中國機械工程學會第33屆全國學術研討會
2016年12月3-4日 國立臺灣大學、工業技術研究院
論文編號 ： 1668
論文標題 ： A Study on The Knowledge of Agricultural Techniques Detailed in T’ien-kung k’ai-wu using
Concept Mapping
著 者 ： Kuei-Hao Chang
單 位 ： National Cheng Kung University，Research and Services Headquarters&Technology Transfer
and Business Incubation
Abstract
T’ien-kung k’ai-wu (The exploitation of the works of nature) is the earliest
book worldwide detailing production techniques and agricultural and
handicraft inventions. T’ien-kung k’ai-wu details a variety of Chinese ancient
techniques prior to the mid Ming Dynasty. Concept mapping will be used in
this study to review the technology in the book of T’ien-kung k’ai-wu. The
analysis was conducted using the following process (1) defining definition
scope (2) establishing a concept map for the technology detailed in T’ien-kung
k’ai-wu (3) producing a concept map from the previous steps. The use of
concept mapping will provide an important perspective allowing us to better
understand the significance of the knowledge of T’ien-kung k’ai-wu and act as
a conduit for a greater understanding of ancient wisdom.
Keywords: Concept Mapping, Knowledge Structure, Agriculture
1. Introduction
T’ien-kung k’ai-wu (The exploitation of the works of nature) is the earliest
book worldwide detailing production techniques and agricultural and
handicraft inventions. T’ien-kung k’ai-wu details a variety of Chinese ancient
techniques prior to the mid Ming Dynasty, and was called a technical
encyclopedia by a French sinologist Stanislas Aignan Julien [1]. T’ien-kung
k’ai-wu consists of 3 parts divided into 18 chapters:
1) Part One: 1. Agriculture, irrigation, and hydraulic engineering. 2.
Sericulture and textile technology. 3. Agriculture and milling processes. 4.
Salt technology. 5. Sugar technology. 6. Ceramics industry.
2) Part Two: 7. Bronze metallurgy. 8. Transportation; ships and carts. 9. Iron
metallurgy. 10. Coal, vitriol, sulfur and arsenic. 11. Oil technology. 12.
Paper making.
3) Part Three: 13. Metallurgy (silver, lead, copper, tin and zinc). 14. Military
technology. 15. Mercury. 16. Ink. 17. Fermented beverages. 18. Pearls and
jade.
T’ien-kung k’ai-wu emphasizes real ability and field research and includes
numerous depictions and diagrams of the actual operations. As such, T’ien-
kung k’ai-wu is seen as both the most significant and the most valuable
reference material for the development of Chinese production processes.
Several papers have been written focusing on T’ien-kung k’ai-wu research,
including: Looking at Exploitation of the Works of Nature from a cultural
intermediary angle by Hsieh et al [2], The discussion of how technology
affects the relationship among environment, human and life style from the
reflection of lines and images of T’ien-kung k’ai-wu by Liu[3], The research
of the Taiwan Rice Technology evolution (Prehistoric ~1950 ages) by Tsai [4],
The development of Chinese traditional technology base on T’ien-kung k’ai-
wu by Fan [5], Early-Ripening Rice in Chinese History by Ho [6], Cotton
Manufacture and Trade in China by Dietrich [7], and an Approach to ancient
Chinese artifacts by means of thermal analysis (research into process
technologies (sculpting jade, making ceramic and raising silkworms) of T’ien-
kung k’ai-wu) by Wiedemann et al [8].This paper aims to interpret the
innovative value of invention detailed in T’ien-kung k’ai-wu from a knowledge
structure perspective, and uses concept mapping to study the techniques
detailed in T’ien-kung k’ai-wu.
Figure 2. Feature extraction process for
Figure 1 Water Concept Map Invention of T’ien-kung k’ai-wu
4. References
1) Yingxing Song, tr. E-Tu Zen Sun, Shiou-Chuan Sun, “T'ien-kung K'ai-wu:Chinese
Technology in the Seventeenth Century,” Pennsylvania State University,1966.
2) J. D. Novak, and D. B. Gowin, “Learning how to learn,” New York: Cambridge
University Press, 1984.
3) K.H. Chang, C.K. Chen, “Knowledge Structure of Novelty Invention and Scoring,” The
31th National Conference on Mechanical Engineering of CSME, Tai-Chung, Taiwan,
2014.
Concept mapping was developed in 1984 by Joseph D. Novak and his team
at Cornell University (US) for researching learning. The principles of concept
mapping were originally used in the field of scientific education with the aim
of using the concept map to evaluate and research the concept structures of
learners in order to improve learning outcomes for learners of scientific
subjects. Learners were given a group of concepts and allowed to use
appropriate linking words or phrases to link concepts to each other and create
a concept map (see Fig. 1), which was then used to analyze their knowledge
structures. The map’s clear format means that concept mapping is both an
excellent tool for evaluating knowledge structures and an optimal tool for
visualizing the invention process.[9,10]
2. Methodology
In order to determine suitable use of Concept Mapping for an invention in
T’ien-kung k’ai-wu, the study proposes an empirical process (Fig.2) which
includes six core steps. Each step can be defined as follows:
1) Based on the Patent Act, Step 1 is to define the relevant laws of nature.
The technical ideas are then defined in Step 2[10]. The definition are
placed in this order as an understanding of the laws of nature (e.g. heat
transfer, thermodynamics, and heat convention) always precludes the
creation of a new invention, and this is particularly true for ancient times.
2) In Steps 3 and 4, concept maps are drafted to determine the technical
features of the inventions detailed in T’ien-kung k’ai-wu. Establishing an
appropriate concept map for each invention is one of the major elements
necessary to understand the development of technical agricultural
knowledge.
3) In Steps 4 and 5, a basic concept map is established, identifying the main
features of technical agricultural knowledge.
4) In Step 6 the features of the inventions in T’ien-kung k’ai-wu are displayed
using, for example, concept unit, hierarchies and linking.The methodology
of the concept maps used in this study can be divided into five parts:
Proposition, Hierarchies, relationships, cross-linking and examples. These
are shown in Figure 3.
3. Conclusions
1) The method can be applied by following these steps: select a technology,
draw a concept map of the subject, then analyze the positioning of
hierarchies and feature nodes, as demonstrated with Features 1 through 3.
This process and the resulting concept map allow teachers and students to
understand the features and ways of implementing the technologies of the
Cylinder Wheel.
2) As shown in Tables 2 and 3, the features and characteristics of this
invention are:
• Feature 1: the water flows onto the lower part of the wheel, resulting in a
continuous rotation.
• Feature 2: the cylinders attached to the wheel are filled with water.
• Feature3: the water in the cylinders is subsequently emptied into a
receptacle and thence into the field.
3) Thus, if teachers and students would like to develop a new technology or
revise the current technologies of the Cylinder Wheel and apply for a
patent, they now know avoid the features of the second and third layers
(Feature 2 and Feature 3) of the second and third layers. This helps
teachers and students avoid submitting costly applications for inventions
which are not patentable.
Table1 Cylinder Wheel of T’ien-kung k’ai-wu
Statements
“The cylinder wheel is used along river banks. The river is dammed and
channeled so that the water flows onto the lower part of the wheel, resulting in
a continuous rotation; the cylinders attached to the wheel are filled with water,
which is subsequently emptied into a receptacle and thence into the field”[1].
5.Acknowledgements
This work is funded by National Science Council under grant MOST105-
3113-F-027-001.