clocks in disbelief. Yin-yang Zi looked at the sun in the south. It was a quarter to noon, but the clocks had chimed twelve times. This did not match the order of the twelve hours. More importantly, the two chimes did not last for two hours.
"One minute is sixty seconds, which is the same as sixty-one cycles. Sixty minutes is far less than two hours. In other words, Mo Jiazi has changed the way of time." Yin-yang Zi revealed a strange smile. The twelve hours, the heavenly stems and the earth branches, had been a Chinese tradition for thousands of years. Now that Mo Jiazi had changed the way of time, it would definitely cause a huge uproar. This time, Mo Jiazi's luck would definitely be affected. Perhaps the Yin-Yang school of the Yin-Yang school would find a flaw.
"Mo Jiazi has changed the way of time."
As the twelve huge Indian numbers circled around the clocks, everyone was in an uproar. More and more people began to discuss. They were already used to using the 24-hour time system, but they couldn't accept that the Mo Family suddenly changed the time system.
Under the four-faced clock, almost everyone stared blankly at the twelve numbers on it. They were confused and didn't know how to calculate the time.
Not only were the people not used to it, but even Zu Mingjun, who had participated in the creation of the clocks, was also not used to it. Looking at the twelve numbers, he could not help but smile bitterly. He thought of the argument he had with Mo Jiazi over the definition of one second.
If a pendulum clock was defined as one second, then two hours would be exactly seven thousand and two hundred seconds, and the circle would be three hundred and sixty degrees. It was impossible to divide it.
Zu Mingjun had once suggested that two pendulums should be defined as one second. That way, two hours would be exactly three thousand and six hundred seconds. For this, Zu Mingjun had specially asked Brother Mo Jiazi if he could do it with the current technology of the Mo Jiazi school. Brother Mo Jiazi patted his chest and said it was easy.
However, when they handed their perfect design to Mo Jiazi, Meton resolutely opposed it. Even now, Zu Mingjun still remembered Meton's words.
"To normal people, whether the definition of one second wavered once or twice did not have any effect. However, to us, the Hundred Schools of Thought, the effects would be detrimental for a thousand years. Back then, when the ancestor of the Zu Clan, Zu Chongzhi, was calculating the circumference, he had spent his entire life only to define the circumference at 3.1415926. Was there a difference between 3.14 and 3.1415926 to an ordinary person? Of course there was no difference. But why did Zu Chongzhi persevere and persist in calculating it? Because this was the meaning of precision, the tireless pursuit of all the Hundred Schools of Thought, the foundation for the Hundred Schools of Thought to continue advancing.
Right now, we can accurately measure a second to one pendulum clock, but in order to cater to the secular world, we've chosen to limit a second to two pendulum clocks. Our accuracy has instantly dropped by half. This is absolutely intolerable. Otherwise, our Hundred Schools will suffer a backlash in the future. "Meton's expression was solemn.
"But two hours and three thousand six hundred seconds is the best way to calculate the traditional twenty-four hours!" Zu Mingjun retorted.
Meton said decisively, "The purpose of our Hundred Schools of Thought is to lead the secular world and guide its progress, not to cater to the views of the secular world and change the knowledge of the Hundred Schools of Thought."
"Then why don't we change the minute hand method?" Zu Mingjun probed.
Meton asked in return, "Can we make the minute hand give up the sixty-cycle method and move 120 times?"
Zu Mingjun couldn't help but sigh. Sixty seconds was one minute, and sixty minutes was one hour. One hour was exactly three thousand six hundred seconds, and three hundred and sixty degrees of the circle. Changing either one would be imperfect.
Meton took a breath and said, "Actually, you're right. Three thousand six hundred seconds for one hour is the best choice. Since the minute and second are both measured by sixty-one cycles, changing either one is inappropriate. Then we'll divide the hour into two hours. In this way, the twenty-four hours of the day can be divided into twenty-four hours. In this way, we only need to make the hour hand move twice a day to perfectly solve the problem."
"You're going to give up the twenty-four hour method!"
Zu Mingjun was shocked and looked at Meton in disbelief. Originally, Meton wanted to give up the method of time. If this were to spread, it would cause a huge uproar.
Meton sighed and said, "Since we can only choose between the sixty-cycle method and the twenty-four hour method, we'll give up on the twenty-four hour method and use the numbers from one to twelve. This way, we'll be able to see things more clearly. It'll also correspond with the number of chimes. The people only need to hear a few chimes to know what time it is. It'll be more convenient."
"Giving up the twenty-four hour method and changing it to twenty-four hours a day, will the people accept this?" Zu Mingjun asked hesitantly.
Meton spread out his hands and said, "Weren't you the one who suggested that the two hour method should be three thousand six hundred seconds?
Zu Mingjun was shocked and looked at his bad friend in disbelief. He exclaimed, "You're saying that you want me to be the scapegoat?"
Meton chuckled and said, "As a mathematician, what do you think is more important, precision or common customs? You choose!"
Zu Mingjun was conflicted for a long time before he helplessly lowered his head. As a descendant of the Zu Family, he had no choice but to walk down the path of his ancestors. In the world of mathematics, precision was more important than anything else.
"Master is right!" Wu Meiniang's firm voice sounded in his ears, waking Zu Mingjun from his memories.
"Master is right!" Wu Meiniang said firmly. Ever since Meton led the School of Mo into the world, he had never made a mistake. This time, the reform would definitely be carried out.
"Let's hope so!" Zu Mingjun said helplessly. Since he was already the scapegoat, he could only trust Mo Jiazi.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
