Article ID: CBB001320809

A Note on the “Machine of Roemer” in Late-17th Century China, Antoine Thomas, S. J., and the First Contacts of Ferdinand Verbiest, S. J., with the Jesuits in Paris (2013)

unapi

Golvers, Noël (Author)


Almagest
Volume: 4, no. 1
Issue: 1
Pages: 62-73

This contribution focuses on a detail of Jesuit astronomy (especially eclipse observation) in China, viz. the introduction of new instruments such as the machine de Roemer: arguments are offered to prove that its introduction in China is not to be attributed to the mathématiciens du Roy (arr. in 1688), as it was apparently known to Ferdinand Verbiest, S.J. (Head of the Astronomical Bureau/Qintianjian) in 1682. When trying to reconstruct the route followed by this innovation, again the figure of Antoine Thomas, S.J. (1644-1709) - assistant and later first successor of Verbiest at the Astronomical Bureau - comes to the fore, who may have got acquaintance with this innovation through the issue of 1682 of Journal des sçavans, not in Peking, but in Macau. This is a new element, which shows again the important (but silent) part Thomas played in the communication of astronomical novelties, printings etc. from Europe to China, and vice-versa.

...More
Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB001320809/

Similar Citations

Chapter Schemmel, Matthias; (2012)
The Transmission of Scientific Knowledge from Europe to China in the Early Modern Period (/isis/citation/CBB001422690/)

Article Wang, Guangchao; (2009)
Controversy over the Theory of Precession in Late Ming and Early Qing China (/isis/citation/CBB000933553/)

Chapter Leitão, Henrique; (2003)
A Periphery between Two Centres? Portugal in the Scientific Route from Europe to China (/isis/citation/CBB000330988/)

Book Laven, Mary; (2011)
Mission to China: Matteo Ricci and the Jesuit Encounter with the East (/isis/citation/CBB001202149/)

Book Hart, Roger; (2013)
Imagined Civilizations: China, the West, and Their First Encounter (/isis/citation/CBB001213172/)

Book Hsia, R. Po-chia; (2010)
A Jesuit in the Forbidden City: Matteo Ricci 1552--1610 (/isis/citation/CBB001202147/)

Book Hsia, Florence C.; (2009)
Sojourners in a Strange Land: Jesuits and Their Scientific Missions in Late Imperial China (/isis/citation/CBB001020040/)

Chapter Magone, Rui; (2008)
The Textual Tradition of Manuel Dias' Tianwenlüe (/isis/citation/CBB000950483/)

Article Lobsang Yongdan; (2017)
A Scholarly Imprint: How Tibetan Astronomers Brought Jesuit Astronomy to Tibet (/isis/citation/CBB646213279/)

Authors & Contributors
Golvers, Noël
Jami, Catherine
Chu, Longfei
Haohao Zhu
Lobsang Yongdan
Wang, Guangchao
Concepts
Cross-cultural interaction; cultural influence
Astronomy
Transmission of ideas
Mathematics
Missionaries and missions
East Asia, civilization and culture
Time Periods
17th century
18th century
Qing dynasty (China, 1644-1912)
16th century
Ming dynasty (China, 1368-1644)
Early modern
Places
China
Portugal
East Asia
Europe
Tibet
Korea
Institutions
Jesuits (Society of Jesus)
Comments

Be the first to comment!

{{ comment.created_by.username }} on {{ comment.created_on | date:'medium' }}

Log in or register to comment