渊薮与旨归:工程教育与刘仙洲中国机械史研究

Origin and Aim:Engineering Education and Liu Xianzhou’s Research on the History of Chinese Machinery

通过对刘仙洲学术思想逻辑的系统梳理,本文发现工程教育的需要触发了其中国机械史的研究,而中国机械史的研究使刘仙洲领悟到后来人们所称的“李约瑟难题”。刘仙洲关于学者传统与工匠传统的割裂甚至对立阻碍了中国科技发展的观点比“梅森命题”早了20余年。刘仙洲没有仅停留在理论探索层面,更提出理论与实践贯通的工读协作制的工程教育主张。可以说,刘仙洲的中国机械史研究来源于工程教育又复归于工程教育。

This paper sorts out the logic route of his academic thought from the perspective of interactions between engineering education and his study on the history of Chinese machinery,and finds that the need for engineering education triggered his study on the history of Chinese machinery,which enabled him to realize what was later called"Needham Problem".Liu's interpretation predated by more than 20 years the familiar"Mason's Proposition',namely the development of the Chinese science and technology was hindered by the split and even opposition between the scholarly and artisanal traditions.It is worth mentioning that Liu did not discuss only at theoretical level,but sought inspiration and strength from history and put forward the idea that engineering education should emphasize both"ingenuity"and"hands-on experience"based on the collaborative system of work-study integrating theory and practice.To sum up,Liu's research on Chinese mechanical history originated from and returned to engineering education.