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92/156 Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990. Click to enlarge.
  • Image 1 of 5, 92/156 Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990. Click to enlarge
  • Image 2 of 5, 92/156 Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990. Click to enlarge
  • Image 3 of 5, 92/156 Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990. Click to enlarge
  • Image 4 of 5, 92/156 Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990. Click to enlarge
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    Image 5 of 5, 92/156 Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990. Click to enlarge

A Korean rain gauge

In 1442, some 200 years before data on rainfall was being kept in Europe, rain gauges of a design similar to this one were distributed to every province in Korea. The rain gauges were all of a uniform size adopted a standard unit of measurement. This enabled the emperor to keep accurate records whose data could then be used to improve agricultural technology in Korea.

These early rain gauges were designed by Jang Yeong-sil whose patron was King Sejong the Great who reigned the Choson Dynasty …

Summary

Object No.

92/156

Object Statement

Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990

Physical Description

Rain gauge, cast iron, designed by Jang Yeong-sil 1442, made in Korea, 1990

A rain gauge consisting of three cylindrical sections which fit together vertically to form a tank like vessel that is open at the top to allow rain water to be collected for measurement. The bottom section of the rain gauge has a flat base while the upper two sections are open at each end. Korean text has been engraved on the outside of the central portion of the rain gauge.

Short URL

https://ma.as/122107

Dimensions

Height

322 mm

Depth

156 mm

Source

Credit Line

Gift of the Korean Office of Cultural Properties, 1992

Acquisition Date

16 February 1992

Cite this Object

Harvard

A Korean rain gauge 2021, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 25 March 2023, <https://ma.as/122107>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/122107 |title=A Korean rain gauge |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=25 March 2023 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}

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