The Development Of China's Modern Science And Technology From The Impact Of Occidental Firearms Techonlogy In Late Qing Dynasty Research

Firearms technology is an important component of science and technology. The improvement of firearms technology certainly propels the development of science and technology. Before Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, China Empire had been exporting culture to the west in a long term by the invention of powder and firearms. China has created refulgent ancient civilization of science and technology. However, in late Qing Dynasty, with the decline of China Empire in all aspects, the improvement of firearms declined to stagnation, even to retrogression. The west changed their passive situation and exported their culture to China by great breakthroughs of firearms technology based developments of modern science and technology.China Empire was completely defeated in the duel of firearms technology. Hereafter, the introduction of westren firearms technologies became the prelude of developing modern science and technology in China by late Qing Dynasty. By theory of social history of technology, this thesis focuses on the special impetus ----the impact of firearms technology from the west ----on the development of science and technology in late Qing Dynasty. It studies the phenomena from three perspectives including achievements, talent groups and institutionalizations of science and technology.:This thesis expounds the achievements on science and technology from the point of technology, science theories and scientific methods; it analyzes the construction of talent groups from the view of its type, source, selection and appointment; it discusses the threshold of modern science and technology system from the perspective of science institute, social consortium and science education system.The thesis draws a conclusion that China and the west have two different modes of developing modern science and technology. On the basis of this study, the thesis demonstrates Engles' famous sayings about the sea war between China and Japan (1894-1895), which is: this war has given a deathblow to the ancient China, and it is impossible to forbid a country from international intercourse; therefore, it is necessary to build railways and to use steamer or electricity to originate heavy industry even for the aim of military recovery.