《测量法义》在中国:翻译、传播与发展

Translation,Spread and Improvement of Celiang Fayi in Early Modern China

通过对《测量法义》的综合性考察和探讨,认为该书共有7个版本流传下来,其内容与李之藻翻译的《勾股测望图说》同出一源,共包含测高和望远两类15道算题,涉及5种测望工具,矩度测望是最重要的部分。通过解读和比较该书内容,认为中西方测望术的差异正是源于对直影和倒影互变原理的应用,从而催化了矩度这一测望工具的诞生,并影响到我国测望知识的传播与发展。该书发行后,在相当长一段时期中,引发了中算家们的广泛讨论,其中徐光启、李之藻、陈荩谟等明末学者对其改造较大创见较多,毛宗旦、陈訏、黄百家、屠文漪等清代算家则更多是传承和改良了这一类矩度知识。

By a comprehensive investigation in the book Celiang Fayi, this paper finds that there are seven versions left nowadays, the content of which stems from the same origin with Gougu Cewang Tushuo （《勾股测望图说》） translated by Li Zhizao. And it contains measurement of height and length, including 15 questions with 5 instruments, with the most important one being quadrant. From the analysis of its content, this paper believes that the discrepancies of measurement between China and the West derives from the application of mutual transformation between recta-umbra and versa-umbra, which re- suited in the invention of the quadrant and thus affected the broadcast of this type of measurement knowledge. Within a long period after the publication of this book, it aroused a widespread discussion among Chinese mathematicians, including comparing, reviewing, paraphrasing, ameliorating its con- tent. By comparing and analyzing their viewpoints, this paper finds out that the scholars in the Ming Dynasty, such as Xu Guangqi （徐光启）, Li Zhizao （李之藻） and Chen Jinmo （陈荩谟）, contributes much more amelioration and innovations to this knowledge than those in Qing Dynasty, such as Mao Zongdan （毛宗旦）, Chen Xu （陈讦）, Huang Baijia （黄百家）, Tu Wenyi （屠文漪）, etc.