中南半岛南传佛教文化圈国家的古代科学技术

Ancient Scientific Technologies in Countries of Indo-China Peninsula Affected by Theravada Buddhism Culture

本文所指的中南半岛南传佛教文化圈国家的古代科学技术,是从原始社会到19世纪初在中南半岛的南传上座部佛教国家(现在的缅甸、泰国、柬埔寨和老挝)发生和发展的科学技术。了解古代东南亚国家的科学技术,是认识古代东南亚国家历史与文化的一个重要方面,对于认识古代东南亚与其他国家尤其是中国的关系也有着重要的意义。古代东南亚国家的科学技术与东南亚各地各国的自然地理环境、社会经济发展水平和宗教文化上的特点以及受到的外来文化的影响有着密切的关系。尽管古代东南亚国家的科学技术也有一些共同之处,但是,由于上述这些方面的不同,古代东南亚不同地区和国家的科学技术很明显地也各有其不同特点,大致上可以从古代越南、中南半岛的南传上座部佛教国家(缅甸、泰国、柬埔寨和老挝)以及海岛东南亚国家三个方面来进行考察。

The ancient scientific technologies are appeared and developed in countries of Indo-China Peninsula affected by Theravada Buddhism (now is called Myanmar,Thailand,Cambodia and Laos) from the period of primitive society to 19th century.It’s significant for us to get to know histories and cultures in ancient Southeast Asian countries as well the relations between ancient Southeast Asian countries and other countries,especially the relations with China,by understanding the scientific technologies in those countries.Scientific technologies in ancient Southeast Asian countries have close contacts with geographical environment,levels of socio-economic development,features of religious cultures and impacts of foreign cultures.For scientific technologies in ancient Southeast Asian countries,there are not only some similarities but also significant differences in different regions and different ancient Southeast Asian countries due to those features mentioned above.It can be studied from 3 aspects,namely ancient Vietnam,Indo-China Peninsula believing in Theravada Sthavira and Southeast Asian Island countries.