Astronomical Instruments of the Imperial Observatory

A woodblock print illustration within a double-line border features two scientific or mathematical instruments, likely dividers or compasses used for surveying or geometry. The top illustration shows a pair of dividers with a curved, graduated scale connecting the two legs, resembling a sector or a proportional compass. The legs are spread wide, and the right leg rests on a textured ground line with small tufts of vegetation. The bottom illustration shows a standard pair of dividers or a compass with straight, tapered legs, standing upright on a horizontal ground line. To the right of the top instrument, there is a vertical inscription in Chinese characters.

Figure Forty-Seven