Diptych dial. This rectangular lacquered boxwood dial divides into two leaves that fold together when not in use. Leaf Ia carries a proverb in Chinese characters in red and black: 'Light smoke disperses people from lords' houses' and, at the bottom, 'Shadow of Sun and Moon'. Leaf Ib features a vertical dial marked with Chinese characters. Four further red characters appear above the dial: 'Small time must be guarded'. Leaf IIa contains the horizontal dial, numbered in Chinese, and two red characters at the base of the dial read 'Sun plate'. There are two rings with black and red characters around the central inset compass; the inner eight are the main compass points; the outer 24 are the feng-shui (geomantic) compass directions named with the 12 animals and 12 elements.

The compass is of a grey metal and marked with a meridian line. The needle is reddened at its South end and the glass plate is held in place by a black ring. A red string gnomon, for latitude 41° North, is attached between the two leaves. Leaf IIb features more Chinese characters giving the name of the town, district and maker's name: 'Xin-An, Xiu-Li, Wang Yang-Qi'. This is a standard Chinese diptych dial.

For more information regarding this dial please refer to the OUP & NMM catalogue, 'Sundials at Greenwich'.