What Is an Astrograph?

Astronomy instrument is also called astronomical instrument. Ancient Chinese people would make this kind of instrument very early. It can be used to intuitively and vividly understand the mutual position and movement laws of the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Astronomy

The "Illustrated History of Ancient Chinese Astronomical Instruments" edited by Master Pan Mao, a 700,000-character monograph, is extremely joyful. The book gives a comprehensive description and detailed analysis of the long history of the creation and development of astronomical instruments in China, and is equipped with related drawings and photos collected at home and abroad. The content is comprehensive and complete, the research is informative and rich, and the pictures and texts complement each other. The editors are all experts in this field (two of them are foreign professors). This book is indeed a masterpiece of astronomy history that is well known and monographed.

The book gives a comprehensive review of ancient Chinese astronomical instruments, especially those in the Qing Dynasty, and then classifies Chinese ancient astronomical instruments into eleven categories, and makes chapter-by-chapter monographs. The monograph summarizes almost all Chinese astronomical instruments in history. Some of them have not been involved so far, and some of them are hard to see in the deep lock cabinet. The historical materials in the book, both domestic and foreign, are full and complete. There were more than 550 illustrations in color and black and white, many of which were first appearances, which made readers see the colorfulness of ancient astronomical instruments in the motherland. In my humble opinion, "The History of Chinese Ancient Astronomical Instruments in Color Pictures" is indeed a rare work in the domestic and international writings on the history of Chinese astronomy. The first is complete content. Not only the ancient observatory instruments, sundial, copper pot drips, etc., but also various ancient armillary spheres, armillary spheres, celestial globes, etc. are also introduced in detail. The second is rich historical data. For example, the ancient astrological disk in the West was introduced into China and converted into an oblique instrument for observation. After the clock was introduced, it was combined with an astronomical star map or a celestial globe to form an astronomical clock and returned to the west. The terms "world" and "big world" used by people were introduced to China with Buddhism, and models were also passed on in astronomical instruments. The Forbidden City has more than sixty ancient astronomical instruments today, colorful and beautiful, and is highly appreciated when it is on tour abroad. The book introduces the story one by one, which can be described as "beautiful pictures and beautiful pictures that complement each other, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful."

The book edited by Master Pan Yan detailedly explains the structure, creation, evolution and application of ancient Chinese astronomical instruments, so that readers can understand the development of ancient Chinese astronomical instruments. For the problems in China's history of manufacturing astronomical instruments that have not been involved or need to be clarified, Pan Yanshi and his editors also worked hard to explain. In particular, the book reflects the achievements of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries and counts the insults of ancient astronomical instruments and the Chinese nation by the war of aggression. I think this will be of great help to carry forward the outstanding culture of the motherland, promote international academic exchanges, and conduct patriotic education. ^[1]

The monograph on the history of science and technology, if the pictures and texts are coexisting, from the pictures to understand the text, from the text to read the pictures, easy to understand, increase knowledge in the interest, readers are more favored. Therefore, I think Master Pan's book seems to be a precedent for the type of monographs in the history of science and technology in China, and it is worth promoting. The editor-in-chief of the book is Professor Pan Mao, who is my enlightenment teacher. At the age of last year, I met Pan Yanshi in Shanghai Zhuzhu. I know that Pan Yanshi has specialized in the history of astronomy for more than 40 years. He has established his own family. He also saw his teacher living in a poor room with poor eyesight. His rigorous scholarship and noble spirit have really impressed me. Professor Pan Mao is a well-known person in the history of ancient astronomy in China. During the Eighth National Congress of the Chinese Astronomical Society in 1995, he was commended and awarded an honorary certificate for 40 years in astronomy. In order to compile this book, Master Pan Mao carefully planned, and invited experts and scholars with good research on this to write, and compile the manuscript, and edit it into a book. The book is exquisitely framed and printed in color. After publication, it was welcomed by readers and experts and highly praised. In my opinion, as a monograph, this book has great authority, strong academicity and high appreciation of elegance and vulgarity. It is a good book worth recommending. ^[2]