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2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Transmission of Chinese-Western Scientific Books into Early Modern Japan and Its Influence in Wasan

Research Project

Project/Area Number 12680003
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field 科学技術史(含科学社会学・科学技術基礎論)
Research InstitutionMaebashi Institute of Technology

Principal Investigator

KOBAYASHI Tatsuhiko  Maebashi Institute of Technology, Civil engineering, Professor, 工学部, 教授 (10269300)

Project Period (FY) 2000 – 2002
KeywordsWestern-Chinese Scientific Book / Wasan / Mei Wending / Li suan quan shu / Li xiang kao cheng / Li xiang kao cheng hou bian / Trigonometry / Trigonometric function table
Research Abstract

The mathematics developed in Japan during the Edo Period (1603-1867) is called "Wasan"<和算> (Japanese mathematics). Wasan, however, has its roots in Chinese mathematics.
In the 18th century, Western science and mathematics were transmitted to Tokugawa Japan via Quing China. Mainly because of the necessity of reforming calendars, in 1720 the Tokugawa government began to permit the importation of Western scientific books written in Chinese by the Jesuits missionaries as an exception to the Shogunate's seclusion policy. This partial relaxation policy led to the introduction of Western astronomy and mathematics, particularly trigonometry and logarithms. Japanese mathematicians and astronomers learned them through Chinese Western scientific books, <Li suan quan shu> (published by Mei Juecheng in 1723), <Li xiang kao cheng>( compiled by Mei Juecheng in 1723) <Shu li jing yun> (compiled by order of Chinese empire in 1723) and <Li xiang kao cheng hou bian>(compiled by I. Kogler in 1742). Trigono … More metric function table came from these books. Japanese astronomers and mathematicians used trigonometric tables not only for reforming their calendar but also for land surveying and navigation.
Western scientific knowledge was also introduced into Japan from the Netherlands through the port of Nagasaki. The Dutch interpreter Shiduki Tadao translated into Japanese the seminal scientific work, Inleidinge tot de ware Natuuren Sterrekunde of de Natuuren Sterrekundige Lessen, was published in Leiden in 1741, from which he learned plane and spherical trigonometry. Because of the difficulty of translating Dutch terminology into Japanese, he referred to Chinese astronomical and mathematical textbooks for translating mathematical terms into Japanese. One of notable Japanese Dutch researcher Toshiaki Honda referred Chinese Western scientific books too.
We think that next research subject will be study of relation with Japanese-Dutch research and Wasan-ka. We also have to study the transmission of the Western Integral and differential calculus via Quing China in the latter of 19-century. Less

  • Research Products

    (12 results)

All Other

All Publications (12 results)

  • [Publications] 小林 龍彦: "『測量全儀』とその数学的内容をめぐって"東アジアの天文・暦学に関する多角的研究. 265-291 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 小林 龍彦: "角術への三角法の応用について"数理解析研究所講究録『数学史の研究』. 1195. 165-175 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 小林 龍彦: "剣持章行の「角術捷径」について"数理解析研究所講究録『数学史の研究』. 1257. 234-243 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 小林 龍彦: "紅葉山文庫に収蔵される梅文鼎の著作について"料学史研究. 41巻No221. 26-34 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 小林 龍彦: "What kind of Mathematics and Terminology was transmitted into 18th-Century Japan from China?"Historia Scientiarum. Vol.12-1. 1-17 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 小林 龍彦 他: "Symmetry 2000"Portland Press(London). 620 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Kobayashi Tatsuhiko: "<Ce liang quan gou> and on the Its Mathematical Contents"The Multiple Study of East Asian Astronomy and Calendar. Toyo Institution of Daito Bunka University. 265-291 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Kobayashi Tatsuhiko: "On the apply of Trigonometry in Study of Kaku-jutsu"Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences : "Study of History of Mathematics". 1195. 165-175 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Kobayashi Tatsuhiko: "On the (Kaku-jutsu shokei> by Shoko Kenmochi"Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences : "Study of History of Mathematics". 1257. 234-243 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Kobayashi Tatsuhiko: "On the Mei Wending's Works in Momijiyama-Bunko Library"Journal of History of Science. Japan, Vol.41, No.221. 26-33

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Kobayashi Tatsuhiko: "What kind of Mathematics and Terminology was transmitted into 18th-century Japan form China?"Historia Scientiarum. Vol.2-1. 1-17 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Kobayashi Tatsuhiko: "What was known about the Polyhedra in Ancient China and Edo-Japan?"Symmetry 2000, Portland Press, London. 91-100 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2004-04-14  

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