Chinese Culture—7 Science and Technology

Chinese CultureChapter 7 Science and TechnologyThe History of Science and Technology in Ancient ChinaThe history of science and technology in China is both long and rich with many contributions to science and technology.In antiquity,ancient Chinese philosophers made significant advances in science,technology,mathematics,and astronomy.The first recorded observations of comets,solar eclipses,and supernovae were made in China.Traditional Chinese medicine,acupuncture and herbal medicine were also practiced.The History of Science and Technology in Ancient ChinaAmong the earliest inventions were the abacus(算盘算盘),the shadow clock,(日晷)and the first flying machines such as kites and Kongming lanterns.The History of Science and Technology in Ancient China The four Great InventionsThe four Great Inventions of of ancient China:ancient China:the compass,the compass,gunpowder,papermaking,and gunpowder,papermaking,and printingprinting,were among the most,were among the most important technological important technological advances,only known in advances,only known in Europe by the end of the Europe by the end of the Middle Ages.The Tang Middle Ages.The Tang Dynasty(AD 618-906)in Dynasty(AD 618-906)in particular,was a time of great particular,was a time of great innovation.innovation.The History of Science and Technology in Ancient ChinaThe Jesuit China missions of the 16th and 17th centuries introduced Western science and astronomy,then undergoing its own revolution,to China,and knowledge of Chinese technology was brought to Europe.Much of the early Western work in the history of science in China was done by Joseph Needham(李约瑟).Joseph and his BookJoseph Needham(19001995)Four Great Inventions of Ancient China PaperPaper-first appeared in the Western Han Dynasty(206BC-first appeared in the Western Han Dynasty(206BC-23AD)23AD)In the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220),a court official named In the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220),a court official named CaiCai LunLun made a new kind of paper from bark,hemp,rags,made a new kind of paper from bark,hemp,rags,fishnet,wheat stalks and other materials.fishnet,wheat stalks and other materials.GunpowderGunpowder,also called,also called black powderblack powder,is a mixture of,is a mixture of sulfur,charcoal,and potassium nitrate.has been widely used sulfur,charcoal,and potassium nitrate.has been widely used as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in fireworksfireworks.PrintingPrinting is a process for reproducing text and image,typically is a process for reproducing text and image,typically with ink on with ink on paper using a printing press.By AD 593,paper using a printing press.By AD 593,woodblock printing was in wide use in China,and the first woodblock printing was in wide use in China,and the first printed periodical,the printed periodical,the KaiyuanKaiyuan ZaZa BaoBao was made available in was made available in Beijing in AD 713.Beijing in AD 713.Compass Compass The compass started out as a wooden circle with The compass started out as a wooden circle with markings on it,and a magnetic spoon on top.markings on it,and a magnetic spoon on top.蔡伦和纸蔡伦和纸印刷术印刷术Compass Compass-was for religious use.When a new houses was being built,the used it to see if the house was faced in perfect harmony with nature(which meant they thought if you faced your house to magnetic north,you and nature would get along).The compass started out as a wooden circle with markings on it,and a magnetic spoon on top.CompassFireworks These were The fireworks were mainly small These were The fireworks were mainly small bamboo cases filled with gunpowder,and a fuse bamboo cases filled with gunpowder,and a fuse was put on the side.was put on the side.Fireworks were invented in the Fireworks were invented in the TangTang dynasty in dynasty in the 12th century to scare away evil spirits,as a the 12th century to scare away evil spirits,as a natural extension of the Chinese invention of natural extension of the Chinese invention of gunpowder.Such important events and festivities gunpowder.Such important events and festivities as Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Moon as Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Festival were and still are times when fireworks were and still are times when fireworks are guaranteed sights.China is the largest are guaranteed sights.China is the largest manufacturer and exporter of fireworks in the manufacturer and exporter of fireworks in the world.world.Another picture about fireworkMozi and Science A precursor to Newtons first law of motion.Joseph NeedhamA precursor to Newtons first law of motion.Joseph Needham（韩少功）：我读古代的书有一个爱好，特别喜欢注意作者（韩少功）：我读古代的书有一个爱好，特别喜欢注意作者举什么样的例子，打什么样的比方，注意这些例子和比方来举什么样的例子，打什么样的比方，注意这些例子和比方来自什么样的生存方式。我读自什么样的生存方式。我读墨子墨子的时候，发现他最喜欢的时候，发现他最喜欢用制陶、造车、筑墙一类活动来打比方，一看就知道这是个用制陶、造车、筑墙一类活动来打比方，一看就知道这是个工程师，实干家，成天在生产现场转，肯定经常有一身臭汗，工程师，实干家，成天在生产现场转，肯定经常有一身臭汗，与孔子、孟子、荀子那一类白领阶级不一样。我读柏拉图、与孔子、孟子、荀子那一类白领阶级不一样。我读柏拉图、亚里士多德、贺拉斯的时候，发现他们常常说到牧羊人、羊亚里士多德、贺拉斯的时候，发现他们常常说到牧羊人、羊皮、马、牛肉，很容易从中嗅出游牧生活背景；还发现他们皮、马、牛肉，很容易从中嗅出游牧生活背景；还发现他们常常说到船、战船、帆、船长、舵、航行、进口、出口，商常常说到船、战船、帆、船长、舵、航行、进口、出口，商人，一一透出地中海岸商业繁荣的气息。钱穆先生说，读史人，一一透出地中海岸商业繁荣的气息。钱穆先生说，读史一定要读出人，这是对的。我们读语言也一定要读出生活，一定要读出人，这是对的。我们读语言也一定要读出生活，就像你说的要读出苏南和苏北的生存方式来，如此才能设身就像你说的要读出苏南和苏北的生存方式来，如此才能设身处地地了解人文。处地地了解人文。Kao Gong JiHandcraft industryTechnical standard in ancient ChinaAstronomyConstellationsSunspots,meteorites,eclipses,and cometsShi Shen:star mapsDu Jiang Yan WeirChengdu PlainLand of Natural Abundance(天府之国)Shu Prefecture:Li BingCrossbow 弩弩Bronze crossbow bolts dating as Bronze crossbow bolts dating as early as mid 5th century BC were early as mid 5th century BC were found at a found at a State of ChuState of Chu burial site burial site in in YutaishanYutaishan,HubeiHubei.The earliest.The earliest handheld crossbow stocks with handheld crossbow stocks with bronze trigger,dating from the bronze trigger,dating from the 6th century BC,comes from 6th century BC,comes from Tomb 3 and 12 found at Tomb 3 and 12 found at QufuQufu,Shandong,capital of the Shandong,capital of the State of State of LuLu.Other early finds of.Other early finds of crossbows were discovered in crossbows were discovered in Tomb 138 at Tomb 138 at SaobatangSaobatang,Hunan,Hunan dated to mid 4th century BC.dated to mid 4th century BC.The Great Scientist Zhang HengA multitalented scientistHou Feng Di Dong YiThe armillary sphereZhoubi Suanjing周髀算经周髀算经Zhoubi Suanjing(The Arithmetical Classic of the Gnomon and the Circular Paths of Heaven)(100 B.C.-100 A.D.):an astronomy textMeasures the position of the heavenly bodiesThe movement of the sun and observations of the moon and starsGougu rule=Pythagoras TheoremJiuzhang Suanshu九章算术九章算术Finished in the early Eastern Han DynastyNine chapters,246 questionsLiu Hui and Li Chunfeng annotated:263 and 656Introduced to Korea and Japan during the Sui and Tang DynastiesMa Jun马钧马钧Wei in the Three Kingdoms OeriodDesign weaponsThe compass vehicle：a gear driven-system an automatic clutch(自动离合装置)Enhance the weaving machineInvent a kind of waterwheelGe Hong葛洪葛洪Taoism:inner chapters:Daoist themes outer chapters:Confusian topicsAlchemy:modern chemistryZu Chongzhi祖冲之祖冲之Mathematician and Mathematician and astonomerastonomerpi between 3.1415926 and 3.1415926pi between 3.1415926 and 3.1415926The The DamingDaming Calendar:Calendar:the precession of the the precession of the equinoxesequinoxesequinoxesequinoxes 平分点平分点(春、秋分春、秋分)(precession of the equinoxes)gradual change in the (precession of the equinoxes)gradual change in the angle at which the earth revolves daily,causing the angle at which the earth revolves daily,causing the equinoxes to occur slightly earlier in each successive equinoxes to occur slightly earlier in each successive year year 岁差（地球自转角度的渐次变化岁差（地球自转角度的渐次变化,使每年的春使每年的春分点及秋分点比上年略为提前）分点及秋分点比上年略为提前）.Jia Sixie贾思勰贾思勰A viceroy of Northern WeiEssential Skills in Improving Peoples Life齐民要术：farming and husbandry planting and drought controlLi Daoyuan郦道元郦道元A Northern Wei officerNotes on Water Classic 水经注 illustrations and maps hydrology of the Yangtze RiverWhite Crane Ridge(白鹤梁)Science Science and Technologyand Technology in in SuiSui,Tang,Five Dynasties,Tang,Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Periodand Ten Kingdoms PeriodLiu Zhuo刘焯:an important astronomer The Huangji Calender 皇极历 Calculate the positions and paths of the five planetsZhuge Ying诸葛颖:Sewing and Cultivation 种植法Chao Yuanfang:巢元方 Origin and Treatment of the Disease 诸病源候论Pei Ju裴矩:Xiyu Tuji 西域图记Anji Bridge near Zhaozhou the oldest extant segment arch stone bridge in China in Hebei ProvinceLi Chun李春 in the Sui DynastyEmperor Yangdi隋炀帝:the Grand Canalthe bridge of economic and culture communicationScience andScience and Technology in Technology in SuiSui,Tang,Five Dynasties,Tang,Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Periodand Ten Kingdoms PeriodAstronomy Yixing一行：The Dayan Calendar 大衍历 Xu Ang徐昂：The Xuanming Calendar 宣明历Mathematics Wang Xiaotong王孝通：Jigu Suangjing 缉古算经 Li Chunfeng李淳风,Liang Shu梁述,Wang Zhenru王真儒:The Ten mathematical Classics 算经十书Science Science and Technologyand Technology in in SuiSui,Tang,Five Dynasties,Tang,Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Periodand Ten Kingdoms PeriodAgriculture Lu Guimeng陆龟蒙：The Book of Agricultural Tools 耒耜经 Lu Yu陆羽：The Book of Tea 茶经 Li Shi李石：Simu Anji Ji司牧安骥集 Han E韩鄂：Essential Farm Activities in All Four Seasons 四时纂要Ceramics：glazing and the three colored glazingScience Science andand Technology Technology in in SuiSui,Tang,Five Dynasties,Tang,Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Periodand Ten Kingdoms PeriodGold and silverworkScientific description of:rainbow,waves,echo,and crystals Bookprinting:Buddhist monks The Nine Confucian Classics九经Science Science and Technologyand Technology in in SuiSui,Tang,Five Dynasties,Tang,Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Periodand Ten Kingdoms PeriodScience and Technology in Song andYuan DynastiesMoveable printing types block printing Bi Sheng毕昇:Baked clay Moveable type printingKorea,Japan,Vietnam,and EuropeGunpowder and Rocketry 真元妙道要略 武经总要 齐东野语Science and Technology in Song andYuan DynastiesShenShen KuoKuo 沈括沈括 Brush Talks from Dream BrookBrush Talks from Dream Brook 梦溪笔谈梦溪笔谈 a.fossil a.fossil b.b.沧海桑田沧海桑田 c.c.气候变迁气候变迁 d.coalcharcoald.coalcharcoal e.ink e.ink f.Magnetized needles f.Magnetized needles g.daily records of observation g.daily records of observation h.trigonometry h.trigonometry（三角法）（三角法）Science and Technology in Song andYuan DynastiesGuo Shoujing 郭守敬 a.莲花漏：a water clock b.the regulations of Chinas irrigation and waterways c.The Shoushi Calender 授时历 d.astronomical observation stationsScience and Technology in Song andYuan DynastiesXu Guangqi 徐光启 a.Paul Matteo Ricci b.Euclids Fundamentals of Geometry 欧几里得的几何原理 c.The Book of Agriculture 农政全书 d.predicted solar eclipses in 1629Science and Technology fromScience and Technology fromMing Dynasty to Ming Dynasty to QingQing Dynasty before the Opium War Dynasty before the Opium WarXu Xiake 徐霞客 a.traveler and geographer b.climb ship/wagon true picture of the natural world c.Karst landform,etc.d.The Travel Diaries of Xu Xiake徐霞客游记Science and Technology fromScience and Technology fromMing Dynasty to Ming Dynasty to QingQing Dynasty before the Opium War Dynasty before the Opium WarSong Yingxing 宋应星 Exploitation of the Works of Nature 天工开物 encyclopedia-type scientific monumental work 18 volumes and 123 drawingsScience and Technology fromScience and Technology fromMing Dynasty to Ming Dynasty to QingQing Dynasty before the Opium War Dynasty before the Opium WarMei Wending 梅文鼎 a.astronomy and mathematician b.Progress was a universal historical pattern c.Synthesizing western and Chinese knowledge d.Inquiry on Mathematical Astronomy 历学疑问 e.Complete Works on Astronomy and Mathematics of Mei Wending 梅氏历算全书Science and Technology fromScience and Technology fromMing Dynasty to Ming Dynasty to QingQing Dynasty before the Opium War Dynasty before the Opium War