晚清学人对伽利略的科学史书写

Writing Galileo in the History of Science by the Late Qing Scholars

伽利略被誉为“近代科学之父”,为普罗大众所熟知。在明末清初来华传教士的文字中,他零星地出场过,但随即销声匿迹。直到19世纪后期,基于晚清学人对他的科学史叙事,他才真正被中国的知识阶层所接受。同时,通过书写科学史中的伽利略,他身上附着的科学知识被介绍到了中国,并得以传播,构成了近代中国引进西方科学的一种独特方式。

Known as the “father of modern science”, Galileo is quite familiar to the general public. In the late Ming and early Qing China, his name appeared several times in the works of Jesuits but then vanished. Actually, it was not until the late 19th century that Galileo was really accepted by the Chinese intelligentsia based on the Late Qing scholars’ history of science writing about him. Meanwhile, by writing Galileo in the history of science, his scientific knowledge was introduced to China and spread broadly, which presented a unique way for modern China to “import” western science.