The escapement mechanism of Su's clock tower had been invented by Buddhist monk Yi Xing and government official Liang Lingzan in 725 AD to operate a water-powered armillary sphere, although Su's armillary sphere was the first to be provided with a mechanical clock drive. Su Song was the engineer for a hydro-mechanical astronomical clock tower in medieval Kaifeng, which employed the use of an early escapement mechanism. Excelling in a variety of fields, he was accomplished in mathematics, astronomy, cartography, geography, horology, pharmacology, mineralogy, metallurgy, zoology, botany, mechanical engineering, hydraulic engineering, civil engineering, invention, art, poetry, philosophy, antiquities, and statesmanship during the Song Dynasty (960–1279). Su Song ( simplified Chinese: 苏颂 traditional Chinese: 蘇頌 pinyin: Sū Sòng Pe̍h-ōe-jī: So͘ Siōng courtesy name: Zirong 子容) (1020–1101 AD) was a Chinese polymathic scientist and statesman. Illustration of the inner workings of the Astronomical Clock Tower
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