The Slave Who Told Time

Born a government slave in Joseon Korea, Chang Yngsil rose through sheer craftsmanship to become one of King Sejong's most valued court engineers, building a self-striking water clock, an armillary sphere, public sundials, and rain gauges that gave the kingdom its own independent astronomical calendar. His triumph was cut short when a royal palanquin he built broke in transit, leading to his flogging and expulsion from court, after which he vanishes from the historical record entirely. Harmonia traces how Chang's inventions drew on centuries of borrowed Arab and Chinese knowledge, and how what he built kept moving forward long after he disappeared from it. Transcript available at: https://harmonia.email/podcast-episode/slave-who-told-time Share and read comments: https://harmonia.email/podcast-comments?field_podcast_feed_value=harmonia_s_history&from_node=424