Natural Science In Ancient China 1. 2 Physics in Ancient China Chemistry in Ancient China ...
-
Upload
thomasina-bruce -
Category
Documents
-
view
248 -
download
10
Transcript of Natural Science In Ancient China 1. 2 Physics in Ancient China Chemistry in Ancient China ...
1
Natural Science In Ancient China
2
Physics in Ancient China
Chemistry in Ancient China
Astronomy in Ancient China
Medicine in Ancient China
Natural science In Ancient China
Main Fields:
Natural science In Ancient China
The Four Great Inventions are:
Compass (指南针 )
Gunpowder (火药 )
Papermaking (造纸术 )
Printing (活字印刷术 )
4
The importance of these inventions was perhaps first discussed by
the British philosopher Francis Bacon (1561–1626), who in 1620
wrote: "Printing, gunpowder and the compass ... whence have followed
innumerable changes, in so much that no empire, no sect, no star
seems to have exerted greater power and influence in human affairs
than these mechanical discoveries.“ Bacon was likely unaware of the
origins of these inventions, and was not writing of the ancient Chinese
inventions but rather their Western analogs. However, his writings do
show the importance of these technologies to the early-modern
European world.
Natural science In Ancient China
5
Later, Karl Marx also commented that:
"Gunpowder, the compass, and the printing press were
the three great inventions which ushered
in bourgeois society. Gunpowder blew up the knightly
class, the compass discovered the world market and
founded the colonies, and the printing press was the
instrument of Protestantism and the regeneration
of science in general; the most powerful lever for
creating the intellectual prerequisites." 5
Natural science In Ancient China
6
Physics and Technology in ancient China: a) Magnetism discovery and compass invention
b) Papermaking
c) Printing
Natural science In Ancient China
7
Magnetism and compass navigator
In ancient China, the earliest literary reference to magnetism lies in a 4th century
BCE book called Book of the Devil Valley Master( 鬼谷子 ): "The lodestone
makes iron come or it attracts it.“
Natural science In Ancient China
8
The earliest mention of the attraction of a needle appears in a work
composed between AD 20 and 100 (Louen-heng): "A lodestone attracts a
needle."
The ancient scientist Shen Kuo (1031–1095) was the first person to write of
the magnetic needle compass and that it improved the accuracy of
navigation by employing the astronomical concept of true north (Dream
Pool Essays, AD 1088), and by the 12th century the Chinese were known
to use the lodestone compass for navigation. They sculpted a directional
spoon from lodestone in such a way that the handle of the spoon always
pointed south.
Natural science In Ancient China
9
Papermaking
Natural science In Ancient China
paper, China, circa 100 BCE.
10
5 step Papermaking :
a) Fibers are suspended in water to form a slurry in a large vat
b) Molding with wooden wired framec) Drying the layers but not
completelyd) Pressing the layerse) Hang or lay out to dry completely
Natural science In Ancient China
11
Papermaking has traditionally been traced to China
about AD 105, when Cai Lun, an official attached to the
Imperial court during the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220),
created a sheet of paper using mulberry and other bast
fibres along with fishnets, old rags, and hemp waste.
However a recent archaeological discovery has been
reported from near Dunhuang of paper with writing on
it dating to 8 BC.
Natural science In Ancient China
12
Paper was used in China for wrapping and padding since the 2nd
century BC but paper used as a writing medium only became
widespread by the 3rd century. By the 6th century in China,
sheets of paper were beginning to be used for toilet paper as
well. During the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) paper was folded
and sewn into square bags to preserve the flavor of tea.
The Song Dynasty (AD 960–1279) that followed was the first
government to issue paper currency.
Natural science In Ancient China
13
Printing
Natural science In Ancient China
The intricate frontispiece of the Diamond Sutra from Tang Dynasty China, AD 868
14
The Chinese invention of Woodblock printing, at some point before
the first dated book in 868 (the Diamond Sutra), produced the
world's first print culture. Woodblock printing was better suited
to Chinese characters than movable type, which the Chinese also
invented, but which did not replace woodblock printing. Woodblock
printing for textiles, on the other hand, preceded text printing by
centuries in all cultures, and is first found in China at around
220, then Egypt in the 4th century, and reached Europe by the 14th
century or before, via the Islamic world.
Natural science In Ancient China
15
Natural science In Ancient China
Chemistry in ancient China: a) Chinese Alchemi
b) Gunpowder
16
Chinese alchemy
a part of the larger tradition of Taoism, centers on the tradition of
body-spirit cultivation that developed through the Chinese
understandings of medicine and the body. These Chinese traditions
were developed into a system of energy practices. Chinese alchemy
focuses mainly on the purification of one's spirit and body in the
hopes of gaining immortality through the practice
of Qigong and/or consumption and use of various inventions
known as alchemical medicines or elixirs, each of which having
different purposes.
Natural science In Ancient China
17
Alchemical medicines were valued for Chinese because of three main reasons:
granting transcendence and immortality
summon benevolent spiritsexpel demons
Natural science In Ancient China
18
The alchemical practices outlined in :
• Waidan or 'external alchemy' and • Neidan or 'internal alchemy'
are intended to increase life span or produce immortality amongst the people using these methods.
Natural science In Ancient China
19
Natural science In Ancient China
Outer alchemy (Waidan):
The term Waidan can be divided into two parts:
-- Wai which means outside or exterior and -- Dan referring to alchemy or elixir Waidan is using an elixir often containing herbal
or chemical substances found outside of the body.
20
Waidan is using an elixir often containing herbal or chemical
substances found outside of the body.
Waidan can also include following certain dietary regiments
including the avoidance of specific foods. Taking medicines
and elixirs can be referred to outer elixir or weidan; these
practices occur outside of the body until they are verified by
the ingestion of medicines, herbs, and pills
“to bring about physical changes within the body,
separate to the soul.”
Natural science In Ancient China
21
Inner alchemy (Neidan) :
The term Neidan can be divided into two parts -- Nei meaning inner and -- Dan referring to alchemy or elixir
Neidan uses techniques such as: composed meditation techniques, visualization, breathing and bodily posture exercises.
Natural science In Ancient China
22
Neidan comprises the elixir from the principles
of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the
cultivation of substances already present in the
body, in particular the managing and controlling
of three substances in the body known as the
"Three Treasures”:
a) Jing b) chi c) shen
Natural science In Ancient China
23
o Jing which can be translated as "life essence“. A person is born with
Jing and it governs the developmental growth processes in the body.
Since people are born with a certain amount of Jing, it is taught that a
person can increase their Jing through dietary and lifestyle practices.
o Ch'i which can be translated as "energy" or "vital energy". Ch'i energy
results from the interaction of yin and yang. A healthy body is
constantly circulating Ch'i.
o Shen can be translated as "spirit" or "mind". Shen is the energy used
in mental, spiritual and creative functioning
Natural science In Ancient China
24
The three treasures are also associated with locations in the body
where the alchemical firing process can take place, known as the
three dantians:
• Jing or "life essence" is found in the lower dantian, which is
located just below the navel.
• Ch'i or "vital energy: is found in the middle dantian located in the
heart.
• Shen or "spiritual energy" is found in the upper dantian located
between the eyebrows, also known as the Third eye.
Natural science In Ancient China
25
Conception of medicine :
Medicines can be used to heal ailments on the
exterior or interior of the body, to control the
ageing of the body, or even to prevent death.
Natural science In Ancient China
26
Yin and Yang
Yin-Yang is an important concept in the ideas of Chinese alchemy. The Chinese had very definitive notions of the natural world, especially involving the Five Elements, which were:• Water • Fire• Earth• Metal• Wood
These were commonly thought to be interchangeable with one another; each was capable of becoming another element. The concept is integral, as the belief in outer alchemy necessitates the belief in natural elements being able to change into others. The cyclical balance of the elements relates to the binary opposition of yin-yang, and so it appears quite frequently.
Natural science In Ancient China
27
Natural science In Ancient China
Yin and Yang symbol for balance. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, good health is believed to be achieved by a balance between Yin and Yang
28
Natural science In Ancient China
29
Gunpowder
The prevailing academic consensus is that gunpowder
was discovered in the 9th century by Chinese
alchemists searching for an elixir of immortality. By
the time the Song Dynasty treatise in AD 1044, the
various Chinese formulas for gunpowder held levels
of nitrate in the range of 27% to 50%.
29
Natural science In Ancient China
30
In AD 1280, the bomb store of the large
gunpowder arsenal at Weiyang accidentally caught fire,
which produced such a massive explosion that a team of
Chinese inspectors at the site a week later deduced that
some 100 guards had been killed instantly, with wooden
beams and pillars blown sky high and landing at a distance
of over 10 li (~2 mi. or ~3.2 km) away from the explosion.
30
Natural science In Ancient China
31
In the mid 14th century, the explosive potential of
gunpowder was perfected, as the level of nitrate in
gunpowder formulas had risen to a range of 12% to
91%, with at least 6 different formulas in use that are
considered to have maximum explosive potential for
gunpowder. By that time, the Chinese had discovered
how to create explosive round shot by packing their
hollow shells with this nitrate-enhanced gunpowder. 31
Natural science In Ancient China
32
Fireworks were invented in ancient China in the 12th century to scare away evil spirits, as a natural extension of the Four Great Inventions of ancient China of gunpowder.
32
Natural science In Ancient China
33
THE END
33
Natural science In Ancient China
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53