第五章 Chapter

5
中国对世界科学技术的贡献
China’s Contribution to
the World’s Science and Technology
内容提要 Essentials

1. 中国古代造纸术和印刷术
Papermaking and Printing Technology of Ancient China

2. 中国的丝绸和陶瓷
The Silk and Porcelain of China

3. 独特的中医学
The Unique Traditional Chinese Medicine

4. 中国古代的数学和天文学成就
Achievements of Mathematics and Astronomy in Ancient
China
 中国古代造纸术和印刷术
Papermaking and Printing
Technology of Ancient China
读前思考 Pre-reading Questions

1. 我们现在可以轻松地利用电脑等电子设备阅读学习，可是你知
道古代的中国人主要是通过什么方式获取知识的吗？中国的造
纸术和印刷术是如何传播到国外的呢？
Nowadays, we can read and learn conveniently with electronic
equipment like the computers. Do you know with which
method could ancient Chinese people acquire information and
knowledge? How did Chinese papermaking and printing
technology spread abroad?

2. 中国造纸术和印刷术在世界文明的发展和中外文化的传播交流
中有什么样的意义？
What is the significance of Chinese papermaking and printing
in the development of world’s civilization and communication
of Chinese and foreign cultures
 中国古代的造纸术
Papermaking Technology in Ancient China
 最晚在西汉时，中国已出现了纸。
 By the Western Han Dynasty the Chinese had invented paper.
但当时纸张还没有被广泛使用 . 人们
主要还是在竹简或木简上写字，然后用绳子
穿起来，叫做“册” ,“ 册”就变成书的量词。
Paper was reserved only for the wealthiest
members of society then.Ordinary people
continued to use wood or bamboo strips.
Such strips would be threaded together with
string. One bundle of these strips was known
as a ce. 竹简
Bamboo slips used for writing on
 Chinese hemp paper
• Early Chinese he
mp fiber paper, us
ed for wrapping n
ot writing, （ Sha
anxi history muse
um in Xi'An ）
• Excavated from the Han To
mb of Wu Di (140-87 BC) at
Baqiao, Xi'An
 东汉人蔡伦（约 61—121 ）改进了造纸工艺，纸得以大量生产，并被 广泛使用
 It fell to Cai Lun (61?–121) to finally
invent a version of paper we would
recognize today using crushed
hemp and tree bark.

蔡伦像
Portrait of Cai Lun The process of papermaking technology of Han Dynasty
 公元 3 至 4 世纪，纸基本取代了帛、简，成为中国最主要的书写材料，极大
地促进了文化的传播。
 By the 3rd to 4th centuries, paper had almost completely superseded silk, w
ood and bamboo as the writing medium of choice, having a major impact on
the spread of culture and ideas.
 公元 6 至 10 世纪的隋唐五代时期，随着雕版印刷术的流行，纸的种类增加了，
各种纸制品普遍应用于生活中。
 The Sui and Tang dynasties of the 6th–10th centuries witnessed an increas
e in the types of paper being produced.
 11 世纪以后，纸除了用来写字、绘画和
印书以外，还被用来印制纸币。
 After the 11th century paper became 宋代的纸币
——“交子”
increasingly more commonly used for Jiaozi, the paper
printing paper money. currency used in
the Song
Dynasty
吐鲁番文书 1300 years before
 造纸术在公元 7 世纪经朝鲜传入日本， 8 世纪中期经中亚的
撒马尔罕传到阿拉伯。后由阿拉伯传入了欧洲。
 By the 7th century the Japanese had received papermaking t
echnology from China via Korea, as had the Arabs via Centr
al Asia during the 8th century.With the continual flow of tech
nology westward from the Arab world it was not long before t
his technology reached Europe.

 公元 12 世纪，造纸业在欧洲迅速发展起来。到 16 世纪，纸
张已在全欧洲流行，取代了传统的羊皮纸。
 In the 12th century both Spain and France had established p
apermaking factories and with that the technology soon caug
ht on across Europe.By the 16th century paper was in wides
pread use throughout Europe and had replaced parchment a
s the common medium of writing.
 印刷术的发明和传播
The Invention and Spread of Printing Technology
 中国古代印刷术的发展分为雕版印刷阶段和活字印刷阶段。
 The history of the development of Chinese printing can be divided into tw
o parts, that of wood block printing and that of movable type printing.
雕版印刷术的发明距今有 1300 多年的历史。
Wood block printing was invented 1 300 years ago.

唐代佛教十分繁荣，用雕版印刷术刻印了大量的佛经、佛像和宗
教画。中国发现最早的雕板木刻印刷物为甘肃敦煌的《金刚经》。
During the Tang Dynasty the Budddhist religion gained new height
s ofpopularity, not least because of the use of printing to mass
produce Buddhist classics and holy icons.The earliest surviving
printed text in China was the Dunhuang Diamond Sutra
 Printing 印刷术

雕版印刷（ Tang ）
Woodblock printing
engraved block printing
 中国发现最早的雕版木刻印刷物——
甘肃敦煌的《金刚经》
The earliest wooden printing material
in China: block printing Diamond
Sutra found in Dunhuang, Gansu
Province.

日本发现的刻印于公元 770 年的
《陀罗尼经》
 到了 11 世纪中期，毕昇（约 970—1051 ）使用胶泥活字发明了
活字印刷术。是印刷史上的一大革命。
 By the mid 11th century a man named Bi Sheng (?970–1051)inv
ented a more practical method known as movable type print——
it was truly a printing revolution.
 元朝时，中国人又用硬木、金属锡制成活字模子，对活字印刷术
进行了较大改进。
 In the Yuan Dynasty the common material for manufacturing mo
vable type was hard woods or metal, quite an improvement over
the older clay moldedcharacters.
 与此同时，受中国影响，古代朝鲜和日本也积极探索活字印刷的
技术。活字印刷术在这一时期传到了伊朗及阿拉伯地区，之后又
传到了非洲和欧洲。
 At the same time Korea and Japan started to adopt this technolo
gy from China and before long it had spread to Iran and the Arab
world followed by Europe and Africa.
毕昇 Bi Sheng
movable type 活字
指南针 Compass

Si Nan compass
magnet
Ancient compass and navigation
Gunpowder 火药

KNO3
C
Brim stone
 中国的丝绸和陶瓷
The Silk and Porcelain of China
读前思考 Pre-reading Questions

1. 你知道古罗马的凯撒大帝看戏时穿的丝绸来自哪里吗？
这些名贵的丝织品是通过什么路线、如何传到古罗马
帝国的？
Do you know where did the silk worn by Gaius Julius
Caesar of ancient Rome come from? How and on
which route did this valuable silk spread to ancient
Rome?

2. 中国古代的瓷器有哪些特点？为什么能够畅销世界千
余年？
What are the features of ancient Chinese porcelain?
Why can china be popular in the world for more than
a thousand years?
 精彩华美的中国丝绸
The Brilliant Chinese Silk
 中国人织造丝绸的历史十分悠
久， 在商代丝绸织造在当时社会生
产中已占据一定的地位。周秦以后，
丝织业 更加发达，丝绸的产量也
不断提高。
 The history of sericulture in China
is truly ancient, as provedby the fact
that the words for silk, silkworm and
thread all appear in ancient Shang
漂亮的丝织品
era oracle bone inscriptions. Beautiful silk products
 中国的丝绸和丝织技术很早就输出到其他国家。向西主要靠丝绸
之路输送到中亚、西亚和古罗马等地，受到上层贵族的青睐。
 China’s sericulture soon achieved the fame for itself abroad, es
pecially inthe West, along the Silk Road that carried silk into Ce
ntral Asia and Europe,much to the delight of the wealthy and ru
ling classes.

丝绸之路示意图
A shematic diagram
of the Silk Road
 宋元时期，丝绸物品通过“海上丝绸之路”大量销
往海外。即从泉州、广州、宁波等港口出海，运往日本、朝鲜、
东南亚各国以及阿拉伯地区和欧洲等地。
 By the Song and Yuan periods large amounts of silk products
were finding their way overseas, primarily via the Ocean Silk
Road from ports such as Quanzhou, Guangzhou and Ningbo
with destinations such as Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, the A
rab world and Europe.
 今天，中国的丝绸质量和丝织技术仍然领先于世界其
他国家，丝绸在某种意义上也是中国的重要象征。
 Today China’s sericulture production level is the number on
e in the world and silk has become a national symbol.
你知道都有哪些地方是丝绸的产地吗？
Do you know the producing area of silk?
 闻名遐迩的中国瓷器
The World-Famous Porcelain of China
 中国的瓷器烧制，最早可以追溯到 3000 多年前的商代，
那时已有原始瓷器。
 The first examples of Chinese pottery production can b
e traced back over 3 000 years ago to the Shang era a
nd the earliest known examples of pottery implements.
 最迟在公元 1 世纪的东汉时期，中国人已经掌握了比
较成熟的瓷器生产技术。
 By the 1st century at the latest, the Chinese had devel
oped a mature and sophisticated method of firing porce
lain.
 中国人很早就掌握了上釉技术，青釉和白釉是最传统的釉色，
直到唐代依然如此。请注意，青釉的“青”指深绿色，意思是我们现在
说的“青山绿水”里的青。青也有深蓝的意思，我们常说的“青出于蓝而
胜于蓝”里的青，即是深蓝之意。唐代也出现一种名叫唐三彩的多色釉
陶瓷制品，以色彩绚丽、明亮为主要特征。

It is thanks to the early invention of glazing, a process that by the Tan

g had been perfected, that led to the development of a huge array of d
ifferent colours, such as Tang tri-colour glaze as well as the classic bul
e-and-white finish.By the end of the Tang the level of craftsmanship i
nvolved in Chinese ceramic production had reached new heights of s
kill.
 宋代瓷器在胎质、釉彩和烧制技术方面又有新的提高，瓷器制作技术完全
成熟。
 By the time of the Song Dynasty even higher levels had been reached in a
ll areas of production.
宋代的五大名窑：河北的定窑、
开封的官窑、浙江的哥窑以及河南
的汝窑、钧窑。
The Ding kiln in Hebei, the Guan kiln in the
then capital Kaifeng, Ge kiln in Zhejiang,
the Ru kiln in Henan and the Jun kiln were
known as the five famous kilns of the Song
dynasty. 北宋钧窑的“窑变”
The “Furnace Transmutation” of Jun kiln,
Northern Song Dynasty
 从元代开始，青花瓷成为瓷器制品的主流。
 The style of blue-and-white porcelain — that is to say the blue flowers on a white backg
round—we are today most familiar with comes from the Yuan Dynasty.

青花瓷是一种白地蓝花的瓷器。景德镇出产的青花瓷最有名。
The best examples ofblue-and-white porcelain came from the famous kilns at Jingdezh
en in Jiangxi.
  明清时期的瓷器制作

技术更加高超，彩色瓷器的
制作水平也得到了高度
发展。
By the Ming and Qing dyna
sties the court funneled much
元代青花瓷盘
money into researching new
The blue and white porcelain bottle from and better ways of producing
the Yuan Dynasty
ceramics, thus further refining
each stage of the process.
 中国的瓷器制造技术很早就开始外传。公元 11 世纪传到了波斯，后来又陆
续传到了阿拉伯地区、埃及、土耳其以及欧洲。
 Chinese ceramics have a long history of sales overseas. In the 11th centu
ry trade existed with places such as Persia, the Arab world and even Euro
pe.
从 16 世纪开始，大批中国瓷器通过贸易
输入欧洲，与此同时，欧洲人也开始仿制中国
瓷器，最终在 18 世纪初期获得成功。
By the 16th century Europe had become the
largest market for Chinese ceramic ware.And that
lead to the later European forgery of Chinese
designs which finally succeed inthe 18th century.
世纪荷兰生产的青花瓷罐
The blue and white porcelain jar made
in the Netherlands in 18th century
 奇特的中医学
The Unique Traditional Chinese
Medicine
 读前思考 Pre-reading Questions

你和朋友生病时，有没有去看过中医？你对中医
的治疗方法，如针灸、推拿、按摩、拔罐等，有哪
些了解？你觉得中医的治疗效果怎么样？

Have you or your friends come to see a

traditional Chinese doctor when feeling sick? Do
you have any knowledge of traditional Chinese
medical treatment methods; such as
acupuncture, massage, cupping, etc? What do
you think of the treatment effects of traditional
Chinese medicine?
 中医已有数千年的历史，它以中医药理论
与实践经验为主体，研究人类生命活动中健康与疾
病之间的转化规律，融预防、诊断、治疗、康复和
保健为一体。
 Chinese medicine has a history of some several tho
usand years and comprises of a combination of bot
h theoretical and practical knowledge revolving aro
und disease prevention, treatment, recuperation an
d leading a healthy lifestyle.
你知道吗？
Do you know?
日本的汉方医学、韩国的韩医学、朝鲜的
高丽医学、越南的东医学都是以中医为基础发展起
来的。
We find that traditional medicine in Japan, Korea
and Vietnam all stems from Chinese medicine. It i
s this canon of medical knowledge that forms one
of the greatest contributions made by the Chinese
to the rest ofthe world.
 中医学以阴阳五行作为基础理论，将人体看
成是气、形、神的统一体，通过“望、闻、问、切”
四个步骤的诊断，探求病因，使用中药、针灸、推拿、
按摩、拔罐、气功等多种治疗手段，使人体达到阴阳
调和而康复。
 The basis of Chinese traditional medicine is found in
the theories of Yin / Yang and the Five Elements (w
ood, fire, water, metal and earth) and taking that the
human body consists of Qi, form and spirit, through
a process of observing, listening, asking and probin
g can a diagnosis be made and medicine, acupunct
ure, massage, cupping and qigong used to rebalanc
e the Yin / Yang and bring about a person’s recover
y
feel the pulse
 中医的拔罐治疗
cupping of traditional Chinese medicine
acupuncture

massage
 2000 多年前的中医专著《黄帝内经》，奠定了中医学的基础。
 The classic of Chinese medicine, the Huangdi Neijingi (Classic
of Internal Medicine) is the corner stone of classic Chinese me
dical knowledge.
 西汉时期，中医开始用阴阳五行解释人体生理。
 In the Western Han period the principles of Yin / Yang and the
Five Elements were created to explain the workings of the body.
 东汉著名医学家张仲景（约 150—215 ）已经认识到人体生理上
的虚实、寒热等特征。
 The famous doctor Zhang Zhongjing (150?–215?) made discov
eries concerning the weak, strong, hot and cold elements of the
human body.
 三国时期（ 220—280 ）华佗（约 145—208 ）因擅长外科手术
和麻醉术而闻名。
 In the Three Kingdoms Period (220–280) Hua Tuo (145?–208?) became fa
mous for his development of surgery and anesthetic techniques.
 唐代“药王”孙思邈（ 581—682 ）总结前人的理论及经验，
收集 5000 多个药方，并采用辨证治疗。
 The Tang Dynasty Sun Simiao (581–682) collected together te
xt of previous knowledge and experiments, totaling around 5 0
00 prescriptions and used these to further refine medical know
ledge.
 宋朝时出版了为针炙标识穴位的《图经》。
 In the Song the Tujing (Classic of Acupuncture) was written.
 明朝中后期李时珍（ 1518—1593 ）
的《本草纲目》是中国古代
本草药方的集大 成者，凝聚
着丰富的临床实践经验。
 In the Ming Dynasty Li Shizhen
(1518–1593)complied the most
famous encyclopedia of
Chinese medicine, the Bencao
Gangmu (Compendium of
Materia Medica). 明代李时珍的《本草纲目》
Compendium of Materia Medica written by Li
Shizhen, Ming Dynasty
 现代医学（西医）进入中国之后，曾严重冲
击了中医的发展。中医学受到巨大的挑战。
 Modern medicine (commonly known as Western me
dicine) has been in conflict with Chinese medicine ev
er since it was first introduced as a concept in China.
 但如今，中医在中国人的医疗和保健中仍占
有重要位置，不仅是治病的常用手段，而且也是调养
身体机能的重要方式。
 Modern Chinese people still look to Chinese medicin
e to maintain a healthy balance and as a way of stayi
ng healthy, not simply curing disease.
中国古代的数学与天文学成就
The Achievements of
Mathematics and
Astronomy of Ancient China
读前思考 Pre-reading Questions

1. 一般认为，数学是一切科学发展的基础。中国古代数学有什
么特点？取得了哪些领先世界的成就？
Generally known, mathematics is the foundation of science.
What are the features of ancient Chinese mathematics?
What are the achievements ahead in the world at the time?

2. 你知道中国的春节、中秋等传统节日是根据什么历法来确定
日期的吗？你见过哪些中国古代的天文仪器？
Do you know what calendar were the Chinese festivals, like
Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival based on? Have
you seen any Chinese ancient astronomical instruments?
 中国古代的数学
Mathematics in Ancient China

 古代中国人在数学方面取得了很大成就，究其原因，也许和
农业文明的需求有关。
 The Ancient Chinese made many great advances in the fie
ld of mathematics and the reason for this most likely lies in
the fact that for most of its history China was an agricultur
al country.
想一想 Questi
ons ：
为什么？ Why?
Abacus ~ 2600 BP

The earliest computer ?

 中国古代的数学
Mathematics in Ancient China
先秦数学是中国古代数学的萌芽期。先秦数学的主流精神是
实用，从先进的十进制记数法，到各种实用的计算方法与测绘
方法及工具，都体现了这一精神。
Pre-Qin mathematics is where we see the roots of the more
modern form appearing, again with a focus on the practical.
Geometric tools were soon developed for agriculture and con
struction, and to this day the Chinese place great emphasis o
n the importance of mathematics.
你知道汉语中“不依规矩，不成方圆”的说法是怎么来的吗？
Do you know the origin of the sanying "buyiguiju buchengfa
ngyuan"?
Compasses

ruler
 5
4

The Pythagorean theorem ~ 2100 BP

西汉末年的《周髀算经》用对话的形式写成，书中列
出勾股定理的特例，提出测太阳高、远的方法。
The Western Han text Zhoubi Suan Jing (The Arithm
etical Classic of the Gnomon and the Circular Paths of
Heaven) took the form of a conversation to explain the
workings of Pythagorean Theorem and the distance of
the sun.
 另一本数学著作《九章算
术》，成书于东汉初年，其特点是
以解决社会实际问题为主要目的，
以问题集的形式编写，集秦汉以来
数学之大成。
Yet another text was the Jiu-
Zhang Suanshu (Nine chapters o
n the art of calculation) and can be
dated to the Eastern Han and prim
arily deals with finding answers to 《九章算术》
practical everyday issues. The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art
 中国古代数学到了三国两晋南北朝时期，在理论上
有了新的发展。
 In the centuries following the Han Dynasty mathe
matical theory advanced massively.
 活跃于 3 世纪后期的刘徽的《九章算术注》开始运
用逻辑推理对数学定理和公式进行证明论述，被认
为是中国古代数学理论体系的开端。
 In the 3rd century Liu Hui’s Notes on the Nine Ch
apters on the Art of Calculation was the first text t
o use logic in mathematical theorem.
 祖冲之（ 429—500 ）在刘徽
《九章算术注》的基础上，将传统
数学大大向前推进了一步，成为重
视数学思维和数学推理的典范。祖
冲之推算出圆周率 π 的值介于 3.1
415926 和 3.1415927 之间，使他
成为世界上第一位把圆周率准确到
小数点后七位的人。
 ZuChongzhi (429–500) further bui
lt on the work of Liu and was the f
irst one to define π to within seve
n digits at a range of between 3.1
415926 and 3.1415927.

祖冲之像
Portrait of Zu Chongzhi
π 3.1415926 ---- 3.1415927.
 隋唐时期，中国古代数学主要以实用算法的进步和数学教育
制度的确立为特色，当时中央政府设立的学校“国子监”里
教授数学科目。
 In the Sui and Tang mathematics mostly took the form of pr
actical calculations and education, to the extent that a math
ematics course was established in the Imperial Academy.
 宋代社会经济繁荣，数学向更为广阔的天地迈进。宋元时期
的中国数学远远超过同时代的欧洲，比如高次方程解法较欧
洲早 800 年，多元高次方程组消去法较欧洲早出近 500 年。
 By the Song and Yuan times the level of mathematics had
vastly outshone that of Europe, for example, the Chinese t
o develop the equation of higher degree a full 800 years be
fore Europeans.
 中国传统数学在元代后期渐趋萧条，出现了后继乏
人的现象。明代后期，传统数学理论的发展几乎走
进死胡同，有待更新。
 The Yuan Dynasty saw mathematics suffer a blea
k period with no one able to inherit the great learni
ng of the Song Dynasty.By the end of the Ming ad
vancement had all but come to a halt.
 明朝时，从欧洲来的传教士把西方近代数学知识传
播到中国。从而改变了中国古代数学的发展方向。
 It was during this time that the first Jesuit priests c
ame to China, bringing with them examples of We
stern mathematics and with it a change in the dev
elopment of the mathematics in China.
 中国传统数学在元代后期渐趋萧条，出现了后继乏
人的现象。明代后期，传统数学理论的发展几乎走
进死胡同，有待更新。
 The Yuan Dynasty saw mathematics suffer a blea
k period with no one able to inherit the great learni
ng of the Song Dynasty.By the end of the Ming ad
vancement had all but come to a halt.
 明朝时，从欧洲来的传教士把西方近代数学知识传
播到中国。从而改变了中国古代数学的发展方向。
 It was during this time that the first Jesuit priests c
ame to China, bringing with them examples of We
stern mathematics and with it a change in the dev
elopment of the mathematics in China.
 明末徐光启（ 1562—1633 ）和利玛窦（ 1552—1610 ）
合译欧几里得（约前 330— 前 275 ）的《几何原本》前六卷，
李之藻（ 1565—1630 ）和利玛窦合译《同文算指》，使中国
人开始了解西方数学，促进了中国古代数学的发展。但与欧洲
近代数学所取得的成绩相比，中国人在数学方面进步迟缓。
The late Ming thinker Xu Guangqi (1562–1633) and Matt
eo Ricci (1552–1610) jointly translated the chapter o
n Geometry written by Euclid (330 B.C.?–275 B.C.) and
Li Zhizao (1565–1630) worked with Ricci to translate
further mathematical texts. This further spurred on Ch
inese mathematical theory and study, however the Chine
se mathematical study
then was overtaken by that of the West.
Xu Guangqi and Matteo Ricci
 中国古代的天文学成就
Astronomical Achievements in Ancient China

中国古代天文学的成就大体可归纳为 3
个方面，即：天象观测、编订历法和仪器制作。
The main advances of astronomy can be said to be:
observing the heavens, writing calendars and buildi
ng measurement apparatus.

 天象观测 Astronomical Observation

 很早的时候，中国人已经开始观测天象，记载了很多关于
太阳、月亮、行星、彗星、恒星、日食、月食的天文现象。
Very early on the Chinese had started looking to the heavens for ans
wers, making notes on the movements of the celestial bodies.
 在中国河南安阳出土的殷墟甲骨文中，已有天文现象的文字记载。
 From the earliest recorded writing in the oracle bones of Any
ang, Henan, we find evidence of astronomicalm records.
 中国古代还留下了不少太阳黑子记录，对研究太阳的活动规律以及地
球气候变迁等，都有重要的参考价值。
 Other records for which China holds a world first are for phenomenon
such as sun spots, all of which have great scientific value.
 公元前 240 年的彗星记载，被认为是世界上最早的哈雷彗星活动记录。从那
时起到 1986 年，哈雷彗星共回归了 30 次，中国都有记录。
 The notes from 240 B.C. photograph are thought to be the earliest
records of Halley’s Comet. From that year until 1986 the comet ha
s made 30 passes of the Earth with each one being recorded.

世界上最古老的彗星图
—— 1973 年发现于湖南
长沙马王堆汉墓
The oldest comet figure
in the world, found in
Mawangdui Grave in
ChangSha, Hunan
Province, 1973
 编订历法 The Compiling of the Calendar
 系统完整的历法著作自汉代起开始出现，历朝历代颁
行
和未颁行的历法共约一百种，绝大部分收集在《二十四史》
的《律历志》中，这是研究中国历法的宝贵资料。
 Over the course of the centuries people worked to develop m
ore and more precise calendars. The majority of these calend
ars were collected in the Twenty-Four Books of History (offici
al history of China up to the end of the Ming Dynasty authoris
ed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty), thus giving us
a valuable resource to research ancient Chinese calendars.
 编订历法 The Compiling of the Calendar

 汉武帝在位时，即命令官员在古代历法的基
础上制定了新的历法《太初历》（公元前 104 年成
书），这部历法被沿用了 200 余年。

 Hanwudi commissioned the Taichuli calendar in aro

und 104 B.C. and was the standard for some 200 ye
ars.
 魏晋南北朝时期，祖冲之制定《大明历》，首次将岁差计算入内，每年 3
65.2428 天，与现在的精确测量值仅相差 52 秒。
 In the 3rd to 6th centuries Zu Chongzhi designed a better calendar that
measures the year as consisting of 365.2428 days, a mere 52 seconds
different to our modern calculations.

祖冲之像
Portrait of Zu Chongzhi
唐代天文学家僧一行（ 683—727 ）经过数年的测量，制定了中国历史上最全面最详尽的
历书《大衍历》。这个历法对中国历法影响很大。在明末采用西欧方法编订历法之前，历
次修订历法都是仿照它的结构进行的。
The Tang Astronomer Seng Yixing (683–727) came up with the most accurate calendar i
n Chinese ancient history, one that was in use right until the late Ming and the introductio
n of Western methods.
 元朝郭守敬（ 1231—1316 ）在实际观测的基础上，编订了中
国古代最优秀的历法《授时历》。郭守敬通过三年多的测量和
计算，采用 365.2425 日作为一个回归年的长度。这个精密的
数值与现在世界上流行的公历值相同，比欧洲历早了 300 年。
 The Chinese did develop calendars that dealt better wi
th the concept of leap years some 300 years before Eur
opeans, most notably the scholar Guo Shoujing (1231–1
316) of the Yuan Dynasty.

郭守敬(1231-1316)
 仪器制作 Instrument Production
 中国古人设计和制造的天文仪器，如圭表、日晷、漏刻、浑仪、
浑象等体现了复杂的天文学原理和高超的技术。
 The sundial, armillary sphere, water clock and other such ins
truments were designed by the ancient Chinese.

浑仪
Armillary
sphere

日晷
Sundial
 明代以后，随着中国的天文学开始走下坡路，天文仪器的制作
也处于停滞状态。
 However,from the Ming onwards following the decline of Chine
se astronomy, the art of instrument making also suffered from t
he same fate of neglect.
 17 世纪中后期来华的传教士在传播近代西方数学、天文学
知识的同时，也把各种先进的天文观测仪器带到了中国人面前。
但是，这些科学活动更多地局限于宫廷或少数达官贵人中间，
而且很多人只是把这些仪器当做西方人的“奇淫技巧”而已。
 Yet again, it was missionaries from Europe who brought advan
ced observing instruments to China. It is said that the Emperor
Kangxi (1654–1722) was greatly interestedin astronomy and w
ould often hold audience with missionaries on this subject. Sad
ly though, most of this invention never made it to ordinary Chin
ese, who considered them to be twisted play things of the Wes
terners.
1.Key Words and Phrases
In your own words, please describe the meaning and importanc
e of the following key words and phrases concerning the topic of
this chapter.

Paper-making 造纸术
Silk 丝绸
Blue-and-white procelain 青花瓷
Traditional Chinese medicine 中医
Lunar calendar 农历
2.Group Discussion
In groups of 3~4 classmates, please discuss the “Joseph Need
ham Problem”, that is to say the question of why, after centurie
s of scientific achievement, could China fail to develop natural s
ciences to match the West and eventual fall behind. At the end
of the group discussion each group should select one person to
give a 6-minute summary of the group’s findings.
3.Research and Practice
In this chapter we learned about China’s contribution to science.
Through in-the-field investigations,interviewing your Chinese fri
ends and teachers, visiting museums and browsing websites, p
lease prepare an 8-minute speech giving your own impression
of this topic.
4.Further Reading
Should you be interested in learning more about China’s contrib
ution to the world’s sciencific development, below are some usef
ul resources to get you started:
1. Ancient Chinese Inventions: Thousands Years of Science and
Technology, Deng Yingke,Beijing: China International Press, 20
10.10.
2. General Introduction to TCM Theory, Cao Hongxin, Beijing: S
cience Press, 2011.12.
3. Website of Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’
s Republic of China http://www.most.gov.cn/