Primarily, the compass was used for geomancy for a long time before it was used for navigation Ancient Chinese alchemists realized that the magnetite ore would point towards a magnetic north. Their ...

According to ancient records, natural magnets were employed in China as direction-finding devices. This led to the first compass, called a sinan (south-pointing ladle) during the Warring States ...

In ancient China, although Taoist empirical mysticism ... printing, the magnetic compass and efficient animal harness, which changed the course of civilization, were made in China, modern science ...