Replica of the famous earthquake detector invented by Han Dynasty (206 BC-221 AD) Chinese astronomer and scholar Chang Heng. Lidded porcelain jar in underglaze blue porcelain with eight porcelain dragons attached crouching head-down to sides and eight separate small toads accompanying. Approximately 17 inches tall, 17 inches across, 54 inches in circumference. Shipping weight about 60 pounds.

An ornate and beautiful (non-functioning) replica of the original eight foot tall bronze instrument devised to detect the directional origin of earthquakes. The device was postitioned with the dragons oriented to the points of the compass and when an earthquake struck, a pendulum suspended within the vessel would be set in motion to trigger the mouth of one of the dragons to open and release a ball contained within which would drop into the open mouth of one of the toads positioned below. Depending on which ball dropped the direction of origin of the earthquake would be indicated.