Western emissaries brought in various kinds of clocks, which could tick, strike, rotate, tweet like a bird, play music or make water flow, to the Chinese emperors as tributes during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Photo shows an automaton clock which features a mechanical man in British costume sitting at a desk with a Chinese calligraphy brush in his hand.

 Click to see how the miniature man writes with the calligraphy brush.

Related article: Elaborate clocks, access to emperors

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10