根数错位致斗转星移——薛凤祚《历学会通》的历元换算

Radical Changes of the Big Dipper and Stars’ Positions resulted from Errors of root number——The Calculations of calendar in Master of Calendar

薛凤祚在《历学会通》中所给出的中西历元纪年出现了整体错位和局部混乱,由根数错位而致斗转星移。实难想像其天文和历算结果能够被观测所证实或验证,而况薛凤祚从来不作天文和天象观测。他的随意和著文之粗糙、混乱,使他耗费半生精力所作的西学引进、译介的成果黯然失色。这也许正是他被同时代人忽略,继而又被历史遗忘的根本原因之一。

The most important causes for our confusion on Xue Fengzuo’s works are not the social surroundings of him but himself. He made mistakes on the simplest ideas, so we won’t believe that his astronomical and calendar’s results can be proved by observations or investigations. Moreover, Xue Fengzuo has never done astronomical observations. His randomness in disposition and coarseness and confusion of his works overshadowed his contributions in the field of introductions of western culture and translations of western writings, on which he has exerted all his energy. This is probably the main reasons why he is forgotten by history.