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Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers pp 2098–2100Cite as

Su Song

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Alternate Name

Su Sung

BornTong'an, (Fujian), China, 1020

DiedRunzhou (Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), China, 1101

Su Song was a Chinese astronomer and pharmacologist in the Northern Song dynasty. His public name was Zirong. In 1042, Su Song passed the imperial examinations for government service. In 1086, he was ordered to investigate existing armillary spheres. He examined them and discussed armillary spheres with Han Gonglian, who had made a model of a water-driven armillary sphere. In 1087, Su Song started a project to make a new water-driven armillary sphere with Han Gonglian and others. After making a small model in 1088 and presenting a large model in 1089, Su Song completed the water-driven armillary sphere cum celestial globe called Shuiyun yixiang tai (tower of water-driven instrument) in 1092. He also composed the Xin yixiang fayao (Outline of the method for a new instrument), which is a detailed monograph on this instrument.

The invention of the armillary sphere and celestial globe in...

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Selected References

  • Bo Shuren and Cai Jingfeng (1992). “Su Song.” In Zhongguo gudai kexue jia zhuanji (Biographies of scientists in ancient China), edited by Du Shiran. Vol. 1, pp. 480–496. Beijing: Kexue chubanshe (Science Publishers).

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  • Hua Tongxu (1991). Zhongguo louke (Chinese water clocks). Hefei: Anhui kexue jishu chubanshe (Science and Technology Publishing House of Anhui). (For the development of water clocks in China.)

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  • Li Zhichao (1997). Shuiyun yixiang zhi (History of water-driven instruments), Zhongguo kexue jishu daxue chubanshe. Hefei: University of Science and Technology of China Press. (Includes a study of the instrument of Su Song containing the full text of Xin yixiang fayao.)

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  • Liu Xianzhou (1962). Zhongguo jixie gongcheng faming shi (History of mechanical engineering in China). Beijing Kexue chubanshe (Science Publishing House). (Pioneering work on the history of mechanical engineering in China, in which the contribution of Su Song is also discussed.)

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  • Needham, Joseph, with the collaboration of Wang Ling (1959). Science and Civilisation in China. Vol. 3, Mathematics and the Sciences of the Heavens and the Earth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (For Chinese astronomy in general, including the contribution of Su Song.)

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  • Needham, Joseph, Wang Ling, and Derek J. Price (1960). Heavenly Clockwork. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2nd ed. 1989. (A detailed study of the instrument of Su Song.)

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  • Ruan Yuan (1764–1846) (1799). Chouren zhuan (Biographies of astronomers). Reprint, Taipei: Shijie shuju. (See Vol. 20 for some classical accounts of Su Song.)

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  • Su Song. Xin yixiang fayao. (A relatively popular reprint is the Shoushange series edition [1844 AD] included in the Guoxue jiben congshu series [1968] and also the Renren wenku series [1969] reprinted by Taiwan Commercial Press.)

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  • Tuotuo (1314–1355 AD) et al (eds.) (1345 AD). Song shi (History of the Song dynasty.) (See Vol. 340 for the official biography of Su Song.)

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  • Wang Zhenduo (1989). Keji kaogu luncong (Papers in technical archaeology, in Chinese). Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe (Cultural Relics Publishing House).

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  • Yamada Keiji and Tsuchiya Hideo (1997). Fukugen Suiun gishō dai (Reconstruction of the tower of water-driven instrument). Tokyo: Shinyōsha. (A detailed study of the instrument of Su Song written in Japanese.)

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  • Yan Zhongqi and Su Kefu (1993). Su Song nianpu (Chronological biography of Su Song). Changchun: Beifang funü ertong chubanshe.

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  • Yi Shitong (1998). “Su Song.” In Zhongguo kexue jishu shi, Renwu juan (A History of science and technology in China, Biographical Volume), edited by Jin Qiupeng, pp. 329–338. Beijing: Kexue chubanshe (Science Publishers).

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  • Zeng Zhao. “Su Sikong muzhiming” (Epitaph presented to Sikong Su). In Qufu ji. Vol. 3. Included in the Wenyuange edition of Siku quanshu (The four treasuries of traditional literature compiled in the late 18th century.) (Reprint, Taiwan Commercial Press, 1983–1986. Vol. 1101, pp. 380–385).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Science, University of Northern Iowa, Office: Latham 112, Cedar Falls, IA, 50614, USA

    Thomas Hockey

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  1. Thomas Hockey
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Correspondence to Thomas Hockey .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Science, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA

    Thomas Hockey

  2. University of California, Irvine School of Physical Sciences, Irvine, CA, USA

    Virginia Trimble

  3. Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

    Thomas R. Williams

  4. Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, USA

    Katherine Bracher

  5. York Univesity, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Richard A. Jarrell

  6. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA

    Jordan D. Marché II

  7. University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

    JoAnn Palmeri

  8. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Daniel W. E. Green

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Hockey, T. (2014). Su Song. In: Hockey, T., et al. Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9917-7_1344

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