According to the History of Later Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), Zhang Heng's seismograph was an urn-like instrument with a central pendulum. An earth tremor would cause the pendulum to loose balance and activate a set of levers inside.

Then, one of the eight dragons placed in eight directions outside the urn would release a bronze ball held in its mouth. The ball would fall into the mouth of a toad and give off a sound in the meantime, letting people know when and in which direction an earthquake had occurred....

http://www.china.org.cn/english/scitech/131762.htm

Now we know ZHANG Heng picked toads to symbolize the occurance of earthquake with a reason.

Jacco, Your quote of our Archean Great seismology father-zhangHeng's seismograph really can give us a alert for this disaster from your description, It's so pity that our media only can linked it to glabal changes and didin't have others analyse this phenomena. Our grandfather can invented this sicentific measuring tool . Why we cannot create much more scientific advanced Technology to forecast the Earthquake in this so modern scienty?

I'm confused by this question since this disaster.

Quoting from [Jacco]:

News have been reported since last Friday that toads were jumping all over the places in Sichuan and even in Shanghai:

 

 

 

 

Sadly most news media only got some biologists to explain the story from perspective of global temperature change. If they would have linked it to the wisdom of our great grandfathers, people might have been more alert and thus less casualties and dead toll.

 

 

 

According to the History of Later Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), Zhang Heng's seismograph was an urn-like instrument with a central pendulum. An earth tremor would cause the pendulum to loose balance and activate a set of levers inside.

Then, one of the eight dragons placed in eight directions outside the urn would release a bronze ball held in its mouth. The ball would fall into the mouth of a toad and give off a sound in the meantime, letting people know when and in which direction an earthquake had occurred....

http://www.china.org.cn/english/scitech/131762.htm

Now we know ZHANG Heng picked toads to symbolize the occurance of earthquake with a reason.

 

Quoting from [Jacco]:

News have been reported since last Friday that toads were jumping all over the places in Sichuan and even in Shanghai:

 

 

 

 

Sadly most news media only got some biologists to explain the story from perspective of global temperature change. If they would have linked it to the wisdom of our great grandfathers, people might have been more alert and thus less casualties and dead toll.

 

 

Now we know ZHANG Heng picked toads to symbolize the occurance of earthquake with a reason.

 

Thank you for your post, I just learned something new and important.  Like the sudnely disappearence of the sea shore waters before a Tsunami... this should be informed to people all over the world.

My hearts goes to all the victims of this terrible tragedy in China, in special to the children.

Love,
LisiSilveira

Quoting from [lisi]:

Quoting from [Jacco]:

News have been reported since last Friday that toads were jumping all over the places in Sichuan and even in Shanghai:

 

 

 

 

Sadly most news media only got some biologists to explain the story from perspective of global temperature change. If they would have linked it to the wisdom of our great grandfathers, people might have been more alert and thus less casualties and dead toll.

 

 

Now we know ZHANG Heng picked toads to symbolize the occurance of earthquake with a reason.

 

My deepest sympathy and prayers goes to the victims.  May God brings comfort and love to their surviving families

I am confused why people can forecast the earthquake by such simple instrument in ancient period but why people cannot do it by the modern instrument nowadays? At the same time,  I am so sad about the suffering and dead people, and so disappointed& angry with the local Earthquake Forecasting Bureau, what were they doing every day? Our compatriots, our pity compatriots, I cry for you and sincerely hope you can get rid of the disaster at the earliest!! Let all the Chinese hold together to fight!!!

Quoting from [Jacco]:

News have been reported since last Friday that toads were jumping all over the places in Sichuan and even in Shanghai:

 

 

 

 

Sadly most news media only got some biologists to explain the story from perspective of global temperature change. If they would have linked it to the wisdom of our great grandfathers, people might have been more alert and thus less casualties and dead toll.

 

 

 

According to the History of Later Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), Zhang Heng's seismograph was an urn-like instrument with a central pendulum. An earth tremor would cause the pendulum to loose balance and activate a set of levers inside.

Then, one of the eight dragons placed in eight directions outside the urn would release a bronze ball held in its mouth. The ball would fall into the mouth of a toad and give off a sound in the meantime, letting people know when and in which direction an earthquake had occurred....

http://www.china.org.cn/english/scitech/131762.htm

Now we know ZHANG Heng picked toads to symbolize the occurance of earthquake with a reason.

 

let us pray for the ppl who are now encountering the disaster and try our best to help them

Quoting from

where is the wisdom,

pls take the lesson of the loss at the earthquake.

Quoting from [Joyce Tam]:

I am confused why people can forecast the earthquake by such simple instrument in ancient period but why people cannot do it by the modern instrument nowadays? At the same time,  I am so sad about the suffering and dead people, and so disappointed& angry with the local Earthquake Forecasting Bureau, what were they doing every day? Our compatriots, our pity compatriots, I cry for you and sincerely hope you can get rid of the disaster at the earliest!! Let all the Chinese hold together to fight!!!

Well, Zhang Heng's instrument can only sense the earth quake after it happened, not predict.

Precise earth quake prediction is still an almost impossible task.

Quoting from [039A]:

Quoting from [Joyce Tam]:

I am confused why people can forecast the earthquake by such simple instrument in ancient period but why people cannot do it by the modern instrument nowadays? At the same time,  I am so sad about the suffering and dead people, and so disappointed& angry with the local Earthquake Forecasting Bureau, what were they doing every day? Our compatriots, our pity compatriots, I cry for you and sincerely hope you can get rid of the disaster at the earliest!! Let all the Chinese hold together to fight!!!

Well, Zhang Heng's instrument can only sense the earth quake after it happened, not predict.

Precise earth quake prediction is still an almost impossible task.

Even sense not predict, 4 days in advance also can avoid the loss ASAP, Students would not sit in the classroom..................................

Really angry and sad about this disaster!