Wei Pu

Wei Pu

Wei Pu ( _zh. 衛朴; Wade-Giles: Wei P'u) was an 11th century Chinese astronomer of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). He was born a commoner, but eventually rose to prominence as an astronomer working for the imperial court at the capital of Kaifeng.Sivin, III, 6.] Wei became a trusted colleague of the famous statesman and scientist Shen Kuo (1031-1095 AD), who served as the head official for the Bureau of Astronomy, and worked on various projects with Wei Pu.

Achievements at court

When Shen Kuo became the Supervisor of the Directorate of Astronomy in 1072 AD, Wei Pu became Shen's protege, and was eager to partake in Shen's ideal reforms to the Chinese calendar system. With the aid of many different scholars and a large assortment of gathered books written on astronomy, Shen and Wei embarked on this enormous project. With the aid of Wei Pu, Shen planned to make a series of nightly astronomical observations over a period of five years. To allow more accurate astronomical observations and recordings, Shen Kuo improved the technical designs of the rotating armillary sphere, the gnomon, the clepsydra clock, and the sighting tube.Sivin, III, 17.] Shen Kuo calibrated the standard diameter of the sighting tube's width, hence allowing the observation of the polestar indefinitely (which had shifted since the time of Zu Geng in the 5th century). With these, Shen and Wei attempted to predict the mean speeds of the planets as well as the accurate positions of the planets in their orbits.Sivin, III, 18.] They established a system of observing and recording on a star map the exact coordinates of the planets, done three times a night for a total of five years. Shen Kuo made a cosmological hypotheses in explaining the variations of planetary motions, including the concept of retrogradation.Sivin, III, 16.] On the other hand, Wei Pu realized that the old calculation technique for the mean sun was inaccurate compared to the apparent sun, since the latter was ahead of it in the accelerated phase of motion, and behind it in the retarded phase.Sivin, III, 19.] Hence, he incorporated solar motion into the eclipse theory.

The Song Dynasty astronomers of Wei's day still retained the lunar theory and coordinates of the earlier Yi Xing (683-727 AD), which after 350 years had devolved into a state of considerable error. To fix this, Shen and Wei kept similar astronomical records, three times a night over five years, for the orbital path of the moon. Wei and Shen's work was deeply opposed by the officials and fellow astronomers at court, who were offended by their insistence that the coordinates of the renowned Yi Xing were inaccurate.Sivin, III, 18-19.] The elite, well-educated ministers and leading astronomers were also insulted by the fact that Wei Pu was born a commoner, yet held more expertise in his field than many of them.Sivin, II, 73.] When Wei and Shen made a public demonstration using the gnomon to prove the doubtful wrong, the other ministers reluctantly agreed to correct the lunar error. Although correcting the lunar error was a success, the other ministers and officials eventually dismissed Wei and Shen's recorded course plotting of planetary motions, while the court relied upon the inefficient and older model.Sivin, III, 7.] This meant that only the very worst errors were corrected for planetary motion, and in his disappointment, Shen wrote, "How sad that the backbiting of that bunch of calendar-makers could have kept him from bringing his art to fruition!"

ee also

*List of Chinese people
*List of scientists
*List of astronomers
*Technology of Song Dynasty

Notes

References

*Sivin, Nathan (1995). "Science in Ancient China: Researches and Reflections". Brookfield, Vermont: VARIORUM, Ashgate Publishing.

Further reading

*Needham, Joseph (1986). "Science and Civilization in China: Volume 3, Mathematics and the Sciences of the Heavens and the Earth". Taipei: Caves Books Ltd.

External links

* [http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~nsivin/shen.html The complete chapter on Shen Kuo in Nathan Sivin's book]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Wei — Wèi (chinesisch 魏) bezeichnet: mehrere chinesische Staaten oder Dynastien: Wei (Staat) (445–225 v. Chr.) zur Zeit der Frühlings und Herbstannalen und der Streitenden Reiche Wei Dynastie (220–265) zur Zeit der Drei Reiche das von Ran Min… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • WEI — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sommaire 1 Personnalités 2 Lieux 2.1 Astérismes …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wei He — Wei HeVorlage:Infobox Fluss/GKZ fehlt Lage Provinzen Gansu und Shaanxi, VR China Flusssystem Gelber FlussVorlage:Infobox Fluss/FLUSSSYSTEM falsch Vorlage:Infobox Fluss/ABFLUSSWEG fehlt …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wei Xu — (chinesisch 魏續 / 魏续 Wèi Xù) war ein General des Kriegsherrn Lü Bu in der späten Han Zeit und zur Zeit der Drei Reiche im alten China. Als im Jahre 198 der Kriegsherr Cao Cao Lü Bu in Xiapi belagerte, entführten Wei Xu, Hou… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wei Li — (* 24. August 1982) ist ein chinesischer Bahn und Straßenradrennfahrer. Wei Li gewann bei der Asienmeisterschaft 2007 auf der Bahn zusammen mit Libin Chen, Teng Ma und Xuelong Qu die Goldmedaille in der Mannschaftsverfolgung. In den nächsten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wei Pu — (chinois : 卫朴 ; Wade Giles : Wei P u) était un astronome chinois du XIe siècle sous la dynastie Song (960 1279). Wei fut un collègue et ami proche de Shen Kuo (1031 1095). Ils servirent au « Bureau de l astronomie »… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wei — puede referirse a: Wei, un reino en la antigua China. Wei, la estrella Épsilon Scorpii, en la constelación de Scorpius. Esta página de desambiguación cataloga artículos relacionados con el mismo título. Si llegaste aquí a través de …   Wikipedia Español

  • Wei — is Karmelks Börge. – Stürenburg, 300a; Kern, 1016. Spottrede auf einen Bürgen, der noch ärmer ist, als der Hauptschuldner. Wei = Molken, Karmelk = Buttermilch …   Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon

  • Wei — Wei, chines. Name des Amu (s.d.) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Wei — l un des Trois Royaumes chinois (IIIe s.). Ses souverains régnèrent sur le N. de la Chine de 220 à 535 …   Encyclopédie Universelle

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”