Astronomy and Mathematics in Ancient China The 'Zhou Bi Suan Jing' [Paperback]

A study of Chinese astronomy accessible to the non-specialist.This translation of an ancient Chinese book on astronomy (which is believed to date back to the first century AD) provides the non-specialist with a lucid account of how Chinese astronomers did their work in ancient times. The book also shows how the Chinese imperial government made use of and supported the work of astronomers, and explores the links between astronomy and politics. It will be of equal interest to historians of science and those studying the history of Chinese culture.This translation of an ancient Chinese book on astronomy (which is believed to date back to the first century AD) provides the non-specialist with a lucid account of how Chinese astronomers did their work in ancient times. The book also shows how the Chinese imperial government made use of and supported the work of astronomers, and explores the links between astronomy and politics. It will be of equal interest to historians of science and those studying the history of Chinese culture.This is a study and translation of the Zhou bi suan jing, a Chinese work on astronomy and mathematics that reached its final form around the first century AD. The author provides the first easily accessible introduction to the developing mathematical and observational practices of ancient Chinese astronomers and shows how the generation and validation of knowledge about the heavens in Han dynasty China related closely to developments in statecraft and politics. This book will be fascinating reading for scholars in the history of science, Chinese history, and astronomy.Preface; 1. The background of the Zhou bi; 2. The Zhou bi and its contents; 3. The origins of the work; 4. The later history of the Zhou bi; Zhou bi suan jing: translation; Appendices; References and bibliography; Index. ...the book stands as a fascinating glimpse into the creation of the Han cosmological system of the religious and secular universe and as such is invaluable to sinolÓ!