The North Star, a celestial body that has captured the imaginations of many, is a constant presence in the night sky. It sits almost directly above the Earth’s axis, a steady point in the dance of the heavens. As a child, I remember gazing up on clear nights, finding comfort in the knowledge that this star could guide me home. It might just be the earliest astronomical knowledge I ever picked up.
Fast forward to a time when I was a bit older, and I discovered another "North Star" in the seaside city of Yantai on the Shandong Peninsula. This "North Star" wasn’t a star at all, but the famous Yantai North Star Clock Factory, which boasts a history of a hundred years.
One sweltering summer day in 2020, we were warmly guided by Ma Suping, a well-known financial writer in Yantai, to the very first clock culture museum in the country—the North Star Clock Culture Museum. Nestled by the seaside scenic area, with a view of the Island across the water, the museum is housed in a century-old Western-style building, standing out amidst the modern skyscrapers that surround it.
Stepping into the museum, the first thing that catches the eye is a towering, exquisitely crafted "Bao" brand grandfather clock from 1945. The courtyard is home to a sculpture named "North Morning Establishing the Pole," a representation of the North Star.
As we delved deeper into the museum, we were greeted by the ancient Chinese sundial, a symbol of our country’s leading timekeeping achievements four thousand years ago. There were all sorts of sandglass and water clocks, and a three-meter-high time-keeping cart that drew the attention of visitors. A seven-year-old boy named Lele, with his hands on his hips, listened intently to the guide’s explanation in front of the "Water-Driven" invented by the famous Eastern Han Dynasty scientist Zhang Heng. The little guy, quietly immersed in the world of these intricate timepieces, had just finished his first-grade and was already trying his hand at keeping a diary. His diary entries after visiting the clock museum received praise from many adults, earning him a sense of pride from his grandparents.
We were then led to the Yantai Clock Industry Development History Exhibition Hall. The clock-making industry in Yantai began to thrive in 1915, with Mr. Li Dongshan, a national industrialist, establishing the country’s first mechanical clock factory—Yantai Bao Shi Clock Factory. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the clockmakers, represented by the "North Star" brand, continuously explored and innovated, achieving glorious accomplishments. The "North Star" clocks went from being a niche luxury to a household item.
The industry has seen many firsts: in 1918, the Bao Shi Clock Factory produced the first batch of mechanical clocks that could run for eight days; in 1931, the Dexing Clock Factory produced the first batch of mechanical clocks that could run for fourteen days. These achievements during the nascent days of the national manufacturing industry are worthy of admiration.
After the founding of New China, the clock industry in Yantai created new records that attracted worldwide attention in terms of clock culture connotation, art, and technological content. I learned during the visit that in 1957, Yantai Clock Factory developed the first mechanical clock for ships, in 1967, the first high-precision quartz astronomical clock for earthquake monitoring, in 1971, the first quartz reporting clock for ships, in 1983, Yantai Wood Clock Factory produced the first batch of 31-day mechanical clock movements and heavy hammer clocks, and in 1987, it produced the first cat-shaped kinetic quartz clock in the country.
Speaking of "North Star" clocks, they have a special connection to my family. In 1988, I was awarded the Outstanding Information Officer by the Zibo Municipal Government, and my prize was this cat-shaped kinetic quartz clock that had just hit the market. It remained in my home for nearly thirty years until a few years ago when it was discarded because the bird’s eyes and the pendulum no longer moved.
When talking about this with Comrade Suping, who is an "unofficial spokesperson" for the "North Star" clock culture, she said with regret, "Clocks can be repaired. Clocks from thirty years ago are already cultural relics."
Thinking back, the "North Star" clock and my family do have a special bond. In 1987, I was awarded the title of Advanced Worker in Staff Education in Zibo City, and my prize was also an electronic quartz clock with a wooden frame. Although it has been thirty-three years, it still keeps accurate time and is still in use in my living room.
Going further back, more than forty years ago, my mother saw a "North Star" clock in a relative’s house. It had a yellow wooden case that was dignified and stylish. Fully wound, it could keep running for over half a month. At that time, "North Star" clocks were very scarce and had to be purchased with tickets. My father went through a lot of trouble to get one through his connections. My mother cherished it, even getting a glass cover made to dustproof it, and she had my younger sister contribute a light blue gauze scarf to drape over the glass cover.
In the museum, a row of luxurious and elegant grandfather clocks caught my eye. The first time I saw such majestic grandfather clocks was in movies when I was in elementary school. I remember watching the colorful film "Red Detachment of Women," where "Nanbatian’s" house had a grandfather clock (which definitely wasn’t a "North Star" brand). The close-up of "Nanbatian" and the grandfather clock at the end of the film left a deep impression on me. Back then, grandfather clocks were a symbol of the wealthy.
Nowadays, "North Star" is not only a symbol of wealth but also a messenger of friendship. Among my financial colleagues, we used to have a saying about gift-giving: "When talking about ‘good intentions,’ let’s ‘turn the time’." For a while, "North Star" grandfather clocks were all the rage across the country. In the second half of 1996, as various branches of the Agricultural Development Bank of China were established one after another, the most popular gift they received was the "North Star" grandfather clock. At that time, almost every business hall, meeting room, and reception room had a "North Star" clock.
In those years, "North Star" clocks became essential gifts for inter-unit exchanges and for families at weddings and other joyous occasions. A colleague from my unit got married and asked me, who had a friend working at the "North Star" clock factory, to buy a "North Star" wall clock as a gift.
We came to the World Clock Treasure Exhibition Area, where over 500 ancient and modern clock originals (reproductions) were displayed, bearing witness to the development of clock industry in China and the world. Clocks have completely recorded the history of industrial development.
A clock driven by six small copper men caught Lele’s attention, who had been listening intently to the guide’s explanations. He pointed at the strange clocks, asking all sorts of questions. In front of a wall-mounted bird-shaped self-sounding clock, it was time to strike, and the small window at the top opened automatically, revealing a little bird that chirped "Cuckoo, cuckoo." Lele was overjoyed.
After visiting the Clock Culture Museum, that evening, Lele, who had been keeping a diary for half a year, wrote the following entry:
"July 22, 2020. Today, Teacher Ma from Yantai took us to visit the Yantai Clock Museum. There were so many clocks there, sundials, quartz clocks, mechanical clocks, and self-sounding clocks. My favorite was the self-sounding clock. Whenever it struck the hour, the little bird in the window would cuckoo. My grandpa likes air clocks, grandma likes grandfather clocks. Grandfather clocks are so tall; I need to grow another five years to reach them (I don’t know how to write some words, so I used pinyin)."
Lele asked his grandpa to send the diary to his Teacher Ma to show that he hadn’t wasted her efforts in taking him to the museum. I took a photo of his diary and sent it to Ma Suping via WeChat. Unexpectedly, she forwarded the diary to her WeChat group, sparking a flurry of responses and praise. The general manager of the North Star Clock Company left a comment on Suping’s WeChat circle: "A century of tradition, successors are ready. Thank you for all you have done for us."
The manager of the North Star Clock Culture Museum, Jiang, also forwarded Lele’s diary and left a comment: "A first-grade student’s reflections after visiting are too meaningful! I sincerely hope that parents can take their children to learn Chinese history and culture, cultivating their national spirit and patriotic spirit!"
Visiting the North Star Clock Culture Museum was a profound experience. The small clock embodies a rich and diverse culture. The Yantai clock industry pioneered the national industry and has gone through a tough start and development. Especially after the founding of New China, the leapfrog development of the manufacturing industry represented by the "North Star" clock has made a huge contribution to the industrial modernization of our country.
"North Star" is really more than just a star.
