The Story of Compass details the invention and perfection of the compass. Like many Chinese inventions, it was the fruit of labors and trial and error of working over many years. The invention of the compass came from the discovery of the lodestone and the use of its properties in showing the direction. In this process people invented devices such as the si nan, south-pointing fish and tortoise, as well as the water compass and the dry compass. While lodestone was used to indicate direction, Ma Jun, Zu Chongzhi and other scientific-minded people invented south-pointing chariots based on machinery principles. All of these inventions crystallize the wisdom of ancient Chinese. China was not only the country to invent the compass, but also the first to use the device in navigation, which carries great importance in the history of human cultures.