Chapter 31 The fourth section is the world-famous historical notes - "Mengxi Bi Tan"

Miscellaneous notes are a form of writing with the most abundant historical materials preserved and the most free writing in ancient times.The number of handed down notes is extremely large. "Mengxi Bi Tan" is a well-known one, and there are many historical materials of science and technology preserved. The author, Shen Kuo (1031-1095 A.D.), was born in Qiantang (now Hangzhou) (Figure 23).Since I was a child, I followed my father Shen Zhou, who has been an official for many years, and was able to travel all over the southeast, broadening my horizons and gaining knowledge. A 33-year-old Zhongjinshi, once served as the editor of Zhaowen Museum, and was promoted to Si Tianjian, so he was able to study astronomy and arithmetic in depth.He also went to Liao Dynasty and led troops to defend Xixia in Yanzhou.Later, because the border general Xu Xi was defeated by Xixia in Yongle, Shen Kuo was implicated and resigned.From then on, he left the officialdom, built Mengxi Garden in Jingkou (now Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province), thanked guests behind closed doors, and devoted himself to writing.Shen Kuo was diligent and studious throughout his life, engaged in various jobs, visited many places, and paid attention to everything, and often practiced it. Therefore, "Song History" said that he was "erudite and good at literature, and he was good at astronomy, local chronicles, legal calendar, music, medicine, divination, There's nothing wrong with it."In his later years, he recalled the past in Mengxi Garden and recorded it in pen and ink.This is the origin of "Mengxi Bi Tan".Shen Kuo wrote a lot in his life, but unfortunately most of them were lost long ago.Only "Su Shen Liang Fang" and "Meng Xi Bi Tan" survive.

There are 26 volumes of "Mengxi Bi Tan", three volumes of "Bi Tan" and 11 volumes of "Continued Bi Tan".Some texts quoted from "Bi Tan" in the Song Renshu are not found in the present edition, which shows that some parts of "Mengxi Bi Tan" may be missing.Existing titles include stories, dialectics, rhythm, image and number, personnel, government, power and wisdom, arts and literature, calligraphy and painting, skills, utensils, magic, strange things, fallacies, sarcasm, magazines, and 17 medical discussions, with a total of more than 600 articles , divided into 26 volumes.Just from the contents, we can see how extensive the content of this essay is.Shen Kuo has a rigorous academic attitude, and his records are accurate and reliable. He himself has unique insights into various disciplines, some of which were in the leading position in the world at that time.

The historical materials of science and technology preserved in "Mengxi Bi Tan" are the most precious and valuable.For example: the world-famous movable typesetting printing technique invented by Bi Sheng during the Qingli period of the Song Dynasty. "Mengxi Bi Tan" has left the only record for people about the details from the manufacture of movable type to the arrangement of book blocks.The imitations displayed in the history museum today are made by the method Shen Kuo wrote down.There is also the installation method of the compass, one of the four great inventions, which is also recorded in detail in "Mengxi Bi Tan".The well-known Luban-style architectural craftsman Yu Hao at that time and the "Wood Classic" which he summed up the experience of wooden structure construction, and the superb river engineer who invented the new method to block the Yellow River breach, are all unknown figures. Shen Kuo not only left them in the book names, and recorded their deeds.Sun Sigong, a scholar who first discovered that rainbows are a phenomenon of refraction in the atmosphere, and Wei Pu, who was born as a commoner and compiled the most advanced calendar "Fengyuan Calendar" at that time, were also recorded by Shen Kuo.In the Qing Dynasty, Ruan Yuan compiled my country's first biography of scientists "Chou Ren Zhuan", and Lu Xinyuan edited "Song Shi Yi". Many materials were drawn from "Mengxi Bi Tan".

Shen Kuo is knowledgeable and accomplished academically. Many of his specialized works have long been lost. Fortunately, "Mengxi Bi Tan" has left some clues for us in outline.For example: when he passed the Taihang Mountains, he saw a lot of dense snail shells and pebbles on the cliffs, like a belt, and thought that this place might have been a seashore in ancient times, and these relics (fossils) on the mountain were the accumulation of shells and silt on the seashore in ancient times. made.This scientific insight predates Europeans by more than 400 years.In Yanzhou (today's Yan'an, Shaanxi Province), many bamboo-like fossils were found underground. He could think of the difference in climate between ancient and modern times. This view was very advanced at the time, and this was the beginning of the theory of land-sea migration on the earth.He has correct views on the optical principle of the reflection of concave mirrors, the moon itself does not emit light, it is the sunlight that makes it shine, and the reasons for solar and lunar eclipses.This was very advanced at the time.His understanding of the causes of landforms such as Yandang Mountain was 600 years earlier than that of the British Hao Deng.He also made many discoveries and inventions in pharmacology, geography, agriculture, biology, meteorology, mathematics, astronomy, etc. It is a pity that the records left in "Mengxi Bi Tan" are too brief.

Shen Kuo's view of history is also relatively progressive. In "Mengxi Bi Tan", he faithfully recorded how the peasant uprising led by Sichuan Wang Xiaobo and Li Shun received the response of the majority of the people, how the policy of equalizing the rich and the poor was implemented, how the military discipline was strict, And after the uprising was suppressed, how the people risked their lives to cover the uprising leader Li Shunda for 30 years, showing sympathy for the people between the lines, this is very commendable. Shen Kuo's writing style is very good, concise, vivid and smooth. "Mengxi Bi Tan" is written in the style of notes, which is fascinating. Although the text is short, it is rich in content. During interesting reading, a lot of valuable knowledge can be added.

At present, the "New Correction Mengxi Bi Tan" edited and annotated by Hu Daojing is the most convenient to read.