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Ancient Chinese night watchmen used water clocks and incense to tell time

In ancient China, night watchmen were responsible for maintaining order and safety, and they used rudimentary timekeeping devices to track the hours. Their primary tools included clepsydras, or water clocks, which measured time by the regulated flow of water, and incense sticks, which burned at a predictable rate. These methods allowed watchmen to perform their duties effectively in the absence of modern timekeeping technology. AI

RANK_REASON The item discusses historical timekeeping methods, not current AI developments.

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Ancient Chinese night watchmen used water clocks and incense to tell time

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The item discusses historical timekeeping methods, not current AI developments.
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COVERAGE [1]

  1. SCMP — Tech TIER_1 English(EN) · Fran Lu ·

    How ancient Chinese night watchmen patrolled streets, used ‘dripping buckets’ to tell time

    In ancient China, before the advent of mechanical clocks and digital devices, people relied mainly on night watchmen to keep time, prevent fires and maintain their daily routines. But how did the watchmen tell the time? Chinese night watchmen mainly used two methods: clepsydras a…