李约瑟与中国农史学家——谨以此文纪念李约瑟先生诞辰110周年

Dr Joseph Needham and the Chinese Agricultural Historians

文章根据李约瑟研究所珍藏档案及相关学术资料,论述了李约瑟博士与万国鼎、石声汉、胡道静、梁家勉等中国农史学家的学术交往和深厚友谊,分析了这种交往和友谊的历史背景和发展过程。指出这些交往的缘起虽有一定的偶然性,但其发展和持续却有其历史必然性,它与李约瑟先生毕生致力于研究和编写《中国的科学与文明》的宏伟工程有着密不可分的关系。中国古代社会是一个农业社会,中国传统文明从本质上说是一种农业文明。因此,对中国科技与文明互动关系的研究自然不能离开对其农业发展的历史分析。这正是李约瑟与中国农史学家长期保持频繁学术交往和深厚友情的重要原因。李约瑟对中国传统科技产生浓厚兴趣初期就展现出对中国农业发展的关注。1942年他应邀在中华农学会年会上演讲,报告的题目就是《中国和西方的科学与农业》。在报告中,他第一次全面而系统地提出了尔后广为人知的"李约瑟难题"并尝试对它进行解答,生动反映出他对中国发展进步的深切关心与美好期待。

Based on the archives kept in Needham Research Institute and related academic materials,the present paper gives a description of the communication and friendship between Dr Joseph Needham and the Chinese agricultural historians such as Wan Guoding,Shi Shenghan,Hu daojing,Liang Jiamian and so on.It was not haphazard that these close interpersonal relations lasted as long as for decades,it was solidly established upon the basis of their common interest and through the monumental project of Science and Civilization in China,to which Dr Needham dedicated all his life.The ancient society in China was agricultural and the traditional civilization was,by nature,an agricultural civilization.Hence no one could ignore the analysis of the agricultural development if he really wants to understand the ancient history.That＇s why Joseph Needham kept close academic relations and friendship with so many agricultural historians.As a matter of fact,Dr Needham＇s concern about Chinese agriculture could be dated back from the earliest period of his interest in Chinese science and technology.As early as in 1942,when he was invited to lecture at the annual conference of Agricultural Association of China,he talked on ＂Science and Agriculture in China and the West＂ and for the first time raised the well-known ＂Needham Question＂,which vividly showed his deep solicitude and expectation for the progress and prosperity of China in the future.