The battle of the astronomers.: Johann Adam Schall von Bell and Ferdinand Verbiest at the Court of the Celestial Emperors

• Autores: Stefano Salvia
• Localización: The Circulation of Science and Technology: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of the European Society for the History of Science. Barcelona, 18-20 November 2010 / coord. por Antoni M. Roca Rosell, 2012, ISBN 978-84-9965-108-8, págs. 959-963
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • My talk will focus on the two most outstanding figures among the Jesuit missionaries in 17th -century China:

    Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1591-1666) and Ferdinand Verbiest (1623-1688). In 1619 von Bell reached Macao, bringing some telescopes along and translating European mathematical, astronomical, and optical works from Latin to Chinese.

    Von Bell aimed at introducing the telescope into Chinese astronomy, traditionally based on naked-eye observation and calculation. In 1634 he started a correspondence with the last Ming Emperor, Chongzhen (1611-1644), describing the many useful applications of the telescope.

    With the advent of the Qing dynasty, von Bell became counselor of the new Emperor, Shunzhi (1638-1661), as well as Head of the Mathematical Board and Director of the Imperial Observatory. Verbiest was called in 1660 to assist von Bell in his project of reforming the Chinese traditional calendar.

    The political situation changed dramatically in 1661, with the Empire ruled by four regents who were hostile to the Jesuits, as much of the Chinese mathematicians at the Observatory. What followed was not just a conspiracy against the Jesuits, but a sort of “Kulturkampf” raised by the most conservative side of the Manchu regime, which regarded the Europeans and their increasing authority as a threat for the Empire.

    I want to discuss the famous contest between the Chinese astronomer Yang Guangxian (1597-1669) and the Jesuit mathematicians, which lasted from 1664 to 1669. Behind the scenes of a public competition to compare the merits of European and Chinese astronomy, a dangerous game was played at court, which involved science, technology, philosophy, power, credit, patronage, personal rivalry, and luck.

    The contest was finally won by Verbiest, who succeeded to von Bell as Head of the Mathematical Board and became a close friend of the new Emperor, Kangxi (1654-1722), teaching him geometry, philosophy, and music.

    He translated Euclid into Chinese and in 1673 he rebuilt the Observatory according to the European standards.