明末平仪(Planispheric Astrolabe)在中国的传播——以《浑盖通宪图说》中的平仪为例

On the Transmission of the Planisphere Astrolabe to China in Late Ming Period

平仪 (Planispheric Astrolabe,即星盘 ;平仪为李之藻译语 )乃是一种基于希腊地心说的天文观测仪器。因为它拥有优美的结构、测量上的方便以及丰富的功能 ,它在西方 (阿拉伯地区和欧洲 )中世纪长期成为最常见、最重要的天文仪器之一。它的主要功能是报时、定方位、做为月历。因此在利玛窦东行之时 ,平仪也随着一起东传。虽然它的制造带有浓厚的西方色彩 ,但它的功能以及观测上的准确性很快引起了李之藻的兴趣 ,经过学习和实际运用 ,在1 6 0 7年他刻印了《浑盖通宪图说》。在中国这是第一部介绍平仪之制造法以及使用法的书。由于中西天文学系统互不相容的缘故 ,所以接受平仪就意味着不得不接受平仪背后以地心说为中心的西方天文知识。更何况平仪的制造乃是建立在地心说、地圆说、立体投影等之西方数学天文知识上。不过 ,对李之藻而言 ,接受西法并不代表立刻放弃中法 ,反而是西法的接受更有助于重新诠释中法。亦即他在西法上发现了被放弃多年的盖天说的新读法。换句话说 ,他就发现了一个可以调和似乎一直被认为互相矛盾的盖天和浑天的好法子。因为在他的读法里 ,盖天就成为支持地圆说的理论之缘故。而虽然李之藻这样的解释也许有助于减轻接受西法所带来的不必要的争论 ,但是他过分强调中西之“同”。

The planisphere astrolabe, or the astrolabe in the narrower sense, was one of the most important astronomical instruments in the Middle Ages, both in Islamic Orient and in Europe. It was highly prized and widely used for its convenience and capacity.It was,however,rarely employed in China or in East Asia, partly for the different astronomical system and partly for lack of Greek mathematical and astronomical concepts,i.e.Ptolemic geocentric theory.It goes without saying that there was a geographical and cultural gap between two continents. During the late Ming period,the astrolabe was for the second time in history re introduced to Chinese society by an Italian Jesuit named Matteo Ricci(the first time was in Yuan Dynasty by an Islamic astronomer). Hun Gai Tong Xian Tu Shuo (1607)arranged by Li Zhi zao, which was based on Clavius's Astrolabium ,was actually the first book which attempted to introduce the structure and the usage of the astrolabe.Then why was Li willing to accept it in spite of the differences between two astronomical systems?Was it simply because Western instrument or Western learning in large was more accurate and useful than the Chinese counterpart?Furthermore,why did he name it as Hun Gai Tong Xian?Undoubtedly Huntian and Gaitian were two old astronomical theories and had nothing to do with the Western Ptolemic theory. In conclusion, Hun Gai Tong Xian Tu Shuo was one of the first efforts to accept the Western astronomical system since he found it useful and accurate, but he also found in it a possibility to harmonize two contradictory Chinese astronomical systems, namely, Huntian and Gaitian.There was, however, too much emphasis on the same aspects of Chinese Western astronomical systems,i.e.the earth's sphericity in Gaitian, so that he failed to show the diffierences or merits of the Western system.On the other hand,his overemphasis on practical usage also made him neglect the mathematical and theoretical parts. As a result,it later had only served as a motive for the wide spread of'the theory of the Chinese origin of Western learning'without the dissemination or understanding of the astrolabe itself.