Mengxi written talk

Introductiontothework

MengxiBiTanincludesthreeparts:BiTan,ComplementBiTan,andContinueBiTan,whichcontainsShenKuo’slifeexperiencesandopinions.Twenty-sixvolumesof"BiTan"aredividedintoseventeensubjects.Eachvolumeisinorderof"Story(One,Two),Dialectics(One,Two),Music(One,Two),Xiangshu(One,Two),andPersonnel(One,two),government(one,two),wit,artandliterature(one,two,three),paintingandcalligraphy,skills,utensils,magic,strangethings,fallacies,ridicule,magazines(one,two,three),DrugDiscussion".

Threevolumesof"ComplementaryNotes",includingelevensubjectsoftheabovecontent."ContinuedPenTalks"inonevolume,regardlessofthedoor.Thebookhasatotalof609articles(withslightdiscrepanciesindifferenteditions),coveringastronomy,calendar,meteorology,geology,geography,physics,chemistry,biology,agriculture,waterconservancy,architecture,medicine,history,literature,art,personnel,andmilitaryaffairs.,Lawandmanyotherfields.Amongtheseitems,thosebelongingtothehumanities,suchasanthropology,archaeology,linguistics,music,etc.,accountforabout18%ofallitems;thosebelongingtothenaturalsciences,accountingforabout36%ofthetotal,andtherestarepersonnelinformation,Military,lawandmiscellaneousanecdotesaccountforabout46%ofthebook.

Intermsofcontent,"MengxiBiTan"describesandexplainsnaturalscienceknowledgeinmorethanone-thirdofthespace,whichisrareinnotebookwriting.Forexample,"Technology"accuratelyanddetailedlyrecordsthemovabletypeprintingtechniqueinventedby"BuYiBiSheng".Thisistheworld'searliestreliablehistoricaldataonmovabletypeprintingandishighlyvaluedbytheinternationalculturalhistorycommunity."Dialectical"talksabouttheportraitofHanYu,sothatlatergenerationsunderstandamistakethatoriginatedandinheritedfromtheNorthernSongDynasty:takingtheportraitsofHanXizaiintheFiveDynastiesasportraitsofHanYu.

Inaddition,othermajorscientificandtechnologicalinventionsandfiguresintheNorthernSongDynastyhavealsobeenpasseddowntotheworldbasedontherecordsinthisbook.Forexample,itrecordsYuHao's"WoodScripture"anditsarchitecturalachievements,thesuperbthree-sectionclosureofthedragonandtheskillfulmethodofsealingthedragongate,theproficientcalendarofHuainanBuyiweipu,theDengzhounativeSunSigongexplainingrainbowsandtornadoes,Hebei"Tuangang","Steelfilling"technology,Qiangcoldworksmeltingapplicationof"瘊子","copperleaching"production,etc.,areprecioushistoricalmaterialsinthehistoryofscienceandtechnology.BecauseShenKuohimselfhasahighscientificliteracy,thescientificandtechnologicalknowledgehedescribedbasicallyreflectsthescientificdevelopmentleveloftheNorthernSongDynastyandhisownresearchexperience.

CatalogueofChapters

Creationsituation

Regardingthecreativebackgroundandrelatedcircumstancesof"MengxiBitan",theauthorShenKuomadeaclearerstatementin"MengxiBitan·Preface":After1082(thefifthyearofSongYuanfeng),theauthorwaspoliticallyunwilling,around1088(Yuanyouthreeyears)livedinRunzhou,wherehebuiltaMengxiGarden(intheeastofZhenjiang,Jiangsu).Theauthorseldomwentoutandinteractedwithpeoplelessfrequently.Nevereverfollow."

Intermsofcreation,theauthorclaimedthat"ShengMo'sstateaffairsandaffairsareclosetothepalaceandprovinces,andtheydarenotpersonallydiscipline.Asforthescholar-bureaucratsoftheday,hedidnotwanttowrite,althoughhewasgoodIt'sjustevil."Inotherwords,ShenKuodidn'tanddidn'twanttoinvolvehimselfinthepersonalaffairsoftheemperor,thegainsandlossesofthedynasty,thereputationofpersonnel,andevenhisowncareerexperiencebefore.Therefore,theauthor'screationsareall"nottheinterestsofpeople",andthestartingpointis"shadowinthemountains,talkgimmickly".

Therehavealwaysbeenmanyopinionsaboutthewritingtimeof"MengxiBiTan".HuDaojingproposedin"MengxiBiTanCorrection·Introduction":"MengxiBiTanwaswrittenin1086-1093(SongYuanyouyears),mostofwhichwerewrittenaftertheysettledinRunzhouin1088(Yuanyouthreeyears)";LiYumin"SeveralQuestionsAboutShenKuo’sWorks"("ShenKuoStudy",ZhejiangPeople'sPublishingHouse,1985)stated:"Writtenin1082(SongYuanfeng5thyear)afterShenKuowasresettledinSuizhou,hemovedtoRunzhouDreamatthelatestThebookofXiyuanwascompletedatthebeginning."ButnowitisgenerallybelievedthatHuDaojing'sstatementismorereliable,thatis,"MengxiBiTan"waswrittenbetween1086and1093.

Thetitleofthebook"MengxiBitan"isbecausetheauthorShenKuocompletedtheworkinMengxiGarden(Note:Atleastthemainpartandthefinaldraftarecompleted.Thereisnoobjectiontothispoint.Test"MengxiBitan·"Preface"alsohasnoconflict),sothenameofthegardenisnamed"Mengxi".Writtenconversationsareduetotheusualconversationswithguestsinthepark.Theauthoroftenrecords"talkerswithguestspeakers"inthebook.Friendsandfriendsgatheranddisperseforalongtime.Theauthorfeelsasifheis"theonewhotalksto,onlypenandinkstone."That'sit",sothenameis"pentalk".Thetwoarecalled"MengxiBiTan"intandem.

Thesourceoftheedition

ShenKuo’s"MengxiBiTan"SongBenzucarvededitionhaslongbeengone.Accordingtotheexaminationandrevisionofthecirculatedversion,itisknownthattheoriginalblock-printedversionof"MengxiBiTan"was30volumes,andthecontentwasmorethanthecurrentone,butallwerescatteredandlost.IntheNorthernSongDynasty,therewasaYangzhoublockcopy.IntheSouthernSongDynasty,Xiaozongwasre-engravedforthesecondyear.Unfortunately,theSongDynastyblock-printedcopydoesnotexisttoday.

Theoldestversionof"MengxiBiTan"thatcanbeseenisthe1305(9thyearofYuanDade)ChenRenziDongshanAcademyblock-printcollectedbytheNationalLibraryofChina.ThisbookisrepublishedaccordingtotheSouthernSongDynastyGandaoEdition(seetheillustrationinthissection),andyoucanstillgetaglimpseoftheoldappearanceoftheSongDynasty.Itsformatisverylargeandveryoutdated.Uniquecharacteristics.ThefirstvolumeoftheYuanTakEditionhastwoZhuWenfangsealsof"DonggongShufu"and"WenyuanPavilion",andthevolumealsoincludes"WangShizhongSeal","PingyangWangshiCollectionSeal","ChenWenchenSeal",and"JiaziBingyin,HanDejun,andQianRunwenandhiswifetwicebroughtthebookEvacuationNotes.

ThepublicationoftheYuanDadewasspreadinanorderlymanner:itwasoncehiddenintheYuanPalaceintheYuanDynasty,anditwasobtainedaftertheMingTaizuZhuYuanzhangdestroyedtheYuan,anditwaspresentedtotheprinceZhuBiao,andthenreturnedtothe"WenYuanPavilion"inthepalace..IntheQingDynasty,itflowedfromthepalaceandwascollectedbyWangShizhong'sYiyunJingsheandSongjiangHan.Later,ChenChengzhong(1894-1978),afamousmodernbibliophile,wasincludedinthebag.ChenChengzhongmovedtoHongKongbeforeandafterliberation.In1965,hedeliberatelysoldanumberofpreciousrarebooksincludingthis"MengxiBiTan".WhenChinesePremierZhouEnlaipersonallyintervenedtoavoidtheoutflowofpreciousculturalrelics,heinstructedtheMinistryofCulturetoappointsomeonetogothere.Negotiations,andintheend,whenthecountry'seconomywasnotwell-off,theyspenthugesumsofmoneytobuythemback,whichbecameShulin'sstory.In1976,theCulturalRelicsPublishingHousehadphotocopyedandpublished.Inordertomakeiteasierforthepublictouse,in2003,the"ChineseReconstructionRareBookProject"publishedthesimplifiedversionof"MengxiBiTan".

Regardingtherevisedandannotatededitionsof"MengxiBiTan",etc.,fromtheMingandQingdynastiestotheRepublicofChina,high-qualityeditionscontinuedtoappear.JiadingMaYuanTuneVersion,Qing1805(Jiaqingtenyears)HaiyuZhangXuepenglearnedtheoriginaltext,QingGuangxuPanyuTaoFamilyLoveHouse,modernWangGuowei,YeJingkuialsohaveahand-writtenversion.Thepopular"MengxiBiTan"isthefirsteditionof"BarnyardSea".Todaythereare:"MengxiBiTan"CulturalRelicsPublishingHousein1976photocopyofYuanDongshanAcademy'sengravedcopy;"MengxiBiTan"NationalLibrary"ChineseReconstructionRareBookProject"in2003;ShanghaiPublishingCompany1956edition;"MengxiBiTan"ZhonghuaBookCompany1957edition;"MengxiBiTan,SupplementaryBiTan,ContinuedBiTan",thefirsteditionof"SongrenNotes"byElephantPublishingHouse,2005edition;1956,publishedbyShanghaiPublishingCompanyIhavewrittenHuDaojing’s"MengxiBiTanSchoolCard",whichiswell-documented.In1957,theZhonghuaBookCompanypublishedHuDaojing's"NewCorrectionMengxiBiTan",whichisveryeasytoread.

Inaddition,"MengxiBiTan"isalsoveryinfluentialabroad.Asearlyasthe19thcentury,itwasfamousforitsmovabletypeprintingrecords.Inthe20thcentury,peopleinFrance,Germany,Britain,theUnitedStates,Italyandothercountriesconductedsystematicandin-depthresearchon"MengxiBiTan",andintroducedallorpartofthechaptersinvariouscountriestothepublic.Asearlyasthemiddleofthe19thcentury,JapanusedmovabletypetotypesetthisfamousworkbyShenKuo.Itwasthefirstcountryintheworldtotypeset"MengxiBiTan"withmovabletype.Since1978,JapanhassuccessivelypublishedtheJapanesetranslationof"MengxiBiTan"inthreevolumes.

Bookvalue

Astronomyandcalendar

Therearemorethan20astronomyandcalendardescriptionsin"MengxiBiTan".ResearchersbelievethatShenKuo’scontributionstoancientastronomicalscienceandcalendarsaremainlyinfouraspects:First,anumberofastronomicalinstrumentshavebeenimproved.Likethearmillarysphere,ShenKuoboldlyimproveditsstructure,eliminatedthelunarringonthearmillaryspherethatcouldnotcorrectlydisplaythemoon'sorbit,andenlargedthediameterofthespytubetomakeitmoreconvenienttoobservethepolarstar,whichnotonlyfacilitatestheuse,butalsoimprovestheobservationaccuracy.ShenKuoalsoimprovedtheleaksandgauges.Thesecondistomakedetailedobservationsofcelestialphenomena,andobtainsomenewdiscoveriesandobservationresults.Forexample,ShenKuousedsundialandomissionobservationstodiscoverthatthetruesolardayhaslengthandlength.Accordingtomodernscientificcalculations,thedifferencebetweenthemaximumandminimumtruesolardaysinayearisonly51seconds.Thethirdistoputforwardthetheoryof"twelveqicalendar",whichhasbetterresolvedthecontradictionbetweenthelunarcalendarandthesolarcalendarthathasalwaysexistedintheancientcalendar.Fourth,duringhistenureastheSitianSupervisor,heboldlyusedBuyiweiputocarryoutcalendarreforms,andalsocarriedoutapurgeagainstsomeoftheshortcomingsoftheSitianSupervisorandtheAstronomicalAcademyatthattime.

GeographicalScience

Therearemorethan30entriesin"MengxiBiTan"involvingphysicalgeography,politicaleconomicgeography,surveying,mapmaking,etc.Withhisrichexperience,ShenKuowrotearticlesontheevolutionandidentificationofmountainsandriversandplacenames,whichprovidedvaluablehistoricalmaterialsforthestudyofphysicalgeography.ShenKuo'saccountsontheproduction,marketing,andmanagementofimportantproducts,importantproductionandlivingmaterialsinvariousregionsprovidedanimportantreferenceforstudyingthepoliticalandeconomicgeographyoftheNorthernSongDynasty.AfterinspectingtheuniquetopographyandlandformsofYandangMountaininWenzhouandanalyzingitscauses,ShenKuopointedout:"Thetruthisthatthegreatwaterinthevalleywashedawaythesandandsoil,butthehugerocksstoodupright."Thisviewof"flowingwatererosion"Itisquitecorrect.ThisviewdidnotappearuntiltheBritishHuttoninthebook"TheTheoryoftheEarth"attheendofthe18thcentury,about700yearslaterthanShenKuo.Inthe1920s,thefamousscientistZhuKezhenwroteanarticle"ShenKuo'sContributionsandNarrativestoGeosciencesintheNorthernSongDynasty",highlyappraisingtheimportantcontributionof"MengxiBiTan"ingeography.

Physics

Therearemorethan10accountsin"MengxiBiTan"involvingoptics,magnetism,acousticsandotherfields.Suchasthecorrectdescriptionoftheprincipleofimagingandlightfocusingoftheconcavemirrorofthesun;observationandanalysisofthephenomenonof"stringresonance";Thecorrectdeductionoftheprincipleofthemagicallight-transmittingcoppermirror;thediscovery,descriptionandresearchoftheuseofmagnetstomagnetizeanironneedletomakeacompass,andthediscovery,descriptionandresearchofthephenomenonofmagnetpolarityandincompleteguidanceofthemagneticneedle(ie,magneticdeclination).Value.Especiallythediscoveryofmagneticdeclination.TheWestwasnotdiscoveredbyColumbusuntil1492,morethan400yearslaterthanShenKuo.

Mathematics

The7notesarerelatedtomathematics,coveringawiderangeandmanyoriginalideas.TheyarerespectedbythemathematicscircleasanimportantachievementinancientChinesemathematicsresearch,includingShenKuo’spioneeringgapproducttechniqueandcirclecircletechnique.Theso-called"gapproducttechnique",Referstohowtocalculatethe"stackingproduct."ShenKuousesthemethodofanalogyandinductiontoputforwardanaccuratecalculationmethod,andusesthestackedwinejarasanexampletoillustrate.Infact,ShenKuoisbasedonthevolumeformula.Thecumulativenumberofcontinuousindividuals(sumofseries)istransformedintoacontinuousoverallvaluetosolve.Itcanbeseenthathehastheideaof​​solvingdiscreteproblemswithacontinuousmodel.InthehistoryofChinesemathematics,heopenedupahigher-orderarithmeticseriessummationThefieldofresearch.Theso-called"Circle"actuallyreferstothemethodoffindinganarcfromachord.Themainideaistosubstituteastraightpartforacurve,andamorepracticalapproximateformulaisgivenforthesagittalrelationshipofacircle.Afteritcameout,ithasbeenwidelyused.GuoShoujing,WangXunandothershaveusedthecirclecircletechnique.

Intermsofmathematicsresearchandapplication,thereisalsoamethodofhowtocalculatethepossibletotalnumberofgamesinGo,andPointingout:"...butarithmeticdoesn'thavetolearntoomuch,youcanuseitwhenyouseethesimplicity,andchangewhenyouseethecomplexity,itisalsoageneralskill",whichactuallyreflectshiseccentricity,diversificationofsolutions,andsimplicity.Inmathematics,ShenKuodeniedthemysteryofnumbersandaffirmedtherelationshipbetweennumbersandobjects.Inaddition,themethodsformeasuringthewaterleveloftheBianheRiverinthenotesallreflectShenKuo’sextraordinarymathematicaltalents,coordinationandapplicationfromdifferentaspects.Mathematicalthoughts.

Biology

Therearemorethan30itemsrelatedtobiologyin"MengxiBiTan".AlargenumberofresearcharticlesfullyaffirmedShenKuo’smanybiologicalContributions,suchas:thedescriptionoftheclassificationandmorphologyofanimalsandplants,thedescriptionofthegeographicaldistributionofanimalsandplants,theidentificationanddescriptionofagroupofmedicinalplants,theresearchanddescriptionofpaleontologicalfossils,andTheobservationandanalysisofthephenomenonofmutualgrowthandrestraintoflivingbeingshaveextremelyhighresearchvalue.

Music

Therearemorethan40music-relatedaccountsin"MengxiBiTan".Accordingtothe"SongHistory·ArtandLiteratureHistory",ShenKuoalsowrote"TheTheoryofMusic","InstrumentDiagram","ThreeMusicScores","MusicalRegulations"andotherworks,butunfortunatelytheyhavebeenlost.BecauseShenKuoisamusicexpert,the"MengxiBiTan"Therelateditemsof"MengxiBiTan"undoubtedlyhaveimportantvalueinthestudyofancientmusic.Insummary,thestudyofthepresentpeoplethinksthatthemusicof"MengxiBiTan"Therearefourmainaspectsofhiscontribution:oneistostudyandexplainthescaletheoryofancientmusic;theotheristopreservesomeoftheperformanceskillsandrelatedterminologyofancientmusic;thethirdistorecordShenKuo’sresearchonTangandSongYanyueTheorigin,thetwenty-eighttuneofYanyue,thestructureandperformanceoftheTangandSongDaqu,theTangandSongdynastyscores,etc.;thefourthistodescribeandverifytheform,material,distributionandevolutionofsomemusicalinstruments.

AppreciationofCalligraphyandPainting

Therearenearly30entriesdescribingcalligraphyandpaintingin"MengxiBiTan".ShenKuoisalsoanexpertinthecollectionandappreciationofcalligraphyandpainting.Hehaswritten"PictureSongs",usingthemethodofsingingandpoemstoevaluatetheworksandstylesofmorethan50famouspaintersfromtheJinDynasty,theTangandtheFiveDynastiestotheSongDynasty.Thelanguageisconciseandtheperspectiveisunique.Highlypraised.

Literature

Sincenearlyonethirdoftheentriesin"MengxiBitan"belongtothescientificandtechnologicalcategory,somecommentatorsbelievethat"MengxiBitan"cannotberegardedasacompleteliterarywork.However,because"MengxiBiTan"itselfisveryliterary,therearemorethan20entriesin"MengxiBiTan"thatdescribethecontentofliterature.Therefore,itsliteraryvalueisalsovaluedbymanyresearchers.YangWeisheng's"ABriefAccountofShenKuo'sLiteraryAchievements"praised"MengxiBiTan"asagoodworkwithbeautifultext,vividnarrativeandfullofliteraryflavor.

LiangChenglin's"ABriefDiscussionontheWritingFeaturesof"MengxiBiTan""believesthat"MengxiBiTan"hasaflexibleanddiverseform,simple,simple,freshstyle,refinedandpopularlanguage,andcleansuptheformalismofthetime.styleofwriting.WangXiang's"TheWonderfulCombinationofLiteratureandScience:ATentativeCommentonOneoftheCharacteristicsofShenKuo'sPoemsandEssays",inadditiontocommentingonthecharacteristicsofShenKuo'spoems,alsofullyaffirmedthenumerousitemssuchas"YandangMountain"in"MengxiBiTan".Excellenttechnicalliteraryessaysarealsoexcellentproseworkswithextremelyexquisitewriting.

Linguistics

Therearemorethan30accountsin"MengxiBiTan"relatedtolinguistics,andthecontentinvolvesphonology,philology,andexegetics.ShenKuo'sresearchontheoriginofthe"Fanqie"method,the"Youwen"theory,thephoneticandmeaningofsometexts,etc.,arevaluablematerialsforthestudyofancientlinguistics.Theresearchersfullyaffirmedthelinguisticvalueof"MengxiBiTan".

History

Therearemorethan20recordsinthehistoricalcategoryin"MengxiBiTan",andtherearealsorecordsonancientetiquette,officials,publicclothing,imperialexaminations,etc.Therearehundredsofarticles,sothevalueof"MengxiBiTan"forhistoricalresearchisbeyonddoubt.Researchersbelievethat"MengxiBiTan"hascontributedmainlytohistory:first,someitemsprovideinformationthatisnotcontainedintheofficialhistoryorhavebeendistortedbyfacts,suchastheaccountsofWangXiaoboandLiShun'suprising;thesecondis"MengxiBiTan"Alargenumberofaccountsonancientetiquette,officialduties,publicservice,imperialexaminations,etc.,areimportantmaterialsforhistoricalresearch;third,ShenKuodescribedmanyimportantpoliticalormilitaryactivitiesthathepersonallyparticipatedin,whichisalsoveryvaluablehistoricalresearch.Andreferencematerials;fourth,ShenKuo'stextualresearchonsomehistoricalfactsisalsoveryinsightful,soitisofgreatreferencevalue.

TraditionalChineseMedicine

Therearemorethan40narrativesinvolvingmedicinein"MengxiBitan",whichintegratespeople’scommentsonthemedicalitemsof"MengxiBitan",ShenKuo’smedicalmonograph,Inthestudyoftherelevantitemsin"MengxiWanghuailu",itisgenerallybelievedthatShenKuo’smaincontributionstotraditionalChinesemedicinehavefouraspects:First,ShenKuo’smanyimportanttheoriesandviewpointsonthetreatmentofvisualdiseasesarestillveryimportantapplications.Orreferencevalue;thesecondisthatShenKuo’sextensivecollection,personalapplication,andlong-termverificationofmanymedicalprescriptions,insightsanddiscussionsontheimpactofdifferentregions,differentseasons,anddifferentmethodsofextractiononthemedicinalvalueofTCMvillages,arestillItiswidelyusedinthefieldoftraditionalChinesemedicine;fourth,ShenKuohasmany"creations"intraditionalChinesemedicine.Forexample,themethodofrefining"AutumnStone"isdescribedindetailin"LiangFang".Somecommentatorsbelievethatitshouldbetheearliestintheworld.Thepreparationmethodofextractingsteroidhormones;thedescriptionof"YaoShijing"in"MengxiWanghuailu"isconsideredtobetheearliestpreparationmethodofmagnetizationandmineralizedwater,etc.

EngineeringTechnology

Therearemorethan30entriesin"MengxiBiTan"describingtechnologicalinnovationsandinventionsinancientwaterconservancy,constructionengineering,etc.,suchas"CleverlyBlockingtheRiverLeveeBurst","MeasureBianCanal","MakingWoodenMap","BuildingShipLock","WoodenPagodaofBrahmaTemple","CreatingtheLongDikefromSuzhoutoKunshan","CoordinatingandArrangingtheReconstructionoftheImperialPalaceProjects","WaterTransportRitualPlatform","BiSheng'sinventionofmovabletypeprinting","arat-catchingwoodenZhongkui","avoicecalledanartificialthroat","steelmakingmethod","danjicopper","castingbronzemirror","maintenanceofsaltwells","QiaoJianDock"andotheritems(note:thenamesoftheaboveitemsareallproposedbytheauthorofthisarticle),whichoftenappearinvariousresearchdiscourses.ManyengineeringtechnologiesandtechnologicalinventionsoftheworkingpeopleinancientChinawerepreservedandpassedonpreciselybecauseofthedescriptionof"MengxiBiTan".

Military

Therearenearly20itemsin"MengxiBitan"relatedtomilitaryaffairs.Researchersbelievethatthemainvalueofmilitaryitemsin"MengxiBitan"liesin:1.SomeofthewarsthatShenKuopersonallyexperiencedarerealmilitaryhistoricaldata;second,itdescribesthebattlesofsomefamousgeneralsinancienttimes,whichcanbeusedastypicalcasestudies;third,itdescribessomeancientwaroffensiveanddefensivemethodsandstrategies,suchastheintroductionofthecharacteristicsof"HelianCity",Analysisoftheroleofthebattleshed,etc.;Fourth,itdescribesthemanufacturingtechnologyofsomeancientweapons,suchasthemanufacturingtechnologyandmethodsofcrossbows,bows,etc.,andprovidespreciousresearchmaterialsforfuturegenerations.ShenKuohaswonmanybattleswiththearmy.Inthearticle"ExploringtheOriginofShenKuo'sMilitaryThought:OntheRelationshipbetweenShenKuoandHisUncleXuDong",HuDaojingstudiedtheoriginandcharacteristicsofShenKuo'smilitarythoughtandfullyaffirmedShenKuo'soutstandingmilitarytalents.

Others

About"MengxiBiTan",someresearchershaveconductedresearchanddiscussiononitsresearchandapplicationvalueinthefieldsofchemistry,agronomy,andarchaeology.Andachievedsomeresults.

OverallEvaluation

"MengxiBiTan"recordsindetailtheoutstandingcontributionsoftheworkingpeopleinscienceandtechnologyandhisownresearchresults,reflectingthenaturalsciencesofancientChina,especiallytheNorthernSongDynastyBrilliantachievementsachieved.Theauthorof"SongHistory·ShenKuoBiography"statedthatShenKuowas"experiencedandgoodatwriting,writingonastronomy,localchronicles,lyriccalendar,music,medicine,anddivination."TheBritishsciencehistorianJosephNeedhamevaluated"MengxiBiTan"as"acoordinateinthehistoryofChinesescience".Knownas"amilestoneinthehistoryofChinesescience"bytheworld.

However,"MengxiBiTan"alsohassomelimitationsandflaws.Thedeficienciesgenerallyrecognizedbyresearchersaremainlyasfollows:First,duetothelimitationsoftheera,someentriesinthebookarefullofMaintaintheconsciousnessandviewpointsoffeudaldynastyrule;second,duetothelimitationofhumancognitivelevelatthattime,thediscussionofsomeitemsinthebookisnotscientificenough;third,mainlyduetotheauthor'sownreasons,someoftheitemsinthebookareespecially"magical","Anomalies"itemsarefullofstronggrotesqueandfatalisticideals,whichhasbecomethemostcriticizedaspectofthebook;fourth,duetovariouscomplicatedreasons,someitemsinthebookareespeciallythosebasedonsecond-handmaterials.Thereareerrors,HuDaojing's"MengxiBidanSchoolCertificate",WuYining's"MengxiBidanDiscrimination"andmanyothershavebeenrevised.

However,theflawsarenotconcealed,andsomeshortcomingsdonotaffecttheoverallvalueof"PenTan",whichisalsotheconsensusofmanyresearchers.

Abouttheauthor

ShenKuo(1031～1095),ascientistandpoliticianintheNorthernSongDynasty.BorninHangzhouQiantang(nowHangzhou,Zhejiang),JiayouJinshi.XiningzhongparticipatedintheWangAnshiReform.In1072(thefifthyearofXining),heraisedtheSiTianjian,discussedthearmillarysphere,floatingleak,andscenerytable,andrecommendedWeiPuxiu's"FengyuanCalendar".Inthefollowingyear,hewenttoJiangsuandZhejiangtoinvestigatewaterconservancyandescorts.In1075(theeighthyearofXining),hemadeLiaoandrebukedhimforarguing.Italsoillustratedthesituationofthemountainsandrivers,andthecustomsandcustoms,andplayeditforthe"UsingtheKhitan".Inthefollowingyear,heservedasabachelorofHanlin,thethirddirectorofpower,andrectifiedthesaltadministrationofShaanxi.Advocatereducingthemoneyforhouseholdservice.Later,welearnedaboutYanzhou(nowYan'an,Shaanxi)andstrengthenedthedefenseagainstXixia.In1082(thefifthyearofYuanfeng),XuXilostthecityofYongle(nowMizhi,Shaanxi),andwasdegraded.Inhislateryears,helivedinRunzhouandbuiltMengxiGarden(intheeastofZhenjiang,Jiangsu).

Hehasalotofknowledgeandhasstudiedastronomy,geography,history,music,medicine,etc.Regardingthescientificdevelopmentandproductiontechnologyatthattime,suchassuperbhydraulicengineering,YuHaocarpenter,BiShengwhoinventedmovabletypeprinting,andthemethodofsteelmakingandcoppermaking,etc.,thereisnothingunclearasarecord.Healsostudiedmedicinalplantsandmedicineintenvolumesof"GoodPrescriptions"(thebiographyisattachedtoSuShi’smedicineandrenamed"SuShenLiangPrescriptions").Thereisstill"ChangxingCollection"thathasbeenhandeddowntotheworld.Partofthe"EntryRecordsofYimao"and"EntryRecords"writtenbytheLiaoInstitutearestillpreservedinthe"ContinuedZizhiTongjianChangbian".