Heavenly clockwork : the great astronomical clocks of medieval China / Joseph Needham, Wang Ling, and Derek J. de Solla Price.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextSeries: Antiquarian Horological Society monograph ; no. 1.Publisher: Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1986Edition: 2nd edition with supplements / by John H. CombridgeDescription: xvi, 266 pages : illustrations ; 26 cmContent type:
  • text
  • still image
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 0521322766
  • 9780521322768
Report number: 85031363Subject(s): Genre/Form:
Contents:
List of illustrations -- Chronological table -- Notes and conventions -- Foreward to the second edition -- Introduction -- Biography of Su Sung -- Transmission of the text of Su Sung's book -- Su Sung's memorial to the Emperor Che Tsung -- Translation of Su Sung's third chapter -- Explanation of Su Sung's clockwork -- The historical background of Su Sung's clock -- The development of clockwork after Su Sung -- The context of the inventions -- General history and transmission of astronomical clocks -- Appendix: Chinese horary system -- Supplement.
Summary: "A reissue with a new foreword and supplement, of a modern classic published in 1960. The invention of the mechanical clock was one of the most important turning points in the history of science and technology. This study revealed six centuries of mechanical clockwork preceding the first mechanical escapement clocks of the West of about AD 1300. Detailed and fully illustrated accounts of elaborate Chinese clocks are accompanied by a discussion of the social context of the Chinese inventions and an assessment of their possible transmission to medieval Europe. For this revised edition, Dr Joseph Needham has contributed a new foreword on recent research and perceptions. In a supplement John H. Combridge details a modern reconstruction of Su Sung's timekeeping device, which together with textual studies modifies our understanding of this important early technology."--Publisher's information.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number Status Date due Barcode
Books Books Jost Bürgi Library Reading Room QB107 .N32 1986 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available 31560000039772

Includes bibliographical references and index.

List of illustrations -- Chronological table -- Notes and conventions -- Foreward to the second edition -- Introduction -- Biography of Su Sung -- Transmission of the text of Su Sung's book -- Su Sung's memorial to the Emperor Che Tsung -- Translation of Su Sung's third chapter -- Explanation of Su Sung's clockwork -- The historical background of Su Sung's clock -- The development of clockwork after Su Sung -- The context of the inventions -- General history and transmission of astronomical clocks -- Appendix: Chinese horary system -- Supplement.

"A reissue with a new foreword and supplement, of a modern classic published in 1960. The invention of the mechanical clock was one of the most important turning points in the history of science and technology. This study revealed six centuries of mechanical clockwork preceding the first mechanical escapement clocks of the West of about AD 1300. Detailed and fully illustrated accounts of elaborate Chinese clocks are accompanied by a discussion of the social context of the Chinese inventions and an assessment of their possible transmission to medieval Europe. For this revised edition, Dr Joseph Needham has contributed a new foreword on recent research and perceptions. In a supplement John H. Combridge details a modern reconstruction of Su Sung's timekeeping device, which together with textual studies modifies our understanding of this important early technology."--Publisher's information.

31560000039772 2898

Scolarly monograph on the astronomical clocks-incl water driven clocks in medival; china

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