Heavenly Works and Creation, Song Yingxing, Xia Jianqin
"Tian Gong Kai Wu" was written by Song Yingxing and translated by Xia Jianqin. This edition would help readers better understand the book, Heavenly Crafts. It recorded in detail the production processes and techniques of various crops and crafts, and was known as the "greatest encyclopedia of agricultural crafts in China in the 17th century." If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!
Translated by Song Yingxing and Xia Jianqin
"Tian Gong Kai Wu" was written by Song Yingxing and translated by Xia Jianqin. "Heavenly Creations" was a comprehensive scientific and technological work about agriculture and handicraft production. It was a world-renowned scientific masterpiece. It was written by experts, with precise annotations and smooth translation, which helped readers expand their knowledge of literature and history. The original text and the translated text were collated left and right, and the double-column layout made it easy for the readers to read and better understand the original work. Moreover, the original book was used as the base book, and the original illustrations were retained. The illustrations were excellent, accurate and reliable, and both knowledge and interest were equally important. It was also easy to read with sewing, and the fabric was firm and the spine was wear-resistant. If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!
Song Yingxing's Thoughts on Heavenly Works
After reading Song Yingxing's Tiangong Kaiwu, I gained a deeper understanding of ancient technology. This book described in detail the planting, breeding, and processing techniques of crops, as well as the production process and craftsmanship of the handicraft industry. I was touched by the ancient people's exploration and pursuit of science and technology described in the book. They worked hard and were full of love for life. Not only does Tian Gong Kai Wu have high scientific value, but it also provides us with valuable information about ancient society. Through this book, I felt as if I had traveled back in time to the ancient times and felt the wisdom and diligence of the people of that era. Song Yingxing's Tiangong Kaiwu is a treasure of ancient Chinese science and technology. It gave me a deeper understanding of ancient science and technology.
Song Yingxing's Thoughts on Heavenly Works
Tian Gong Kai Wu was a comprehensive work about agriculture and handicraft production written by Song Yingxing of the Ming Dynasty. After reading this book, he felt as follows: From the perspective of knowledge content, the book covered many fields, such as various crop varieties and their planting, irrigation, fertilizer, harvesting, and processing knowledge; smelting, sericulture, weaving, dyeing, and other skills in the handicraft industry; and production technology in the industrial field such as grain, oil, machinery, bricks, and pottery. Although technology was advanced now, and many of the advanced knowledge and skills in the book were outdated and could no longer be used as a process manual, these contents showed the meticulous and exquisite thoughts of the ancients under the conditions of the time. They were a precious legacy left by the previous generation, and some of them were still of reference value. From the perspective of ideology, the author advocated the idea of " emphasizing that human beings should coordinate with nature, and human beings should cooperate with natural forces." This idea was worthy of respect and attention from future generations. In terms of social significance, it allowed the readers to realize that not only did the ancient Chinese history record emperors and generals fighting for power, but there were also talented people like Song Yingxing who did not seek fame and silently contributed to the country's infrastructure. A talent like Song Yingxing had failed many times in the examination. The highest official rank was only a prefect. He was lonely in life and did not receive enough attention after he became famous. His scientific spirit still lacked special recommendations and praise from television dramas or literary works. This also reflected the harm that backward systems such as the eight-part essay selection system at that time did to the country. In short, reading Heavenly Creations could make people deeply understand the wisdom of the ancients, the scientific spirit, and the various phenomena of the society at that time. If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!
When did Song Yingxing write Heavenly Creations?
Song Yingxing began to write Tian Gong Kai Wu in the seventh year of Chongzhen (1634) and completed it in the tenth year of Chongzhen (1637). If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!
Heavenly Works and Creation
The book was divided into three volumes, namely the upper, middle and lower volumes, totaling 18 volumes. The content covered planting and grinding rice, raising silkworms and reeling clothes, producing salt and sugar products, casting pottery and gold, silver and bronze ware, manufacturing boats and vehicles, household farming tools, lime, coal, oil, paper, and other technical contents. In addition to the tens of thousands of words of narration, there were 123 illustrations depicting the names, shapes, and processes of more than 100 production techniques and tools. The main idea was that as long as one improved their knowledge and skills, followed the laws of the development of things, and worked hard, they could create all kinds of items needed for life. Their exquisiteness was better than nature. The author, Song Yingxing, was born in a declining official family. He and his brother went to the capital many times to take the examination and failed the examination. On the way, they learned the technical knowledge of agriculture and handicraft industry and recorded it. Later, they used their spare time to organize the information and wrote this book. The book was the world's first comprehensive work on agriculture and handicraft production. It was called the " Chinese 17th Century Encyclopedia of Crafts " by foreign scholars. It systematically summarized the production experience and scientific and technological achievements of ancient China and displayed the simple wisdom of the working people. However, in the 37th year of Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, due to the anti-Qing words in the book and the Qing government's lack of attention to science and technology, the book was banned for 200 years. It was not until the early years of the Republic of China that the Chinese people became familiar with it. However, its translation was widely popular in Japan, North Korea, France and other Asian and European countries. It was of great significance to the modern industrial revolution of the world and the economic development of Europe. If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!
Original Creation of Heavenly Works
The first edition of Tian Gong Kai Wu was published in 1637. This first edition was currently in the collection of the National Library of China. At the same time, the National Library of Paris in France and the Jingjiatang Library in Tokyo in Japan also had this edition. The feature of the first edition was that it was divided into three volumes, upper, middle, and lower. They were printed on good Jiangxi bamboo paper. The size of the book was 26.2 cm high and 16.8 cm wide. Each page had nine lines and each line had 21 words. In addition, the printing of the first edition was funded by Song Yingxing's friend, Tu Shaoyu. Therefore, it could be said that the first edition of " Tian Gong Kai Wu " was very precious. It was considered to be a masterpiece of ancient Chinese scientific and technological works.
Introduction to Heavenly Works and Creation
Tian Gong Kai Wu was a comprehensive work on agriculture and handicraft production. It was known as the 17th century Chinese encyclopedia of crafts. There were three volumes and eighteen chapters in total, including the techniques and experiences of agriculture, handicraft, machinery manufacturing, smelting, pottery, textile, dyeing, paper making, salt making, and many other fields. The book recorded in detail the production technology, tools, equipment, manufacturing processes, and related social and economic conditions at that time, providing us with valuable information on the development level of social productivity in the Ming Dynasty. The author of " Heavenly Creations " was Song Yingxing, a scientist from the Ming Dynasty. He was a famous scientist who systematically summarized the various technologies of ancient China and formed a complete scientific and technological system.
Heavenly Works and Creation Volume 1 - 2
There were three volumes in the book, the first, the second, and the third, totaling 18 volumes (chapters). The first volume contains chapters on Naili (related to crop planting), Nai Fu (related to clothing production), Zhang Shi (clothing dyeing method), Quenching Essence (grain grinding method), Saltiness (salt production method), Sweet Appetite (sugar production method), etc. The middle volume contains chapters on pottery (related to ceramic production), smelting and casting.[Metal Production Method],[Boat and Vehicle Production Method],[Forging Technique],[Burning Stone],[Ointment], and other chapters. The second volume contained chapters on how to make paper, how to get metals, how to make weapons, how to make ink, how to make wine, and how to make jewelry. It systematically summarized the rich production experience and scientific achievements of ancient China. If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!
Song Yingxing's profile
Song Yingxing (1587-about 1666), also known as Changgeng, Han nationality, native of Fengxin County, Jiangxi Province (now Fengxin County, Yichun, Jiangxi Province), was an outstanding agricultural scientist and scientist in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. He was intelligent since childhood, and when he was a little older, he was admitted to Fengxin County School and became a student. He was familiar with the history and the various schools of thought. In 1615, he passed the provincial examination, but after that, he continued to take the examination but failed. During the reign of Emperor Chongzhen, he returned home to take care of his mother because of his failure in the examination. In 1634, he was transferred to the county school teaching encyclical by virtue of his talent and knowledge, and later promoted to the promotion officer of Tingzhou Prefecture in Fujian Province, but resigned before his term of office expired and returned home. On the eve of the death of the Ming Dynasty, he served as the governor of Bozhou, Fengyang Prefecture, South Zhili Province. He did things such as rebuilding the hall and donating money to build an academy. In early 1644, he resigned again and returned to Fengxin. After the Qing army entered the pass, they were awarded official positions but had no intention of being officials, so they resigned and retired. Song Yingxing emphasized practical knowledge all his life. His works and research fields covered many subjects of natural science and humanities, among which Tian Gong Kai Wu was the most outstanding. Tian Gong Kai Wu was China's first comprehensive scientific work on agriculture and handicraft production. It recorded in detail more than 130 production techniques in the fields of agriculture, industry, and handicraft production in China in the 17th century. It was known as the "Encyclopedia of Chinese Crafts in the 17th century". The book covered knowledge in agriculture, smelting, textile, and many other fields. It also described the relevant technologies and scientific principles with pictures and texts, condensing the wisdom and experience of the ancient working people. It had an important value and status in the history of Chinese and foreign science and technology. Many scientists, including Darwin, praised it. It directly promoted the industrial revolution in Europe and made an indelible contribution to the development of human science. In his later years, Song Yingxing lived in seclusion in poverty and refused to be an official. If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!
The Ancient Script of Heavenly Works and Creation
"Tian Gong Kai Wu" was a scientific work from the Ming Dynasty, written by Song Yingxing. The book was first published in 1637 (the tenth year of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty), with a total of three volumes and eighteen articles. The book included agricultural and handicraft industries, such as machinery, bricks, pottery, sulfur, candles, paper, weapons, gunpowder, textile, dyeing, salt production, coal mining, oil extraction, and other production techniques. "Heavenly Creations" was the world's first comprehensive work on agriculture and handicraft production. It was a comprehensive scientific and technological work in ancient China. Some people also called it an encyclopedia. The author was Song Yingxing, a scientist in the Ming Dynasty. Foreign scholars called it "China's 17th-century Encyclopedia of Crafts." If you want to know more about the follow-up, click on the link and read it!