A Preliminary Analysis of Scientific Development and its Causes in Anhui Province during The Ming and Qing Dynasties

Abstract

The Yangtze and Huai He river valley in Anhui, one of the earliest culturally developed areas in China, produced many scientists, inventors and skillful craftsmen who added brilliant pearls to the treasurehouse of ancient Chinese science and technology. It’s especially worth noting that during the Ming and Qing dynasties, while modern Western science was emerging and Chinese science and technology, which for a thousand years had been superior to that of the West, was gradually falling behind, science in Anhui experienced unprecedented development and large numbers of exceptionally talented people appeared. This development was characterized by a ‘clan chain’ and a ‘chain of apprentices.’ As for its influence on the country as a whole, for a while Anhui became a research center in astronomy, mathematics, physics and medicine, as represented by Fang Yizhi, Zhu Zaiyu, Mei Wending, Cheng Dawei, Zhen Fuguang, Wang Ji, Wang Ang, and others, and produced some of the most advanced research achievements in China, some of which even surpassed the level of other countries at that time.

Journal of Dialectics of Nature, III(2) (1985) 39-46. While researching the present article, the Department of Classics in Anhui Provincial Library kindly provided a large number of local annals and related books. Zhao Gengxin provided statistics on the number of people involved in science and technology and the number of works listed in the annals of Xixian County. Zhou Yuan and Xia Wenhuo provided the number of people involved in science and technology in the annals of Anhui Province. Gong Li kindly asked Li Zhegang’s family to donate a copy of A Brief Account of the History of Anhui (An Hui Li Shi Xu Yao) which includes considerable historical materials on the history, economy, and culture of Anhui during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The author wishes to express his deep appreciation.