Kaogongji: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Ancient Chinese work on technology and science}} |
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'''Kaogong ji''' (考工记) - ''The Records of Examination of Craftsman'', sometimes translated as ''Book of Diverse Crafts'': classic work on science and technology in Ancient China, compiled towards the end of the [[Spring and Autumn Period]]. |
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{{italic title}} |
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{{chinese |
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|s=《{{linktext|考|工|记}}》 |
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|t=《{{linktext|考|工|記}}》 |
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|p=《Kǎogōngjì》 |
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|w=''K'ao-kung-chi'' |
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|l=Record of a Review of [Various] Works |
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}} |
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The '''''Kaogongji''''', '''''Kaogong Ji''''',<ref name=pare/> or '''''Kao Gong Ji''''',{{sfnp|Guan & al.|2020}} variously translated as '''''The Record of Trades''''', '''''Records of Examination of Craftsman''''', '''''Book of Diverse Crafts''''',{{fact|date=March 2024}} and '''''The Artificers' Record''''',{{sfnp|Jun|2017}} is an [[ancient Chinese language|ancient Chinese]] work on [[science and technology in China|science and technology]] in [[Ancient China|China]]. It was compiled sometime during the 5th, 4th, or 3rd century BCE and then included as a section of the ''[[Rites of Zhou]]'' under the [[Han dynasty|Han]] as a replacement for the lost text concerning the Offices of Winter concerning [[public works]]. |
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==Contents== |
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[[File:Chengzhou Diagram.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The diagram of [[Chengzhou]]'s [[Chinese urban planning|idealized layout]] from the 1175 [[Song dynasty|Song]]-era ''Xinding Sanlitu'', based on the ''Kaogongji'' descriptions of an ideal capital]] |
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The ''Kaogongji'' is the oldest known technical encyclopedia,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Ashley Strickland |title=Mystery ingredients in ancient recipes for bronze objects deciphered by researchers |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/09/world/ancient-bronze-chemistry-formula-scn/index.html |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=CNN |date=August 9, 2022 }}</ref> particularly noted for its early discussion of [[Chinese urban planning]]. It has been suggested that the ''Kaogongji'' "may have been written by an administrator to assure the emperor that everything was under control. It is part of a manual for how to run the empire".<ref name=pare/> The book includes "enigmatic" recipes for metal-making; in 2022, researchers reanalyzed its mention ''jin'' and ''xi'', key components for making [[bronze]] thought for centuries to have been [[copper]] and [[tin]], as possibly referring instead to premade [[alloy]]s of uncertain composition. Such a composition would yield bronzes more like early [[Chinese bronzes]], revealing unexpected complexity in early Chinese metal production.<ref name=pare>{{Cite news |title=Researchers decode metal-making recipes in ancient Chinese text |last=Pare |first=Sascha |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 August 2022 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/10/metal-making-recipes-ancient-chinese-text-kaogong-ji}}</ref> |
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==Scholarship== |
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[[Lin Xiyi]] ({{lang|zh|林希逸}}, {{translit|zh|Lín Xīyì}}) published his ''Kaogongji Jie'', a study of the ''Kaogongji'', {{c.|1235}}. [[Dai Zhen]]'s own ''Kaogongji Tu'' was published in 1746 and [[Cheng Yaotian]] ({{lang|zh|程瑤田}}, {{lang|zh|程瑶田}}, {{translit|zh|Chéng Yáotián}})'s ''Kaogongji Chuangwu Xiaoji'' {{c.|1805}}. |
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==English translations== |
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*{{cite book |last=Jun |first=Wenren |author-mask=Jun Wenren | title=Ancient Chinese Encyclopedia of Technology: Translation and Annotation of the 'Kaogong Ji' (The Artificers Record)| publisher=Routledge| date=13 October 2017 | isbn=978-0-8153-6738-3 | oclc=1063733507}} |
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*{{cite book |last=Guan |first=Zengjian |author-mask=Guan Zhengjian |display-authors=1 | last2=Herrmann | first2=Konrad| title=Kao Gong Ji: The World's Oldest Encyclopaedia of Technologies |ref={{harvid|Guan & al.|2020}} |publication-place=Leiden, Boston|publisher=BRILL | year=2020 | isbn=90-04-41694-3 | oclc=1139014244}} |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist|30em}} |
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[[Category:Chinese classic texts]] |
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[[zh:考工记]] |
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[[Category:Science and technology in China]] |
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[[Category:Zhou dynasty texts]] |
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[[Category:5th-century BC books]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:27, 20 March 2024
| Kaogongji | |||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 《考工記》 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 《考工记》 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | Record of a Review of [Various] Works | ||||||||
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The Kaogongji, Kaogong Ji,[1] or Kao Gong Ji,[2] variously translated as The Record of Trades, Records of Examination of Craftsman, Book of Diverse Crafts,[citation needed] and The Artificers' Record,[3] is an ancient Chinese work on science and technology in China. It was compiled sometime during the 5th, 4th, or 3rd century BCE and then included as a section of the Rites of Zhou under the Han as a replacement for the lost text concerning the Offices of Winter concerning public works.
Contents
[edit]
The Kaogongji is the oldest known technical encyclopedia,[4] particularly noted for its early discussion of Chinese urban planning. It has been suggested that the Kaogongji "may have been written by an administrator to assure the emperor that everything was under control. It is part of a manual for how to run the empire".[1] The book includes "enigmatic" recipes for metal-making; in 2022, researchers reanalyzed its mention jin and xi, key components for making bronze thought for centuries to have been copper and tin, as possibly referring instead to premade alloys of uncertain composition. Such a composition would yield bronzes more like early Chinese bronzes, revealing unexpected complexity in early Chinese metal production.[1]
Scholarship
[edit]Lin Xiyi (林希逸, Lín Xīyì) published his Kaogongji Jie, a study of the Kaogongji, c. 1235. Dai Zhen's own Kaogongji Tu was published in 1746 and Cheng Yaotian (程瑤田, 程瑶田, Chéng Yáotián)'s Kaogongji Chuangwu Xiaoji c. 1805.
English translations
[edit]- Jun Wenren (13 October 2017). Ancient Chinese Encyclopedia of Technology: Translation and Annotation of the 'Kaogong Ji' (The Artificers Record). Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8153-6738-3. OCLC 1063733507.
- Guan Zhengjian; et al. (2020). Kao Gong Ji: The World's Oldest Encyclopaedia of Technologies. Leiden, Boston: BRILL. ISBN 90-04-41694-3. OCLC 1139014244.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Pare, Sascha (10 August 2022). "Researchers decode metal-making recipes in ancient Chinese text". The Guardian.
- ^ Guan & al. (2020).
- ^ Jun (2017).
- ^ Ashley Strickland (August 9, 2022). "Mystery ingredients in ancient recipes for bronze objects deciphered by researchers". CNN. Retrieved 2022-08-11.