"Tiangong Kaiwu" was written by Song Yingxing, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, and published in the 10th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty (1637). The book is divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower, and is divided into 18 volumes. The first part records the cultivation and processing methods of common cereals, the techniques of sericulture, weaving and dyeing, as well as the techniques of making salt and sugar. The middle part includes the production of bricks, tiles, ceramics, the manufacture of boats and carts, the casting and forging of metals, the mining and firing of coal, lime, sulfur, and alum, as well as oil extraction and papermaking methods. The next chapter mainly focuses on the mining and smelting of minerals, the manufacturing of weapons, the production of pigments and distiller's yeast, and the collection and processing of gemstones.
"Tiangong Kaiwu" is an encyclopedia that records agricultural and handicraft production technologies in the world. It preserves rich ancient scientific and technological historical materials with a large number of vivid details. It is also the world's first encyclopedia book. It has been circulated in Japan and European countries, causing great repercussions and is known as the "ancestor of the encyclopedia".
This book is a vernacular translation of the original work. The text is bright and vivid, and it is accompanied by a large number of ancient cultural relics, paintings, and accurate and lifelike color hand-painted plant atlases. The 157 elegant and simple coloring prints that faithfully reproduce the production processes of various industries can be called a panoramic display of ancient Chinese scientific and technological life.
Reader comments
This book "Illustrations of the Creation of Heavenly Works" is really great! It compiles the works of Song Yingxing of the Ming Dynasty in easy-to-understand language, and is equipped with many interesting pictures, which gave me a more intuitive understanding of ancient production technology. The content in the book is very rich, covering everything from agriculture to handicrafts, just like an encyclopedia of ancient technology. Moreover, the author Song Yingxing said in the book that "heavenly workers will take their place". This sentence made me feel the wisdom and creativity of the ancients. This book is worth reading and I recommend it to you!
People without a foundation in classical Chinese can also read it.
Some masters of traditional Chinese culture who are not smart think that the ancients were like "riding a donkey into the sword gate in the drizzle". In fact, "Tiangong Kaiwu" tells us that the tools, weapons, buildings, clothes, and jewelry of the ancients were not conjured out of thin air, but were the crystallization of the wisdom of the working people who pursued efficiency and quality.
The book "Tiangong Kaiwu" talks about the work content, work technology and work experience of various industries in the Ming Dynasty before the industrial revolution.
As a popular science book, it explains the development of many technologies with pictures and texts.
Industries ranging from handicrafts, agriculture, mining, and metallurgy demonstrate Ming Dynasty society's understanding of the world.
Very good, with detailed annotations and rich text and pictures.
The content is simple, but there are still some technical terms that I don't understand. It would be nice if there were explanations.
Very well written! Super pretty! It would be perfect if you could read it together with the original text!
This book "Illustrations of the Creation of Heavenly Works" is really great! It compiles the works of Song Yingxing of the Ming Dynasty in easy-to-understand language, and is equipped with many interesting pictures, which gave me a more intuitive understanding of ancient production technology. The content in the book is very rich, covering everything from agriculture to handicrafts, just like an encyclopedia of ancient technology. Moreover, the author Song Yingxing said in the book that "heavenly workers will take their place". This sentence made me feel the wisdom and creativity of the ancients. This book is worth reading and I recommend it to you!
People without a foundation in classical Chinese can also read it. Some masters of traditional Chinese culture who are not smart think that the ancients were like "riding a donkey into the sword gate in the drizzle". In fact, "Tiangong Kaiwu" tells us that the tools, weapons, buildings, clothes, and jewelry of the ancients were not conjured out of thin air, but were the crystallization of the wisdom of the working people who pursued efficiency and quality. The book "Tiangong Kaiwu" talks about the work content, work technology and work experience of various industries in the Ming Dynasty before the industrial revolution. As a popular science book, it explains the development of many technologies with pictures and texts. Industries ranging from handicrafts, agriculture, mining, and metallurgy demonstrate Ming Dynasty society's understanding of the world.
Very good, with detailed annotations and rich text and pictures.
The content is simple, but there are still some technical terms that I don't understand. It would be nice if there were explanations.
Very well written! Super pretty! It would be perfect if you could read it together with the original text!