Calculating and Mapping the Disposition of Future Heavens: Ferdinand Verbiest's Weather Forecasting and Its Termination During the Qing Court (1669–1680).
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| Title: | Calculating and Mapping the Disposition of Future Heavens: Ferdinand Verbiest's Weather Forecasting and Its Termination During the Qing Court (1669–1680). |
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| Authors: | Niu, Weixing1 (AUTHOR), Ge, Yejing1 (AUTHOR), Zhu, Haohao1 (AUTHOR) zhuhh@ustc.edu.cn |
| Source: | Physics in Perspective. Nov2023, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p137-168. 32p. |
| Subjects: | Weather forecasting, Mathematical instruments, Astrology, Heaven, Political change, Astronomy |
| Abstract: | After the resurgence of Jesuit astronomy in 1669, the Flemish Jesuit missionary Ferdinand Verbiest (1623–1688) became the de facto head of the Astronomical Bureau in Qing China. Following the actions of the Italian priest Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) and of the German astronomer Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1591–1666), Verbiest mainly focused on weather forecasting to substitute Chinese traditional astrology with European natural astrology (how planetary motions affected the weather, disease, and agriculture), thereby disseminating his religious beliefs via Western mathematical science. Meanwhile, a series of strategies were mobilized to boost the credibility of this craft, including claiming its technical superiority based on actual celestial positions and calculations, masking the uncertainties with "approximate agreement" (the widening of the acceptable range), and dedicating mathematical instruments for a deep understanding. However, due to sudden political changes and Emperor Kangxi's (1654–1722) criticism, Verbiest was forced to compromise on the public astrological discourse. Eventually, as the very speculative nature of his craft became apparent, the authorities declared the end of natural astrology and the full restoration of Chinese astrology. Verbiest's story broadens the current picture of the calendrical and astrological reforms led by Jesuit scientists in China and provides a wider framework to analyze the global spread of Jesuit science and belief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Physics in Perspective is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 174206254 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Calculating and Mapping the Disposition of Future Heavens: Ferdinand Verbiest's Weather Forecasting and Its Termination During the Qing Court (1669–1680). – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Niu%2C+Weixing%22">Niu, Weixing</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ge%2C+Yejing%22">Ge, Yejing</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhu%2C+Haohao%22">Zhu, Haohao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> zhuhh@ustc.edu.cn</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Physics+in+Perspective%22">Physics in Perspective</searchLink>. Nov2023, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p137-168. 32p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Weather+forecasting%22">Weather forecasting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematical+instruments%22">Mathematical instruments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Astrology%22">Astrology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heaven%22">Heaven</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+change%22">Political change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Astronomy%22">Astronomy</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: After the resurgence of Jesuit astronomy in 1669, the Flemish Jesuit missionary Ferdinand Verbiest (1623–1688) became the de facto head of the Astronomical Bureau in Qing China. Following the actions of the Italian priest Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) and of the German astronomer Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1591–1666), Verbiest mainly focused on weather forecasting to substitute Chinese traditional astrology with European natural astrology (how planetary motions affected the weather, disease, and agriculture), thereby disseminating his religious beliefs via Western mathematical science. Meanwhile, a series of strategies were mobilized to boost the credibility of this craft, including claiming its technical superiority based on actual celestial positions and calculations, masking the uncertainties with "approximate agreement" (the widening of the acceptable range), and dedicating mathematical instruments for a deep understanding. However, due to sudden political changes and Emperor Kangxi's (1654–1722) criticism, Verbiest was forced to compromise on the public astrological discourse. Eventually, as the very speculative nature of his craft became apparent, the authorities declared the end of natural astrology and the full restoration of Chinese astrology. Verbiest's story broadens the current picture of the calendrical and astrological reforms led by Jesuit scientists in China and provides a wider framework to analyze the global spread of Jesuit science and belief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Physics in Perspective is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s00016-023-00301-6 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 32 StartPage: 137 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Weather forecasting Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematical instruments Type: general – SubjectFull: Astrology Type: general – SubjectFull: Heaven Type: general – SubjectFull: Political change Type: general – SubjectFull: Astronomy Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Calculating and Mapping the Disposition of Future Heavens: Ferdinand Verbiest's Weather Forecasting and Its Termination During the Qing Court (1669–1680). Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Niu, Weixing – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ge, Yejing – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zhu, Haohao IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 11 Text: Nov2023 Type: published Y: 2023 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 14226944 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 25 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Physics in Perspective Type: main |
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