<P> The earliest known written record of the camera obscura is to be found in Chinese writings called Mozi and dated to the 4th century BCE , traditionally ascribed to and named for Mozi ( circa 470 BCE - circa 391 BCE ) , a Han Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohist School of Logic . In these writings it is explained how the inverted image in a `` collecting - point '' or `` treasure house '' is inverted by an intersecting point ( a pinhole ) that collected the ( rays of ) light . Light coming from the foot of an illuminated person would partly be hidden below ( strike below the pinhole ) and partly form the top part of the image . Rays from the head would partly be hidden above ( strike above the pinhole ) and partly form the lower part of the image . This is a remarkably early correct description of the camera obscura ; there are no other examples known that are dated before the 11th century . </P>
<P> The earliest known written record of the camera obscura is to be found in Chinese writings called Mozi and dated to the 4th century BCE , traditionally ascribed to and named for Mozi ( circa 470 BCE - circa 391 BCE ) , a Han Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohist School of Logic . In these writings it is explained how the inverted image in a `` collecting - point '' or `` treasure house '' is inverted by an intersecting point ( a pinhole ) that collected the ( rays of ) light . Light coming from the foot of an illuminated person would partly be hidden below ( strike below the pinhole ) and partly form the top part of the image . Rays from the head would partly be hidden above ( strike above the pinhole ) and partly form the lower part of the image . This is a remarkably early correct description of the camera obscura ; there are no other examples known that are dated before the 11th century . </P>
who wrote the earliest surviving description of the camera obscura
who wrote the earliest surviving description of the camera obscura
Mozi ( circa 470 BCE - circa 391 BCE ) , a Han Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohist School of Logic
Mozi ( circa 470 BCE - circa 391 BCE ) , a Han Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohist School of Logic