The Chinese Journal for the History of Science and technology  NO.1 2006 

Development of Modern Chinese Agronomy: Analysis in Terms of Prosopography

ZHANG Jian

　  (Institute of History, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai200235，China)

Abstract By analyzing the Part on Agrononomists in Brief Biographies of Chinese Scientists and Experts, which includes brief biographies of 237 Agronomists, the writer thinks that the density or number of Chinese agronomists does not tally with the developing trend of sciences in China. It relates to the change of current of China's political & social thought and strategy of national development. 44 percent of the 237 agronomists were from Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Flourishing agricultural production in the two provinces might be one important reason for this phenomenon in addition to success of education. Graduates of the College of Agronomy of the University of Nanking and of the Central University amount to 41 percent of the total number of graduates in China, which shows that the two universities have great influence on modern Chinese agronomy and are exceptional in the training of competent persons. Many of them had studied abroad. The returned students from America make up 64 percent of the total number of students studying abroad. This ratio also displays the important role of America in the development of agronomy in modern China. At the same time, the factor of Japan is showed in some subjects such as gardening. All these indicate that the development of agricultural sciences, which is closely related to China's national conditions, is the result of the joint effort of Chinese agricultural experts. National conditions spur scientists to choose subjects of good prospects, but they sometimes also restricts the choice and effort of the scientists.

Key words China, agronomist, prosopography, modern agronomy

Soviet Union's Aid to China in Navy Technology Education: The Case of Naval Engineering Department, Harbin Institute of Military Engineering, 1952—1956

ZHAO Yanghui

（University of National Defense Technology, Changsha410074, China)

Abstract Though modern Chinese navy, which was founded during the period of Westernization movement, learnt from occidental navy basically, the navy of P.R. China learnt from Soviet Navy instead. While the Naval Engineering Department of Harbin Institute of Military Engineering was established with the help of Soviet Union in 1953, the Soviet Navy came into a nuclear missile era at the same time. In this sensitive period, Soviet technical advisers, who made a fundamental contribution to China in navy technology education and scholastic construction, found and grasped the balance between national security and technical aid, and helped China sincerely, though in a limited way.

Key words 

navy technology education, Harbin Institute of Military Engineering, Soviet Union's aid to China

An Analysis on the Ki Cha Y Zei Ki——A Typical Case of Religionary Medicine

LIAO Yuqun

（Institute for the History of Natural Science, CAS, Beijing100010, China)

Abstract Written by the Japanese monk Eisei living in the Kamakura period, Ki Cha Y Zei Ki means drinking tea to treat illness. Hence, most historical medical works commented on this famous book according to the modern opinion about the hygienic function of drinking tea just as its title implied. On the other hand, a lot of works related to the “Tea Culture” thought highly of the book and its author, both of which acted as not only an important cultural disseminator, but also the forerunner of the Cha D (Japanese tea ceremony). In fact, however, the content of the first volume of Eisei's book under the guidance of Buddhist thinking was based on the following theory: all diseases were related to the Xin (heart, but its true meaning should be mind), and could be treated by drinking tea, because bitterness was quite good for heart. In such a theoretical construction, Eisei mixed the conceptions of heart and mind within the religionary tenet and China's traditional medical theory. The second volume recommended using supernatural mulberry to treat some strange illnesses caused by ghosts. Thus the author and his book made a complete theoretical and therapeutic system of religionary medicine, including both the external method (bitterness) and the internal way (supernatural). Some centuries later, Cha D gradually came into being. But in this Japanese tea ceremony, tea is not aimed at its hygienic function, only serving as a prop.

Key words tea, mulberry, Eisei, Ki Cha Y Zei Ki, religionary medicine, cultural exchange

The Present Situation and Trend of Research on the History of Science in China

SU Yujuan，

　  (Shanxi Provincial Party School of CPC,Taiyuan030006,China)

　  WEI Yidong

　  (Shanxi University ,Taiyuan030006,China )

Abstract The study on the history of science in China has made considerable progress in the past 20 years, especially in the textual research of ancient science, the introduction and making use of the history of science from foreign countries, and the mutually acting relationship of science and society. This thesis collects the papers, works and symposiums which are relevant to the history of science in 1979—2000，in order to analyse the present situation and trend of the history of science in China .

Key words the history of science in China, metrological analysis 

A List of Translated Books of the Shanghai Polytechnic Institution

WANG Yangzong

　  (Institute for the History of Natural Science,CAS,Beijing 100010，China)

Abstract Based on the newly discovered documents, the author introduces the project of Xu Huafeng(1858—1928) on translating of western industrial technology in the early 20th century, when he was in charge of the Shanghai Polytechnic Institution.

Key words Shanghai Polytechnic Institution, Xu Huafeng, translated books

Textual Research on the Early History of Chinese Geology

LI Xuetong

　  (Institute of Modern History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100006, China)

Abstract This paper is a textual research on the historical facts of Chinese geology in the early stage, such as the number of students, content of courses, state of practice and the reason for the end of the Institute of Geology; the organization and mambers of the Institute of Geological Survey in the initial stage; the work of its mineral investigation before 1916; the crisis of its disbandment in 1922; and the election of Weng Wenhao as the vice president of the International Congress of Geology, all of which is subjected to detailed inquiry and attached to with some new sonclusions.

Key words Chinese geology, Institute of Geology, Institute of Geological Survey

Early Exploration and Exploitation of the Yanchang Oilfield

SHI Baoheng

　  （China National Petroleum and Gas Corporation, Beijing100724, China)

Abstract The Yanchang Oilfield is the first oilfield that was discovered and explored in mainland China in 1905. In the early stage of its exploration and exploitation (1905—1949)，five major events occurred in the order of time, namely:(1) The foundation of Yanchang Oil Plant and the first oil well in mainland China; (2) The voice of the oil field run by the local people; (3) The drilling and investigation of petroleum geology in northern Shaanxi by Mobil Corporation; (4) The early investigation of petroleum geology in northern Shaanxi; and (5) The strong support given by the oil field to the War of Resistance Against Japan.

Key words Yanchang Oilfield, early stage, exploration, exploitation

A Review of Ho Peng Yoke's Reminiscence of a Roving Scholar:Science, Humanity and Joseph Needham

MEI Jianjun

　  (Research Centre for Science, Technology and Civilisation,

　  University of Science and Technology，Beijing100083,China)

Abstract As a celebrated scholar living abroad, Ho Peng Yoke is devoted to the study of history of Chinese science and technology. Reminiscence of a Roving Scholar: Science, Humanity and Josephy Needham, Ho's academic autobiography, was published in Singapore and written by him in English. In the form of a memoir, this autobiography is well worth reading, for it contains a great deal of first-hand information concerning the overseas studies on Chinese science and technology over the past fifty years, but also because of Ho's close relationship with Joseph Needham and the Needham Research Institute, and in addition because it presents a full picture of his own remarkable character.

Key words Ho Peng Yoke, Reminiscence of a Roving Scholar: Science, Humanity and Joseph Needham, Joseph Needham, the Needham Research Institute

Another Way of Probing: Review of Gu Poison (Gu Du): Hallucination of Wealth and Power

LIU Bing

(STS Institute, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China)

Abstract Both for anthropology and history of science, Gu Du is a very attractive subject to study. The book Another Way of Probing: Review of Gu Poison (Gu Du): Hallucination of Wealth and Power is discussed, based on which the meanings of anthropology for the study of history of science, and the differences in methodology and ideas for the two discilpines are analyzed.

Key words Gu Poison(Gu Du), anthropology, history of science