The sundial sculpture at the front gate of Shenzhen University (SZU) is installed incorrectly in reverse, as is the one in Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, said Sun Zhengfan, a Ph.D. in astrophysics, sznews.com reported yesterday.
A sundial is a device used outdoors, especially in the past, for telling the time of day when the sun is shining. It consists of a flat plate called the dial, which is marked with hours like a clock, and a gnomon, which casts a shadow upon the dial to determine the time.
According to Sun, the gnomon, which should point to the star Polaris, is instead pointing to the south in these two sculptures. He offered two suggestions to solve the problem. One is to adjust the direction of the gnomon, while the other is to adjust the dial by making it parallel to the equator of the Earth and keep the gnomon vertical to the dial.
However, a netizen pointed out that the incorrect position is purposeful, intended to exorcise spirits, as his alma mater also has a sundial sculpture that is in reverse direction.
Some netizens argue that with the popularity of watches, clocks and mobile phones, checking time has become so simple and easy that the sundial’s decorative intention is of greater importance than its practicality. In this case, installing a sundial sculpture doesn’t necessarily abide by ancient methods.
Others have voiced the opinion that inherited traditions should be kept intact so as to avoid misleading people.