Confucian culture and the sequence of ancient science and technology in China

Confucian culture and the sequence of ancient science and technology in China

Pan Fuen of Fudan University

As early as 1950s and 1960s, the older generation of scholars in the history of China thought advocated that the study of the history of China thought must be combined with the study of the history of Chinese science, hoping to create better conditions for young scholars engaged in this field, so that they can combine arts and sciences, and science and philosophy complement each other. However, due to well-known reasons, this wonderful idea has not been put into practice.

Since 1980s, under the new situation, the research on the history of China's scientific thought has been paid more and more attention by academic circles. Since the late 1980s, the research in this field has shown a prosperous scene, and a large number of papers and monographs have appeared to study the scientific thoughts of important ancient Chinese philosophers, such as the doctoral thesis China Ancient Philosophy and Natural Science, which was later expanded and supplemented into two volumes. The History of China's Scientific Thought, edited by Yuan Yunkai and Zhou Hanguang, consists of three volumes. And Xu Yiming's doctoral thesis "Sex Theory and Distinguishing Yellow" directed in my name. The above monographs are groundbreaking works with considerable influence.

The book Confucian Culture and Ancient Science and Technology in China, written by Le Jun, is now published again for readers. Le Aiguo studied for a master's degree in the philosophy department of Fudan University in the mid-1980s, and taught in the philosophy department of Xiamen University after graduation. He is willing to be lonely, diligent in thinking, devoted himself to studying ancient books, painstakingly sorting out information, deeply studying the history of China's ancient scientific and technological thoughts, and published many related papers. In particular, Wang Tingxiang's Biography of Amin Thinkers has a special chapter on Wang Tingxiang's scientific thoughts: astronomical calendar, geoscience and biology, temperament, etc., which shows that the author has the ability to deeply grasp the scientific thoughts of ancient thinkers. His book Confucianism and Ancient Science and Technology in China is the result of his long-term efforts.

From the perspective of interaction between science and technology and culture, the author of this book discusses the relationship between Confucian culture and ancient science and technology in China, specifically analyzes the influence of Confucian culture on the development of science and technology in various periods, and reveals the scientific and technological factors contained in Confucian culture and the Confucian characteristics of ancient science and technology in China under the background of mainstream Confucian culture in China. The main feature of this book is that the author combs and analyzes the scientific and technological knowledge contained in Confucian classics and Confucian scholars through in-depth research, thus explaining the close relationship between Confucian culture and ancient science and technology. This book also corrects the prejudice that Confucian researchers used to think that Confucianism only "values Taoism and ignores art" and ignores scientific and technological knowledge.

This book not only demonstrates the influence of Confucian culture on ancient science and technology, but also clearly analyzes such a hot issue that academic circles pay attention to, that is, the reason why China's science and technology declined after the middle of Qing Dynasty. The author of this book believes that the reason cannot be simply attributed to Confucian culture. The reason for the decline of Confucian culture lies in the rigidity of Confucianism, not in Confucian culture itself. From the perspective of culturology, the author thinks that the ancient science and technology in China, which was conceived and developed under the background of Confucian culture, contains seeds that may develop into modern science and technology. The author also points out that it will be helpful for us to explore and develop today's scientific and technological thought to dig deep into China's ancient scientific and technological thought resources.

Le Ai Guo is a masterpiece of more than 200,000 words, with a historical span of over 2,500 years. This paper makes a detailed analysis of the historical development of the relationship between Confucian culture and ancient science and technology in China, with clear context and many original ideas. This is a groundbreaking monograph, and readers will naturally give a fair evaluation of its significance and value. I am very satisfied with the preface of this book.