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Article ID: CBB001202417

The Northern Song State’s Financial Support for Astronomy (2014)

Sun, Xiaochun (Author)
Han, Yi (Author)

East Asian Science, Technology, and Medicine
Volume: 38
Pages: 17-53

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Science and government Government sponsored science Astronomy Science and politics Instruments, astronomical Ancient Song Dynasty (China, 960-1279) China

Astronomy was politically relevant to the imperial state in ancient China because a good astronomical system was believed to indicate the legitimacy of rule and symbolize good governance. This political signi-ficance meant that astronomy was a state enterprise. China saw many important astronomical achievements during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) when astronomy received sustained organizational and financial support from the imperial government. Alongside astronomy’s high profile in state politics, this fiscal support contributed to its development, along with the eight major astronomical reforms which the Northern Song dynasty made. It maintained a state-supported Astronomical Bureau which had more than 100 members of staff. In addition, the government invested a lot of money in astronomical instrument making. For example, the water-powered astronomical clock tower constructed in 1092 cost more than 5000 strings of money, accounting for about one thousandth of the total annual fiscal income of the imperial state. The purpose of this study is to ascertain to what degree the state sup-ported astronomical research financially. Based on sources such as the Song huiyao jigao 宋會要輯稿 (Re-Collection Draft to Essentials of the Song Period), we give an estimate of the Song government’s financial investment in astronomy—an investment which comprised a substantial part of the state’s total fiscal income. We believe that this investigation of the Northern Song state’s financial support for astronomy will help to explain why there were so many great innovations in astronomy during this period.

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