The Impacts Of Xu Guangqi's Scientific Translation Activities On China's Modern Science

There was a wave of Chinese and western cultural communication in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties,when a number of Chinese and foreign scholars with outstanding scientific contributions appeared,one of whom was Xu Guangqi.He had made great contributions to astronomy and calendar,mathematics,agronomy and other fields,especially to scientific translation.Xu Guangqi,who did his utmost to recommend western learning,devoted much attention to the translation of western science works.He successfully translated some western works along with western missionaries,including EuclidsElements,Tessie Water Structure,founded a prototype of the first scientific translation agency in modern China-Lijv,and summarized the translation thoughts of "translation,intercommunication,catching-up",which had great impacts on China's development of modern science.However,Xu Guangqi's translation achievements are always neglected,which hindered the process of Chinese modernization.The paper has a thorough study about Xu Guangqi's translation contributions together with its impacts on modern Chinese science,so as to deepen people's understanding about Xu Guangqi.First,the gist,significance,and domestic and overseas study situation,about Xu Guangqi are expounded.Meanwhile,on the basis of sufficient academic studies about Xu Guangqi,the analysis of relevant documents,historical investigation,the research methods like comparison and the innovations are introduced in this paper.Second,comprehensive research on the background of Xu Guangqi's translation activities and contributions is discussed.The translative achievements of Xu Guangqi are profound and enormous.That's why it's a key part to consider the background of his translation activities in order to discuss his influence on Chinese modern science.Third,the positive impacts of Xu Guangqi's translation activities on Chinese modern science are expounded in this part.Xu Guangqi brought in deductive logic,called for scientific research method,cultivated a big mass of scientific personal which formed a scientific research union,and applied a new translation mode which upsurged the first scientific translation high tide.He also promoted the reform of the late Ming dynasty calendar,speeding up the development of astronomy in modern China.Fourth,the limitation of Xu Guangqi's translation activities and its reasons are discussed.Because of the restrictions of his own limited conditions,translation means,purpose of the missionary work,the historical background and differences between China and the West,Xu Guangqi failed to summarize the translation method,and his translation content is limited.In addition,his utilitarian,unsystematic translation activities and poorly-applied achievement are also mentioned in this part.Finally,this paper expounds the aims,creteria and rutines of the scientific translation activities of Xu Guangqi.With the guiding ideology of pragmatism,Xu Guangqi reached the destination of enriching the nation and strengthening the army by three rutines.The three rutines are seperately the organization of academic institutes,the utilization of the translations are seperately the organization of academic institutes,the utilization of the translation institutions and the advocation of his scientific translation works.