The Chinese Astronomical Bureau, 1620-1850 lineages, bureaucracy and technical expertise / Ping-Ying Chang.

Author/creator Chang, Ping-Ying
Format Electronic
Publication InfoLondon ; New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
Description229 pages ; 25 cm.
Supplemental ContentFull text available from Taylor & Francis eBooks
Subjects

SeriesNeedham research institute series
Contents The Organization of the Qing Astronomical Bureau -- From the Old Method to the New Method -- Kangxi Calendar Dispute -- Emperors and the He Brothers -- The Solar Eclipse of 1730 -- Knowledge Reproduction -- Maintaining a Familial Career -- The Decline of Missionary Influence and the Nineteenth-Century Reforms of the Astronomical Bureau.
Abstract "This book offers a new insight into one of the most interesting and long-lived institutions known to historians of science, the Chinese imperial Astronomical Bureau, which for two millennia observed, recorded, interpreted and predicted the movements of the celestial bodies. Utilising archival material, such as the r©♭sum©♭s written for imperial audiences and personnel administration records, the book traces the rise and fall of more than thirty hereditary families serving at the Astronomical Bureau from the late Ming period to the end of the Qing dynasty. The book also presents an in-depth view into the organisation and function of the Bureau and succinctly charts the impacts of historical developments during the Ming and Qing periods, including the Regency of Prince Dorgon, the influence of the Jesuits, the relationship between the Kangxi and Yongzheng emperors and the He family and the failure of the bureau to predict correctly the solar eclipse of 1730. Presenting a social history of the Qing Astronomical Bureau from the perspective of hereditary astronomer families, this book will be of interest to scholars and students of Chinese Imperial history, the history of science and Asian history"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references and index.
Access restrictionAvailable only to authorized users.
Technical detailsMode of access: World Wide Web
Genre/formElectronic books.
LCCN 2022017187
ISBN9780367439675 (hardback)
ISBN9781032354903 (paperback)
ISBN(ebook)

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