Ancient Chinese Encyclopedia of Technology : Translation and Annotation of Kaogong ji, The Artificers' Record

ISBN-13: 9780415531436 / Angielski / Twarda / 2012 / 228 str.

Jun Wenren

Opis

This book presents the first translation into English of the full text of the Kaogong ji. This classic work, described by the great scholar of the history of Chinese science and technology Joseph Needham as "the most important document for the study of ancient Chinese technology", dates from the fifth century BC and forms part of the Zhouli (The Rites of the Zhou Dynasty), one of the great Confucian classics. The text itself describes the techniques of working and the technologies used by over twenty different kinds of craftsmen and artificers, such as metal workers, chariot makers, weapon makers, music instrument makers, potters and master builders. This edition, besides providing the full text in English, also provides a substantial introduction and other supporting explanatory material, over one hundred illustrations of ancient Chinese artefacts, and the original Chinese text itself.

Spis treści

Preface  Background  Part I  1. Opening paragraphs  2. Wheelwrights  3. Chariot-body makers  4. Pole makers  5. Metal workers  6. Forging founders, Smelting founders, Sword-smiths  7. Bell-founders  8. Measure makers, Plough makers  9. Cuirass makers  10. Skinners  11. Drum-makers, Tanners, Furriers  12. Painters, Embroiderers  13. Feather-dyers, Silk printers  14. Silk-cleaners  Part II  15. Jade makers, Comb makers, Carvers  16. Stone-chime makers  17. Arrow makers  18. Potters, Proto-porcelain makers  19. Cabinet makers  20. Weapon-handle makers  21. Master-builders, builders and carpenters  22. Cartwrights  23. Bow makers  Appendix 1. Original Chinese Text  Appendix 2. A Brief Chronology of the Dynasties in History of China  Appendix 3. The Equivalence of Chinese Weights and Measures in Metric Units  Glossary of Chinese Characters

O autorze

Jun Wenren is a Research Fellow at Zhejiang University, China, and has worked concurrently for over ten years as a senior design, system, and hardware engineer in leading technology companies, USA.