提 要：火药和指南针发明后，国人既用于爆竹神鬼，堪舆风水，也用于兵器战争，航海指向。在郑和下西洋的壮举中，火器已是远洋海船的主要武器装备之一，指南针也是最主要的导航指向仪器。那种认为在中国古代火药长期主要只用于烟花爆竹，指南针到下西洋时仍只是辅助导航仪器的观点，是不符合历史实际的。

关键词：历史误解 火药 指南针 郑和下西洋

Title: On the Applications of Powder and Compass in the Voyage to the Western Oceans led by Zheng He(郑和)

Author:Zhang Jian, Professor, Faculty of History, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064

Abstract:Soon after the powder and compass were invented, the Chinese people used the powder for making crackers concerning demons and used compass for geomantic reasons. Meanwhile, they also used them in making weapons for wars and in navigation. When Zheng He led his fleet to the then called Western Oceans during the early 15th century, firearms had been one of the main weaponries of the oceangoing ships and the compass was used as the major instrument for voyage guiding. These facts are contrary to the viewpoints of that the powder was used only for firework and the compass was only used as auxiliary tools even by Zheng He's time.

Key words:Misunderstanding of history powder Compass Zheng He's voyage to the Western Oceans