A Study On The Value Of Historical Materials Of Science And Technology From The Book Of Wu Lei Xiang Gan Zhi

The dissertation aims to make a overall and in-depth study on the value of historical materials of science and technology from "Wu Lei Xiang Gan Zhi"centered around eighteen volumes version."Wu Lei Xiang Gan Zhi" is quite important work of traditional natural history in ancient China after "Bo Wu Zhi"by Zhang Hua as a famous naturalist in western Jin dynasty. "Wu Lei Xiang Gan Zhi" not only contains a very rich historical materials on science and technology of Ancient China but also has a unique value of historical materials of science and technology,which Embodies three aspects:preserving plenty of natural sciences knowledge, "wu lei xiang gan" induction theory as a view of nature and the historical status and far-reaching influence as the traditional natural history books. Its author is called Zan Ning (919-1001) who is a monk of high reputation during the late Five Dynasties to the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, and has mastery of both Buddhism and other schools (including the confucianist school and the taoist school), especially natural history.But for a long time up to now, on the book’s literature, academia is still lack of in-depth understanding of the condition, so that the value of historical materials of science and technology is rare attention and lack of in-depth study. So the aim of the dissertation is to makes a comprehensive, in-depth and detailed study on the value of historical materials of science and technology for making up for the blank, based on the optimal version chosed through doing textual research and centered on the optimal version.On the base of historical records, writings quoting and version origins, the dissertation analyzes four versions including five volumes, ten volumes, eighteen volumes and one volume. And then, It is clear that five volumes and ten volumes are not suitable to be a good choose for the the value of historical materials of science and technology, and eighteen volumes version copyed by Chen Zhan in Qing dynasty is the best version. Moreover, it is worth noting that:previous researchers have proved the conclusion that the author of eighteen volumes version is Zan Ning, which is further supplemented lots of new evidence through the analysis of the text content. Then, the dissertation also analyzes the Buddhist origin and compilation of this book.More importantly, "Wu Lei Xiang Gan Zhi" not only saves a lot of natural sciences knowledge covering the fields of astronomy, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, agronomy, medicine, etc; but also establish a new induction theory of "Wu Lei Xiang Gan" as a view of nature.This induction theory is a summary and development on the natural view from the pre-Qin period to the early Northern Song Dynasty. It opens a new epoch of induction theory generalization on nature at Song dynasty.Finally, it needs to point out that:"Wu Lei Xiang Gan Zhi" as a traditional natural history book not only has an important historical role in the history of the development of Chinese traditional natural history, which changes a traditional natural history the direction from mind-broadening to probing the principle; but also its work style influences many traditional natural history books (such as "Wu Li Xiao Zhi"etc.)In short, My research is a foundation for recognition on the contribution of science and technology development of "Wu Lei Xiang Gan Zhi".