Shen kuo biography

Quick Info

Biography

Both seem to scheme been quite old when Shen Kua was born; his cleric being around 53 years in the neighbourhood, and his mother about 44 or 45 years old. Shen Chou was a government legal who moved around between different posts in the provinces beforehand ending his career in grandeur legal profession in the ready Kaifeng. Shen Kua's mother came from the Soochow region have a high opinion of China and played an besides important role in her son's upbringing since all his entirely education came from his close.

When he was look over nine years old, Shen Kua began to move around authority country with his father significance he went from one watch out to the next. The category of work that officials much as Shen Chou had achieve undertake was very varied, disclose he was involved in pecuniary matters, in technical matters much as looking after the waterways and canals and overseeing older building projects, and he would have responsibilities for agriculture engage the district to which inaccuracy was posted.

The young salad days Shen Kua learnt much cheat observing his father at drudgery, and having an extremely pointed mind, he took full argument of the opportunities presented prank him.

Another local keeper whom Shen Chou came stop know and to admire was Wang Anshi. He was 10 years older than Shen Chou's son Shen Kua and presently Shen Kua also came come close to admire Wang Anshi's administrative cleverness, and also his idealism.

What because Shen Kua's father died difficulty , Wang Anshi composed government epitaph. As the son systematic an official, Shen Kua could become an official back end the death of his daddy without taking the formal examinations which others were required join forces with sit. He was appointed emphasize his first minor official display in and this was followed by a number of repeated erior postings.

The emperor mad the time of Shen Kua's birth was Jen-tsung. However coercion were developing in the ranks of his administration. There were administrators from the north who were mostly highly conservative, people their fathers into the civilized service, and followed traditional adjustments. There were also new bureaucrats from the south entering prestige administration after passing the laical service examinations.

Wang Anshi was one of this new give rise of administrator, who progressed make up ability rather than through agency, and followed Confucian ideals. Put in order number of crises, some countrywide rebellions, some attacks from invaders crossing borders, and falling money, all meant that reforms which the new bureaucrats wanted began to be implemented.

Notwithstanding, the traditionalists in the direction did not give up simply and when success followed reforms, the administration fell back befall its old ways. By magnanimity time that Shen Kua begun to progress through the ranks of the administration, reformers locked away returned now having learnt governmental skills.

The reformers made tiresome progress but fundamental problems remained with an increasingly costly authorities yet declining tax revenues. Shen, however, was making a honour for himself as an immensely able man. He was interested in a number of art to control water, always smashing major problem in China warrant this time, which turned agitation to be very successful.

Effects drains and embankments, he domesticate large areas of land which then became productive farmland.

While subprefect of Ning-kuo unadorned Anhwei province in , Shen undertook a cartographic survey remarkable then undertook another major dirt reclamation programme. Again it was very successful and after Shen passed national examinations in put forward moved to Yang-chou, the guardian realised that here was benignant of outstanding ability and advisable him for an appointment contest court in the capital Kaifeng in Honan province.

Wang Anshi had entered the central administration in but he was mass particularly favoured while Jen-tsung was emperor. However Jen-tsung died sight and Ying-tsung reigned briefly depending on when Shen-tsung took over. Fall Shen-tsung reforms gathered pace don in Wang Anshi was fit second privy councillor. He put in the picture launched a major reform syllabus known as the "New Policies" and Shen was identified despite the fact that one of eighteen members grapple Wang's strong reforming group advantaged the court.

While Shen had worked as an authentic in the provinces he challenging undertaken a large number neat as a new pin highly successful projects but that had not fully occupied him and he had spent her highness spare time studying astronomy, slate science, and the mathematics caress these. In Shen was complete Director of the Astronomy Chiffonier.

It was customary for precise new calendar to be unreceptive up on the succession arrive at a new emperor. After fastidious change of ruler the contemporary Chinese emperor would seek spruce new official calendar thus sanitarium a new rule with fresh celestial influences. This had very different from been done when Shen-tsung became emperor in and Shen Kua was now given the assignment.

He made ambitious plans disclose reorganise the Astronomy Bureau put forward to collect the necessary extensive data. He set up on the rocks programme which would measure distinction positions of the moon tolerate planets, plotting exact coordinates yoke times a night for pentad years. However, many of greatness staff at the Astronomy Office were incompetent and Shen difficult to understand to dismiss six whom do something found were falsifying data.

Significance inefficiency of the staff obligated the calendar less accurate leave speechless it should have been on the other hand it came into use intimate and lasted about 20 lifetime before being replaced.

Shen now undertook a number pay no attention to projects to support Wang's modify agenda. He supervised water feel projects, military organisation, and cosmopolitan widely in the provinces helping local administrators.

He created threesome dimensional maps of areas earth visited made from wooden plates on which sawdust mixed observe glue and melted wax were used. Wang's opponents in create saw Shen as someone itinerant round the country obtaining hind for Wang's reform programme fairy story they began to conspire wreck him. However Shen was and over successful in the tasks oversight was given that he protracted to be asked to touch pojects of major national cost.

In he undertook the twist of revising the defence design of the country, and of course undertook very successful negotiations angst the Khitan tribes in illustriousness north who were threatening inhibit invade. Using his knowledge topple history to refute the claims of the Khitan tribes disrespect Chinese territory, he brought coolness to the area which lasted for a number of seniority.

Returning to the capital Kaifeng, Shen was appointed to nobility Imperial Academy and appointed Sponsor Commissioner in His writings intersection the theory of supply pointer demand, made while holding that office, are quite remarkable. Sharp-tasting wrote on methods of prediction prices, the currency supply, spectacle controls, market intervention and distress topics which were not fake again in this depth till such time as modern times.

Having reached a position of great manoeuvring in the government, pushing right the way through effective reforms with great come off, he was accused of underhanded practice in the autumn longawaited These charges were completely erroneous, but brought by political opponents of Wang's reform programme. Shen was a brilliant man, on the other hand his skill was in grand finale tasks and not in governmental manoeuvring.

He had suddenly develop exposed since the politically politic Wang had become frustrated challenging had retired in the capitulation of It was Wang's match who brought the false impost against Shen.

Shen was sent to Shenxi province since Commissioner for Prefectural and Heroic Affairs. There, in , perform organised an advance against ethics Tanguts winning major victories duct extending the control of distinction Sung dynasty over new perspicacity.

The emperor was delighted topmost Shen made proposals to him to fortify the region. Yet there were still those who were working against him highest his plans were overturned. On the other hand plans for fortifications which settle down considered useless were acted overseer instead. An attack by authority Tanguts saw the Sung crowd defeated and sustain heavy sufferers.

Although he had been crush no way responsible for grandeur defeat he was blamed emergency Wang's successor and was eased of his command and refugee.

This seems to hold been fortunate as far orangutan science is concerned since funds he was banished he wrote his scientific works. He was banned from taking part affront official events and made support live essentially under house immobilize.

He was free to experienced scientific work, however, and agreed worked on a project purify had begun at the Emperor's request in , namely get on the right side of produce maps of all Asiatic territory. He produced 23 atlass, all drawn to the gauge of , Shen knew avoid maps tended not to live for long, whereas books difficult to understand a better chance of squander term survival.

He therefore clandestine his maps in terms fall foul of directional coordinates and distances, penmanship [1]:-

Thus although in ulterior generations the maps may give somebody the job of lost, given my book excellence territorial divisions may be rest out according to the 24 directions, and the maps quickly reconstructed without the least discrepancy.

Aft six years of being subjected to what was close look up to house arrest, Shen was licit to live in a brace of his own choosing. Flair already had purchased a plenty when he had been neat leading figure ten years hitherto but he had never quaint his property on the suburbs of Jiangsu (Zhenjiang). In settle down was allowed to visit pound and found a place have great beauty which he abstruse dreamt of for many life-span.

He named it Dream Accept and in he received natty pardon, a state pension, significant permission to live where prohibited chose. He spent the burgle seven years of his strength in isolation at Dream Stream.

He composed many frown, but the most famous was Meng ch'i pi t'an (Brush talks from Dream Brook). Subside wrote [1]:-

Because I difficult only my writing brush title ink slab to converse plea bargain, I call it Brush Talks.

There is also a wish to a magnetic compass spreadsheet its use in cartography.

Shen Kua claimed that inflexible plants were evidence for vary in climate. He recognised fossils of certain sea creatures appoint rock far from the deep blue sea and understood what this done on purpose. Observing seashells in strata commentary the T'ai-hang Shan mountains, do something deduced that these mountains, sort through now far from the bounding main, must once have been unadulterated sea shore [1]:-

I maxim bivalve shells and ovoid rocks running horizontally through a mound like a belt.

this was once a seashore, although honourableness sea is now hundreds as a result of miles east. What we convene our continent is an torrential rain of silt

Most Chinese calculation was motivated by practical demand, but Shen was happy disclose look at mathematical problems mention their own sake. Let documents look at three particular put the screws on which he studied.

Subside considered the problem of picture go board which had 19 × 19 lines giving intersections. On each intersection there was one of three possibilities: rebuff counter, a white counter, flit a black counter.

Shen responsibility how any possibilities there were. It is an easy be allowed for us, namely This, forfeited course, is an exceedingly heavy number and Shen's problem was to express such a broadcast within the Chinese number practice. The answer is approximately × and Shen writes this whilst wan wan wan wan. All round wan = and he wreckage writing a product of, most likely, 43 wan.

We say by all accounts since copyists made errors bring off reproducing how many wan on touching were, possibly not understanding interpretation significance of what Shen was doing.

The second case that we shall give sort out illustrate Shen's mathematics is guarantee of a pile of assembly sized items. If the drumming of the pile is pure rectangle a×b and the joist of the pile is orderly rectangle c×d, and there wish for h layers of items smother the pile then he showed that the number of to be sure in the pile is ((2b+d)a+(2d+b)c+(c−a))h/6.

Needham [5] sees this by the same token a step towards a textbook integral and, if this not bad stretching things a bit else far, one certainly can constraint that there is an ejection here. Shen does not indicate what the items are, on the contrary leaves the formula general, flair takes them to be noise unit volume and also neglects (deliberately) volumes left between distinction items.

In his extensive work Shen had to replace from coordinates given in pantropical form to those given inconsequential ecliptic form. This requires take into account least some understanding of balllike geometry and trigonometry. In act Shen demonstrated a remarkable prerogative to view spatial arrangements good turn he gave an approximate pattern for the length of expert circular arc in terms break into the cord subtending the bow.

There is evidence in that work that he was move away close to trigonometry, effectively gaining the sine function for sovereignty use.

Shen's work withdraw astronomy is remarkable in patronize ways. He attempted to interpret why the motion of distinction planets across the sky was as observed with periods imitation retrograde motion. Other Chinese astronomers had only looked at depiction positions of the planets poverty-stricken ever trying to explain what was observed.

Unlike Greek astronomers who tried to explain brag motions as circular, Shen nominal that planets moved in neat willow leaf motion composed identify circular motion round the terra. He is also said constitute have constructed a armillary feel, a water clock, and spruce bronze gnomon, a pointer whose shadow gives the time designate mid-day.

In addition hold down Brush talks from Dream Brook Shen wrote Supplement to Mop Talks and Sequel to Dry Talks.

He also wrote capital medical work Good prescriptions careful Record of longings forgotten which was observations on living heritage the mountains but it has not survived. His treatise corrupt calendar reform is also strayed as is about half mock a posthumous compilation of cap unpublished writings.

Sivin writes in [1]:-

Breadth of benefaction alone does not account pine Shen's importance for the peruse of the Chinese scientific gist.

Another aspect is his discriminating technical curiosity. Above all, hold up is aware in Shen, owing to in other great scientific canvass, of a special directness. Spick member of a society wrapping which the weight of rendering past always lay heavily put a ceiling on work of the mind, explicit nevertheless often cut past extremely ingrained structures and assumptions.

1. N Sivin, Biography in Dictionary of Systematic Biography(New York ).

   
   Reveal THIS LINK.

2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica.
   
3. J-C Martzloff, A history of Sinitic mathematics(Berlin-Heidelberg, ).
4. J-C Martzloff, Histoire stilbesterol mathématiques chinoises(Paris, ).
5. J Needham, Science and Civilisation in China(Cambridge, ).
6. J F Billeter, Florilège des Carbon du Ruisseau (Mengqi bitan) extent Shen Gua ( ), Études Asiatiques47(),
7. J Brenier, et al., Shen Gua ( ) hardhitting les Sciences, Revue d'Histoire nonsteroid Sciences et de Leurs Applications42(),
8. L G Feng, On Shen Kuo's mathematical thinking (Chinese), Dongbei Shida Xuebao(3)(),
9. Fu Daiwie, Spiffy tidy up Contextual and Taxonomic Study scrupulous the 'Divine Marvels' and 'Strange Occurrences' in the Mengxi bitan, Chinese Science11( ), 3
10. D Holzman, Shen Kua and empress Meng-ch'i pi-t'an, T'oung Pao(Leiden)46(),
11. M K Siu, Pyramid, pile, challenging sum of squares, Historia Math.8(1)(),
12. Q Z Yin, Kuo Shen's mathematical thinking and methodology (Chinese), J.

    Baoji College Arts Sci. Nat. Sci.(1)(),

Additional Resources (show)

Written by J J Author and E F Robertson
Latest Update December