晚清出洋士人对外国气象台的观察和认知

The Observations and Cognitions of Foreign Meteorological Observatories by Traditional Scholars Who are Travelling Abroad in Late Qing Period

1914年,上海土山湾印书馆出版了马德赉(Joseph de Moidrey,1858-1936)编著的《气学通诠》(Manuelélémentaire de météorologie),此书是震旦学院的课本之一。马德赉在这本教材的序言中称:中国至今日风气普开。彼都人士,大抵响慕西学。

The Zi-ka-wei Observatory,established in 1872,consists of a meteorological observatory,a seismic observatory,a geomagnetic observatory and an astronomical observatory.But until the early years of the Republic of China,it was difficult to recognize these institutions for people in Shanghai district.This reflects the fact that astronomy and meteorology are indistinguishable in traditional China.In late 19th century,a group of traditional scholars who went abroad generally failed to fully understand the important role of this modern scientific institution.However,the actual experience of life abroad still caused scholars to notice the difference in meteorological concepts between China and the West.They also tried to absorb the knowledge of modern meteorology and paid attention to modern systems of weather forecasting.In late Qing period,foreigners had set up modern meteorological stations in China,and the Chinese scholars had gone abroad and thus had actual experience of foreign meteorological institutions,but neither of these two facts caused the Chinese society to pay substantial attention to modern meteorology,this may reflect the length and complexity of the modern transformation of meteorological concept in Chinese society.