The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China: Volume 2Joseph Needham's Science and Civilisation in China is a monumental piece of scholarship which breaks new ground in presenting to the Western reader a detailed and coherent account of the development of science, technology and medicine in China from the earliest times until the advent of the Jesuits and the beginnings of modern science in the late seventeenth century. It is a vast work, necessarily more suited to the scholar and research worker than the general reader. This paperback version, abridged and re-written by Colin Ronan, makes this extremely important study accessible to a wider public. The present book covers the material treated in volumes I and II of Dr Needham's original work. The reader is introduced to the country of China, its history, geography and language, and an account is given of how scientific knowledge travelled between China and Europe. The major part of the book is then devoted to the history of scientific thought in China itself. Beginning with ancient times, it describes the milieu in which arose the schools of the Confucians, Taoists, Mohists, Logicians and Legalists. We are thus brought on to the fundamental ideas which dominated scientific thinking in the Chinese Middle Ages, to the doctrines of the Two Forces (Yin and Yang) and the Five Elements (wu hsing), to the impact of the sceptical tradition and Buddhist and Neo-Confucian thought.--Publisher description. |
Contents
Mathematics | 1 |
The sciences of the heavens i Astronomy | 67 |
The sciences of the heavens ii Meteorology | 222 |
The sciences of the earth i Geography and mapmaking | 237 |
The sciences of the earth ii Geology and related sciences | 286 |
Physics | 325 |
Table of Chinese dynasties | 388 |
389 | |
394 | |
Common terms and phrases
algebra ancient Chinese appear Arabic armillary sphere astronomical Babylonian calendar celestial equator celestial pole celestial sphere centre Chang Hêng Chêng chhi Chhien Chih China Chinese astronomy Chinese mathematics Ching Chiu Chang circle circumpolar civilisation clepsydra comets constellations counting-rods diagram dynasty earliest early earth eclipses emperor equatorial equinoxes Europe European fourth century B.C. geographical geometry gnomon Greek Han Dynasty heavens Hsin Hsing hsiu Hsüan I-Hsing idea instrument jade Jesuits known Kung later magic square map-making mathematicians measurement medieval mentioned method minerals Ming mirror modern Mohist moon motion mountains natural notes numbers observations oracle-bones period records reference right ascension seems shadow Shang Shen Kua Shih Shou-Ching sighting-tube sixth century solar solstice stars Suan sundial Sung Taoist Thang theory Thien third century A.D. torquetum tradition Tzu book Wang West Western Yang Hui Yuan