Galileo and China
Science in Asia
Francis Bacon’s account of printing, gunpowder and the magnet, came to signify a new era of modern scientific discovery. The breadth of Asian science is evident in the irony that each of these supposed modern European discoveries came to Europe from Asia, unbeknownst to Bacon. Asia boasts a rich history of science and technology, even before the Scientific Revolution of early modern Europe.
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Chinese lion, George and Cecilia McGhee Collection This Chinese lion is know as a Shi, or an imperial guardian lion. It was a symbol of protection and often placed in front of tombs, palaces, temples, and important homes |
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The Philosopher of China Confucius, (1687) Confucius lived in the early 5th century BCE, roughly contemporary with the Pythagoreans and Presocratic natural philosophers. Confucius taught: “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself,” an early version of the Golden Rule. |
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Observations of Comets from B.C. 611 to A.D. 1640 Williams, John (1871) A Chinese celestial atlas and chronological tables, reproduced in Williams’ own hand, appear in this record of 372 comet sightings from 611 B.C.E. to 1640 C.E. |
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General History of China, vol. 2 du Halde, J.B. (1741) The secret of silk farming spread from China to Korea and India about the beginning of the Common Era. Its international trade led to the establishment of the Silk Road, which extended over 4,000 miles and connected the major ancient and medieval civilizations from China to Asia Minor. |
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The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Moxibustion Dou, Guifang (1659) This work is a commentary on the Ling-shu, a classic treatise on acupuncture and moxibustion. It describes treatments for a variety of conditions, with 45 depictions of acupuncture points for both adults and children. |
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Yin-Yang medallion (1960) Yin and yang, a recurring motif in traditional Chinese thought, express the idea of the interconnectedness of opposites. Phenomena which appear as dualities to us, such as darkness and light, or high and low tides, will turn out to be interdependent and profoundly related. |
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The Dutch Embassy to the Grand Tartar Chamum Sungteium, Modern Emperor of China Nieuhof, Johann (1668) This travel narrative and encyclopedia presented the most up-to-date information about China based on Jesuit sources and the knowledge of commercial traders. |
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Introduction to Astronomy, 1706 Baba, Nobutake (1706) This work, written by a Kyoto physician, represents Asian astronomy in the generation following Adam Schall. Baba countered superstitious interpretations of solar eclipses, and used magnetic theory rather than yin and yang to explain the tides. Baba adopted the Tychonic model of cosmology. |
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