Traces and echoes of De Architectura by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio in the work of Xu Guangqi in 17th century China

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the role played by Xu Guangqi (1562–1633), minister of the Ming Dynasty, in the development of European scientific and technical knowledge in China between the 16th and 17th centuries by analyzing a book of Western technology that he wrote, namely, Taixi Shuifa (On Western Hydraulics). Several Western books related to machine knowledge are searched to trace the source of the illustrations in Taixi Shuifa. We found that Archimedes’ screw and Ctesibius’ machine, which are included in Vitruvius’ De Architectura volumes, also appear in the work of Xu Guangqi.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Vitruvius’ De Architectura / Xu Guangqi’s Taixi Shuifa / Jesuit missionaries / Italian Renaissance / drawing / representation

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Prof. Baichun Zhang from the Institute for the History of Natural Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and Prof. Marco Ceccarelli from University of Cassino and South Latium for supporting the collaboration between the authors and for the helpful suggestions and backgrounds.

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2015 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg