在中國悠久的歷史長河中，出現了一些極其重要的發明，指南針(compass)是其中最重要的發明之一。根據古書記載，遠古的人們在生產和斗爭中利用天然磁體來指示方向。在戰國時期(the Warring States Period)出現了最早的指南針——司南[sinan(a south.pointingladle)]。司南由刻有24個方位的“地盤(brass plate)”和一個由整塊天然磁石制成的“(1adle)”兩部分組成。到宋朝，沈括在《夢溪筆談》(Dream Pool Essays)中對水浮式(floating)指南針作了介紹。這使得指南針能夠首次應用于航海。指南針的發明促進了航海業的發展，不久經阿拉伯傳入歐洲。

　　參考譯文：

　　China's long history has witnessed some extremely important inventions, among which the compass is one of them. According to ancient records, people in remote antiquity employed natural magnet as direction-finding device in their production and struggle efforts. During the Warring States Period, there appeared the earliest form of compass---sinan (a south-pointing ladle), consisting of a brass plate on which 24 directions were careed and a ladle made from a single piece of natural magnet. In the Song Dynasty, Shen Kuo described in his book Dream Pool Essays the floating compass, which enabled the compass to be applied in navigation for the first time. The invention of the compass promoted the development of maritime undertakings, and it was soon introduced to Europe via Arab.

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