The Jiligu Cart, also known as the Jidao or Dazhang Cart, literally means a mileage-recording drumming cart.

The Jiligu Cart had a group of gears that were driven by the wheels. One of the gears would rotate exactly once every one li (half a kilometer), and would drive the wooden man located on top of the vehicle to beat a drum or bell to report the mileage.

History records state that Ma Jun in the Wei Dynasty (220-265) of the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) was the first man to produce the Jiligu Cart. Besides, he also invented the Compass Vehicle, improved the textile machine, and designed a water-driven large-scale song-and-dance puppet band mechanism. 

Later, Lu Daolong's production of the Jiligu Cart in 1027, and Wu Deren's production of the Jiligu Cart in 1107 were both recorded in the official history book of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). 

The Jiligu Cart is a classic primarily for its decelerating gear cluster; it is also the remote forefather of the modern taximeter and speedometer. The time-announcing facility on some clocks also had its origin in the Jiligu Cart.

Author: Jeff

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