Chapter 64 Section 15 Scientific Research of Chinese Scholars in the Early Qing Dynasty

The trust of missionaries during the Shunzhi and Kangxi periods promoted the introduction of Western science and technology, and also inspired a group of Chinese scholars to be interested in science.While accepting western scientific knowledge, they devoted themselves to independent research and achieved certain achievements.Among the prominent ones are: Xue Fengzuo (1600-1680 A.D.), styled Yifu, was born in Yidu (now Zibo), Shandong.In his early years, he learned traditional Chinese astronomy and calendar from Wei Wenkui, a scholar at the time, and later went to Nanjing to learn Western scientific knowledge from Polish missionary Smogulecki, and assisted Mu in translating Western scientific works.He realized that Western learning has both its strengths and weaknesses, and tried to integrate Chinese and Western learning.Based on the calendar calculation methods of various schools at that time, relevant practical scientific knowledge, and astronomical works written by himself, he compiled "Calendar Society", which was published in the third year of Kangxi (AD 1664).The whole book is divided into three parts: the main collection, the application, and the test. The content is mainly astronomy and calendar, and also involves mathematics, mechanics, water conservancy, firearms, military art, rhythm, medicine, etc.Among them, the commonly used logarithms and the logarithmic tables of trigonometric functions are the earliest introduction of logarithmic methods in China.

Fang Yizhi (1611-1671 AD), styled Mizhi, was born in Tongcheng, Anhui.He has learned both Chinese and Western theories, and instead of simply copying Western theories, he has a critical attitude of absorbing them and has his own independent opinions.Its representative is "Physical Knowledge", which first divides knowledge into three categories in China: "Physics" (natural science), "Zai Li" (humanities) and "Wu Zhi Li" (philosophy).The contents of the book range from astronomy to geography, animals and plants, medicine, human body and daily utensils. Wang Xichan (1628-1682 A.D.), styled Yinxu and nicknamed Xiao'an, was born in Wujiang, Jiangsu.He devoted his whole life to the study of astronomy and calendar, and had a thorough understanding of both Chinese and Western methods. He wrote six volumes of "Xiao'an Xinfa".It is a study, "examining and rectifying the mistakes of the ancient law, keeping the truth, choosing the strengths of the Western theory and discarding the shortcomings" ("Chou Ren Zhuan·Wang Xichan"), absorbing the advantages of the two, and making a difference. Invent and create.He proposed a new method of calculating the azimuth angle of the first eclipse of the eclipse and the complex circle, invented the method of calculating the transit of Venus and Jupiter, and also proposed the method of calculating the initial and final moments of the lunar occultation of planets and the transit of five stars, all of which were more advanced than those at that time. Chinese and Western methods have improved.

Mei Wending (AD 1633-1721), courtesy name Dingjiu and nickname Wu'an, was born in Xuancheng (now Xuanzhou), Anhui.He has been engaged in astronomy and mathematics research all his life, and adopts an attitude of discarding the false and preserving the true about Chinese and Western learning.Advocating "going to the Chinese and Western views", "gathering all the elders to see their synergy, and choosing the essence regardless of the name", and proposing that "the number is reasonable, and the calendar is so natural. There are laws to adopt, what to say Things, of course, how to distinguish between old and new" ("Cut Blocking Measurement").There are more than 40 kinds of astronomical works, including comments and research on ancient Chinese calendars, comments on "Chongzhen Almanac", comments on recent works, explanations on his own creation of astronomical instruments, comparisons of similarities and differences between Chinese and Western calendars, As well as the mastery of Chinese and Western calendars.There are also more than 10 kinds of mathematical works, the content of which involves various branches of elementary mathematics such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, plane trigonometry, and spherical trigonometry, and many of them are original.