The physical knowledge of optics, mechanics and acoustics was recorded in Chinese works such as Kao Gong Ji and Mo Jing in pre-Qin period, so that the simple thought of nondestructive testing can be traced back to ancient times. More than 2500 years ago, in the Spring and Autumn period of the State of Qi, there was an important manual industry technology book "Kaogong Ji", which recorded the non-destructive testing method to control the quality of cast copper in the process of copper smelting: "In the form of casting gold, gold (copper) and tin, yellow and white followed; Yellow and white gas exhaustion, green and white second; Green and white gas exhaustion, green gas next, and then can be cast." This text accurately records that when copper is smelted, the smelting process is determined by observing the color of the flue gas, that is, the impurity volatilization in the smelted copper is judged by the different colors of the flue gas during smelting, so as to determine the time for copper water to come out.

This shows that our spring and autumn times have simple applications of non-destructive testing technology, which is similar to today's infrared measurement and control technology. In 400 BC, Mo Di (478 BC -- 392 BC) recorded and discussed the keyhole imaging and the relationship between light color and temperature in the Book of Mo.