Its development began with the primitive accumulation in ancient times and laid the foundation in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It was enriched and perfected in the Han Dynasty and the Song and Yuan Dynasties, and continued to develop with the Tang and Five Dynasties. After Wanli in Ming Dynasty, although it was far behind the western countries in the same period, it still made slow progress, and a series of comprehensive works appeared, and the traditional scientific thought moved from peak to summary.
Looking at the whole development process, before the16th century, China's science and technology had been in the leading position in the world.
The outstanding achievements of traditional scientific thought and science and technology are the products of the pioneers of ancient science and technology in China who worked hard, were good at observing, thinking and exploring, and paid attention to the combination and integration with reality. They shine with the brilliance of our China wisdom and have made great contributions to world civilization.
Marx once pointed out: "gunpowder, compass and printing are the three great inventions that predict the arrival of bourgeois society."
..... Generally speaking, it has become a means of scientific rejuvenation and a lever to create the necessary premise for spiritual development. (Note: The Complete Works of Marx and Engels, p. 47, p. 427.
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Today, many famous scientists have reiterated the valuable value of China's traditional scientific thought, which will surely show the new transfer and realization of oriental wisdom in the development of science and technology in the 2 1 century. This situation has begun to take shape in some disciplines.
I firmly believe that in the new century, our great Chinese nation will once again make due contributions to human civilization.
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The ancient society of China lasted for 4,000 years from the Five Emperors, Xia, Shang, Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States to the end of Qing Dynasty. There is no historical tragedy like the Roman Empire, nor has it experienced the dark ages of medieval Western Europe.
This enabled the development of ancient science and technology in China to be passed down from generation to generation, accumulated continuously, and reached its peak on this basis.
Joseph Needham, a world-famous historian of science, made a schematic diagram of the development of science and technology with the important scientific and technological achievements in ancient China as the vertical line and S as the horizontal line, which clearly showed that China's science and technology "has not actually regressed at all" in the previous 4000 years or the recent 500 years; But "it has been progressing steadily."
He also pointed out in the article "China and Western Science and Society": "I often like to use a relatively slow rising curve to illustrate the evolution of China. Obviously, this curve is higher than the curve of the same period in Europe, such as from the second century to the fifteenth century, and sometimes it is much higher. " (Note: Chinese and Western Science and Society, pp. 65-85, Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 1956.
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Mr. Zhou Zhongbi of Sichuan University and Mr. Zhou Mengpu of Sichuan Science and Technology Publishing House in "A Preliminary Study on the Reasons for the Backwardness of Modern Science and Technology in China" (Note: Journal of Nature, vol. 13, p. 333.
) Taking natural science events in China, natural science events in Western Europe and the number of famous scientists as the ordinate and S as the abscissa, three growth curves are made. From the curve of China, it also shows that the growth of ancient science and technology in China is slow and sustained.
However, in the long history of more than 4,000 years, during the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, the Han Dynasty (especially the Eastern Han Dynasty) and the Song and Yuan Dynasties (especially the Northern Song Dynasty), the development of ancient science and technology in China was based on internal and external factors such as politics, economy, culture and society, and all showed stages.
The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period can be said to be the comprehensive foundation period of ancient Chinese science and technology, and also the first great development era. Because the emerging feudal system is superior to slavery, its achievements not only catch up with but also surpass those of ancient Greece, which had the most advanced science and technology in the early days.
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A piece of ironmaking carburized steel appeared at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, and white iron treatment technology appeared during the Warring States Period. The invention of these iron smelting technologies is a prominent symbol, which has greatly promoted the development of agriculture and handicrafts.
In agriculture, Chinese traditional agriculture with intensive cultivation as the main content has been formed. Lu Chunqiu was written at the end of the Warring States Period, among which Shang Nong, Man Di, On the Soil and Judgment are the beginning of this agricultural science and technology paper.
Marked by the construction of two large-scale irrigation projects in Dujiangyan and Zheng Guoqu, it shows the unprecedented development of water conservancy facilities serving agriculture.
The description of 36 special practical technologies such as production tools, musical instruments, architecture, transportation, tanning, printing and dyeing, musical instruments and jade in Flower King Gongji shows that the internal refinement of handicrafts and the standardization and scientific degree of their technologies have reached a quite high level in this period.
It records a lot of practical mechanical knowledge, and is the first collection of engineering and technical knowledge in ancient China.
Mojing contains scientific achievements in mechanics, optics, acoustics, geometry, logic and speculation on material structure. It is not only China's first work on geometric optics, but also a leader in the world, more than 100 years earlier than Euclid's geometric optics.
It is also a masterpiece of ancient mechanics and optics. The concept of "force" and the revelation of the idea of straight-line propagation of light add bright luster to this work.
It can be said that Kao Gong Ji and Mo Jing, as the symbols of the ancient empirical science in China, are the results of abstracting and summarizing the rich experience gained in the production and life practice during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
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Extensive development and progress have been made in mathematics, astronomy and calendar.
The continuous improvement of decimal numerical system and calculation system laid the foundation for the formation of China's characteristic computational mathematics system in later generations.
The records of astronomical observations are detailed and accurate, and even today they are still valuable historical materials for astronomical research.
In geoscience, the appearance of books such as Shan Hai Jing, Yu Gong, Guan Zi and Yuan Di indicates that people's geographical knowledge has risen from the accumulation of geographical data to some form of comprehensive discussion and regional comparison, serving the political and economic needs at that time.
In medicine, represented by Huangdi Neijing and other works, based on the holistic view of human organs, the theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements and the theory of zang-fu organs and meridians, it pays attention to the research and practice of human anatomy, physiology, pathology and etiology diagnosis, acupuncture, meridians, health care and many other aspects, forming the initial foundation of China's unique medical system and showing outstanding contributions in clinic.
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Our people seek to understand the material origin of nature. After the theory of five elements and the theory of yin and yang, the theory of primordial qi and atomism are two development clues, and their establishment began in the times of Xun Kuang and Mo Zhai respectively.
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The Han Dynasty was another peak of the development of ancient science and technology in China. On the one hand, science and technology itself has undergone a long period of brewing, accumulation and practice during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and reached the point where quantitative change is enough to cause qualitative change. On the other hand, social and political unity and stability, economic recovery and sustainable development have created favorable external conditions for scientific and technological activities and the arrival of new technologies.
It presents many characteristics such as numerous scientific and technological talents, numerous scientific and technological works, brilliant scientific and technological achievements, and increasingly obvious infiltration and coordination of science and technology on production.
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The completion of Nine Chapters Arithmetic and Zhou Bi suan Jing marks the formation of a unique mathematical system with abacus as a calculation tool, which is characterized by the combination of shape and number and the arithmeticization of mathematics.
Today, due to the appearance of computers, arithmeticization plays an increasingly important role in modern mathematics. China's ancient arithmetic thoughts and methods are being integrated with modern computer science and technology. Therefore, it will be rejuvenated and reappeared with a brand-new look. It is foreseeable that it will play an important role in the development of mathematics.
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Calendar laid the original framework of China's later calendar system, norms and basic contents, while the development of astronomical instruments represented by Zhang Heng, the observation and recording of astronomical phenomena and the cosmology represented by the three heavenly schools formed the inherent tradition of ancient astronomy in China.
The appearance of Hanshu Geography opened up a new field of evolutionary geography research.
Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica is a summary of drug knowledge in China since Qin and Han Dynasties, which laid the foundation for later generations' materia medica. Treatise on Febrile Diseases not only establishes the medical principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment, but also greatly enriches the content of Chinese medicine system, which is more in line with the practical application of medical treatment.
Bi Sheng's book can be said to be a summary of agricultural knowledge.
Such as Lun Heng, Huainan Zi, Huainan Wanhua Book, Zhouyi Tongcanqi, Erya, etc. It also contains a wealth of physical, chemical or biological production technologies, which have become the main technologies with traditional characteristics in ancient China, such as iron smelting, textile machinery, farm tools manufacturing, paper-making technology, lacquerware technology, shipbuilding, etc., and have all appeared and reached a considerable level.
For example, Zhao's iron-hoofed rickshaw, Du's water platoon, the principle and method of cascade lock design, the architectural style of wood structure, shaft furnace smelting method and the map drawn on the basis of actual measurement are all outstanding achievements.
Papermaking is one of the most important inventions in Han Dynasty, and it is also a great contribution of China to world civilization.
The popularization of Niu Geng, the innovation of the farming system of substitute farming and district farming played an important role in liberating and promoting the development of productive forces at that time.
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The opposition and struggle between Wang Chong's theory of vitality and Dong Zhongshu's theory of "the connection between heaven and man" is another milestone in the development of China's history of scientific thought. Even the latter, from the perspective of coordinating the relationship between man and nature, has its essence worth learning.
Song and Yuan Dynasties is another period when China ancient science and technology reached a high development stage.
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Since the Han Dynasty, China's science and technology have been enriched and improved in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and developed in Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, showing a continuous upward trend.
The former's contribution to China's ancient science and technology can be seen from the mathematics of Liu Hui and Zu Chongzhi, the geography of Pei Xiu and Li Daoyuan, the agriculture of Jia Sixie, the medicine of Wang Shuhe, Huangfu Mi and Tao Hongjing, and the chemistry of Ge Hong.
The latter mainly includes the astronomy of Li and his entourage, the mathematics of Li and Wang Xiaotong, the medicine of Sun Simiao, and Liu Zongyuan and Liu Yuxi's views on heaven and man and the world.
The needs of economic development, cultural prosperity, neo-Confucianism formation and war in Song and Yuan Dynasties strengthened this trend.
In order to meet the various needs of themselves, political power and society for science and technology, the ruling class has improved the education system.
Measures such as holding diversified examinations, rewarding inventions and cultivating scientific and technological talents encourage, promote and promote the development of science and technology, while a stable and affluent social environment and a developed publishing industry provide good research conditions.
The style of study of seeking truth from facts, learning from the scriptures, doubting, exploring and innovating urges people with pragmatic thoughts among intellectuals to investigate and study natural things and how to make them beneficial to the national economy and people's livelihood.
Cultural exchanges between ethnic groups at home and abroad have also accelerated the development of science and technology.
All these make the Song and Yuan Dynasties become the golden age of China's ancient scientific and technological development, and have made outstanding achievements in astronomy, geoscience, biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry.
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The appearance or large-scale use of the three great inventions of compass, gunpowder and printing, which are the symbols of ancient world civilization, all started from the Northern Song Dynasty. Shen Kuo, Su Song, Guo Shoujing, Ye Li, Qin Jiuyun, Yang Hui, Zhu Shijie, Zhao Youqin, Bi Sheng, Li Jie and many other famous scientific and technological experts have come forth in large numbers with fruitful results.
Scientific and technological works represented by written talk, building French style, four bamboo slips, Wu Yao, agricultural book and Ge Shu have come out one after another. It is the efforts of many respected scientific and technological predecessors in various aspects that constantly push the science and technology of the Song and Yuan Dynasties to a new height.
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In Song and Yuan Dynasties, Qin, Yang Hui and Zhu Shijie were the representatives, and the development of traditional mathematics in ancient China with calculation as the main calculation tool reached its peak.
Large-scale star observation and the successful development of various astronomical observation instruments have pushed ancient astronomy in China to the peak of development.
Shen Kuo's achievements in magnetism were at the leading level in the world at that time.
The four medical schools in Jin and Yuan Dynasties and the corresponding medical schools made China's medicine develop in an all-round way.
The appearance of Wandu's Yunlin Stone Spectrum reflects the great development of mineralogy in the Song Dynasty.
With the development of these disciplines, such as water conservancy, metallurgy, printing, porcelain making, machinery manufacturing, architecture, textiles, transportation and weapons, etc., also show a vigorous development momentum.
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The monism of natural materialism represented by Zhang Zai, the tracing principle represented by Shen Kuo, and Zhu's scientific method of "grasping knowledge by things" are undoubtedly one of the great achievements of philosophical science in the Northern Song Dynasty, which has had a great influence on the development of science and technology in the Song and Yuan Dynasties.
Of course, the influence of Zhu's natural monism on science and technology at that time cannot be underestimated.
Although the development momentum of the Ming and Qing Dynasties was obviously weaker than before, some works published at this stage, such as Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica, Zhu Zaiyu's Complete Collection of Music, Xu Guangqi's Complete Collection of Agricultural Books and Xu Xiake's Travel Notes, all showed the characteristics of integrating medicine, music, agriculture and land respectively.
Song's Heavenly Creations is an encyclopedic scientific and technological work, which is not only a pearl in the history of science and technology in China, but also a brilliant treasure in the history of science and technology in the world.
The ontology of life of Wang Fuzhi, Wang Tingxiang and Dai Zhen makes Zhang Zai's view of nature more perfect and concrete.
In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the blending and exchange of Chinese and western scientific achievements, and the slow progress of traditional science and technology in the Qing dynasty are also clearly visible.