能工巧匠曾昭吉事略

Brief in Zeng Zhaoji:a Skillful Craftsman

历史研究向来重视对帝王将相的研究,比较忽略对能工巧匠、企业家的研究。其实,能工巧匠、企业家也都堪称社会精英。曾昭吉在没有机器设备的情况下,能仿造出机器、洋枪,后来又能创办四川机器局,就是一个很典型的事例。我们在重视研究帝王将相的同时,也应该对能工巧匠、企业家进行必要的研究。

Historians are always paying much attention to the study on kings and princes, and they neglect the study on skillful craftsman and entrepreneurs, who, in fact, can also be rated as the social elites. For example, Zeng Zhaoji, a skillful craftsman, could model out machines and foreign rifles without any machinery equipment and later set up the Sichuan Machine Office. Therefore, necessary attention should be paid to the study on skillful craftsman and entrepreneurs.