Study On An Qingqiao's Scientific Thought And Achievements In Science

An Qingqiao (1759-1830) was an eminent scientist and great thinker in science in mid-Qing Dynasty. In the special period between1723-1840, when there was the first and second relative funk time in dissemination of Western Learning to the Orient, it was An Qingqiao who combined the development of science before that period innovatively, such as math, astronomy and theory of temperament. Meanwhile, he was the innovator of scientific thinking, who criticized the neo-Confucianism represented by Zhu xi and Cheng Xi, which was characterized by its empty talk over Li (Reason) and strongly advocated the scientific epistemology of taking truthfulness as the uppermost standard. He came up with the particular concept of Ju to make the law of nature and human society, which had gone beyond the traditional Chinese concept of Li and Dao. Believing that every existence and being was under the rule of Ju, he achieved the remarkable realization that the mission of science is to take up Ju. It could be taken as the further development of ideas from Xun Zi, another great thinker in the history of China. Moreover, An Qingqiao refuted the clamorous theory of attributing the western learning to Chinese origin, which was held as the orthodox in Qing Dynasty. He deemed that there were both advantages and disadvantages as far as the Chinese learning and western learning were concerned respectively. Only when the two were well integrated, could improvement be achieved. To generalize, An Qingqiao's scientific achievements were closely associated with and supported by his scientific thinking.An Qingqiao was regarded as the only person who was able to match Zhang Dunren in scientific thinking and contribution ever after Fu shan in Qing Dynasty. Therefore he deserved an important place in the history of science and technology of China. However, for many years his name was ignored in the research works on the history of science and technology of China except that Professor Li Yan, the pioneer scholar in the research of history of science, did list him as one of the mathematicians in Qing Dynasty. So he was the great person, yet forgotten and ignored. In recent years scholars such as Yang Xiaoming, Li Shuxue, Huangyong, and Wei Yidong began to focus on An Qingqiao and Zhang Dunren, etc, who had contributed the rich mine of thoughts in the research of history of science and technology and in the research of the history of scientific thoughts. Guided in the research direction of combining local culture with the development of science and technology advocated by Professor Gao Ce and Yang Xiaoming, these scholars have done some case collections and analysis. Yet the systematic and thorough research has not been fully conducted, especially as to how An Qingqiao's achievement was made and how it was interacted with his scientific thoughts,soundly based on as large a collection of An Qingqiao's original works as possible, this dissertation is devoted to make systematic analysis and argument on the interaction between his scientific thoughts and achievements. Setting it on the coordinate with the history of science and technology at home and abroad in longitudinal coordinate while the development of science and technology in Qing Dynasty as abscissa one, this dissertation makes comprehensive collection and sorting on the scientific achievements of An Qingqiao, and deep analysis on the origin, the significance and impact of his scientific thoughts and achievements. It provides useful complement to the research on history of science and technology in Qing Dynasty and provides constructive explanation to the puzzles in history of science and technology of china.The dissertation starts with the preface, an introduction on An Qingqiao, including his life, the history background he lived in, and the research work about him done by the previous scholars and its weak points and research gap. The significance of the research will be illustrated and the research approaches and innovations will be stated. Also in preface, the possible vision for further subsequent research work is suggestedThe first chapter of this dissertation is about An Qingqiao's scientific thinking. The main concern lies on the sorting out and commenting on the source of his scientific thinking as well as its meaning, its significance and influence. It points out his scientific view of Ju, and his scientific methodology deserve a noticeable place in history of scientific thinking of china in that it goes beyond the academic practice of Shi Xue (Study on True) in Jiajing period of Qing Dynasty by criticizing the practice of making empty talks over Li by the neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasty on the scientific basis of truthfulness. A clear explanation about the interrelationship between the western learning and oriental learning is included in this chapter. Subsequent to it are the scientific cause tracing for it and a detailed analysis on the positive role of the interrelationship in specific scientific exploration.The second chapter of this dissertation involves the study on An Qingqiao's achievement in mathematics. Methods such as classification, analysis, induction are applied in this chapter as to his theories and views reflected in his mathematical works. Apart from this, comparison and contrast is conducted between An Qingqiao and Zhang Dunren, another mathematician at the same period in the aspect of their research styles, features and achievements in mathematics so as to achieve a scientifically recognition of his place among the scientists in Qing Dynasty. It safely arrives at the conclusion that based on the good tradition of mathematical exploration of China, one great feature to best summarize his achievement in mathematics is that he constructively combines his mathematical theories with the production and life, especially with astronomy and calendars. His works laid a mathematical basis to facilitate people in their learning of knowledge about astronomy and mathematics.The third chapter of this dissertation deals with the study on An Qingqiao's achievements in astronomy. Based on the collection of his critical view on the calendar advocated by Guo Shoujing and the tri-lateral relationship among the Chinese calendar, the western calendar and the Hui calendar, and his suggestion as for the compiling of books of history and calendars, this chapter provides detailed comment and logical analysis related to the above aspects. It also provides scientific elaboration on the features and achievement of his book,"A Guide to Mathematics". Meanwhile there is also study and analysis on his mathematical thoughts, compared and contrasted with that of Wang Zhenyi, a female mathematician in calendar study in that period. Worthy of mentioning in this chapter is the rectification on the misunderstandings of the respected scholars, i.e., Zhen Wenguang and Xi Zongz, who mistakenly held the view that Wang Zhenyi took critical an attitude toward the left-handed rotation of Confucianism and she attached much importance to the combination of theory and practice.The fourth chapter focuses on An Qingqiao's achievement in temperament study. Twelve Equal Temperament is one of the greatest inventions of ancient china which deserves much pride and honor. Yet there are still puzzles and arguments as to its theoretical grounds and sources. This chapter is intended to provide inspiration on exploration and clarification on the theoretical sources of Twelve Equal Temperament by focusing on the case study on An Qingqiao, who lived2hundred years later after Zhu Zaiyu and Jiang Yong, who lived one hundred years later after him. Besides it, the commenting is made on An Qingqiao's contribution to the development of Twelve Equal Temperament in algebraic form.The dissertation ends with the conclusion. An overall generalization and summarization is made on An Qingqiao's scientific thoughts and achievements, and its significant influence and value. It concludes that An Qingqiao is the great scientist and thinker in the history of science and technology of China who shouldn't have been forgotten for too long time. His achievement not only deserves himself to be listed among the most important mathematicians in Qing Dynasty, but listed together with the ever greatest astronomers in Chinese history such as Yu Xi, Ge Chengtian, Zu Chongzhi, Zhang Zixin, Guo Shoujing and etc owing to his discovery of the cause of precession of the equinoxes. Still his name should be in the list of the ever important scholars in temperament study in history such as Jing Fang, He Chengtian, Jiang Yong, Liu Zhuo etc as far as his outstanding insight about Twelve Equal Temperament and its algebraic form of development. More important, he should be put in the same place together with other great thinkers in science who ever lived in history including:Xun Kuang, Dong Zhongshu, Zhang Heng, Shen Kuo, Zhu Xi, Huang Zongxi etc.To summarize, An Qingqiao was the great explorer of that special historical stage——the discontinuous period through the twice disseminations of Western Learning to the Orient. He is more of an integrator and innovator of traditional Chinese science and scientific thinking who endeavored to break the shackle of history to obtain access to its real inner essence of minds and approaches. It teaches us practical lessons on how to find the indispensable drive when we try to inherit the Chinese tradition while benefiting from western learning at the same time, which will certainly contribute to the construction of the new socialistic culture in21st century and the construction of a country on wheel of innovation so as to achieve the great revival of the Chinese nation.