Chinaisuniversallyacknowledgedasthecountrywherethecompasswasinvented.Thecompass,originallycalledSinan,asouth-pointingladle,appearedduringtheWarringStatesPeriod.Generally,thedirectionsofnorth,east,westandsouthareshownonthecompass,andsoaretheanglemarkingsindegrees.Northcorrespondstozerodegree,andthedegreesincreaseclockwise.AsoneofthefourgreatinventionsofancientChina,thecompassplayedanimportantroleinpeople’slife,especiallyinmaritimeundertakings.Italsohadasignificantinfluenceonthewesternworld,asthereafterthosecountriesbeganlarge-scaleoverseasadventures.