趙友欽の天文學

Abstract

Zhao Youqin 趙友欽 was a Daoist priest of the Jindan-dao 金丹道 School who saw his best days in the first half of the 14th century. He was also the master of the noted Daoist priest Chen Zhixu 陳致虚. But he wrote an astronomical book entitled Gexiang Xinshu 革象新書, a unique book in the history of Chinese astronomy. This paper, based on this book, deals with (1) his cosmological theory, (2) astronomical instruments devised by him, (3) his views of eclipses and (4) the meaning of the title of his book. In addition, simulations contrived by him to explain astronomical phenomena by using pieces of paper and wood are also introduced in the paper. His simulations are evidence which shows that an approach to a better understanding of nature through experiment already existed in China in the 14th century.