Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 3, Mathematics and the Sciences of the Heavens and the Earth

Description

After two volumes mainly introductory, Dr Needham now embarks upon his systematic study of the development of the natural sciences in China. The Sciences of the Earth follow: geography and cartography, geology, seismology and mineralogy. Dr Needham distinguishes parallel traditions of scientific cartography and religious cosmography in East and West, discussing orbocentric wheel-maps, the origins of the rectangular grid system, sailing charts and relief maps, Chinese survey methods, and the impact of Renaissance cartography on the East. Finally-and here Dr Needham's work has no Western predecessors-there are full accounts of the Chinese contribution to geology and mineralogy. Title Page......Page 3 Copyright......Page 4 Contents......Page 7 List of Illustrations......Page 14 List of Tables......Page 31 List of Abbreviations......Page 33 Acknowledgments......Page 35 Author's Note......Page 37 19. Mathematics......Page 44 20. Astronomy......Page 214 21. Meteorology......Page 551 22. Geography and Cartography......Page 588 23. Geology......Page 702 24. Seismology......Page 736 25. Mineralogy......Page 748 Addenda......Page 796 Bibliographies......Page 799 Abbreviations......Page 800 A. Chinese books before +1800......Page 807 B. Chinese and Japanese books and journal articles since +1800......Page 838 C. Books and journal articles in western languages......Page 858 General Index......Page 916 Table of Chinese Dynasites......Page 988 Errata to Volume I......Page 989 Errata to Volume II......Page 990 Romanisation Conversion Tables......Page 991