Research On Cai Zuibai,a Calendar Mathematician In Almanac

In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China,Chinese ideology and culture changed from tradition to modernity,which is a "transformation era" connecting the past and the future.Guangzhou is the earliest open trade port in China.Led by xuehaitang,academies in Guangfu area gradually began to try out Western-style science education and astronomical measurement.A group of outstanding and enterprising scientists have also emerged in Guangdong.Cai Zuibai,a native of Longjiang in Shunde,is one of them.Cai Zuibai has been studying astrology in Xuehaitang for ten years.He has combined the operation calculation of celestial bodies in the West with the traditional astronomical calendar in China,created Zhenbutang and a set of calculation mode rules for compiling general books,called "Zhenbutang astronomical calendar",compiled several books,compiled general books year by year,and made a "celestial sphere" by himself.The main content of this paper is divided into five parts.The first part describes the significance of the topic and the research status of related issues,including the spread of Western learning to the East and the related contents of astronomy in Guangzhou prefecture area in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China,the impact of the spread of Western learning to the East on folk Almanac,the related research status of folk Almanac,Cai Zuibai and Zhenbutang,as well as the selection of original literature and research ideas and methods.The second part mainly studies the origin of folk general books in Guangzhou prefecture area in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China,including the dissemination of Western astronomy in China,especially in Guangzhou prefecture area,the general use of folk general books in China,and the origin and characteristics of folk general books in Guangzhou prefecture area.That is to investigate the overall social environment background of Cai Zuibai and the folk general book at that time.The third part is the main part of this paper.It investigates Cai Zuibai's life story and learning experience,restores Cai Zuibai's life story from the existing materials as much as possible,and understands the formation of his thought from his learning experience;He studied his books and achievements,including Arc Angle Seven Politics Map Calculation,Spring and Autumn Astronomical Examination,Seven Politics Longitude and Latitude Almanac published year by year,as well as the production of armillary sphere;In addition,it also summarizes and analyzes some tabular data that assist it in mathematical calculation and are used to compile the general book,such as Mars table,Jupiter table,Saturn table,and some other relevant data;Finally,these materials are used to restore Cai Zuibai's academic achievements and analyze his academic thoughts and achievements.The fourth part mainly investigates the "Zhenbutang" founded by Cai Zuibai,combs its development process,and discusses its current situation and future prospects;The calculation mode and law behind it,that is,the traditional skill of "zhenbutang astronomical calendar" has been included in the list of intangible cultural heritage in Guangdong Province.It has the characteristics of scientific accuracy,local characteristics,far-reaching influence and strong folk color.The fifth part is the conclusion of this paper.Taking Cai Zuibai,the main object of the study,as the starting point,This paper discusses the influence of Western learning in Guangzhou on the construction of astronomical knowledge in folk general books in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China,and holds that it has the characteristics of practicality,conservatism and openness in the selection of imported astronomical knowledge,while the continuous influx of western scientific knowledge into Guangzhou prefecture area may not be beneficial to general books in essence;And study the role of folk general books as a popular science text of astronomical knowledge and the dissemination of basic astronomical knowledge among the people at that time,and draw a conclusion that the popular science content of astronomical knowledge in folk general books in Guangzhou prefecture area has the characteristics of great influence,authority,easy to understand,fast update and iteration,rich popular science content and so on;Finally,it makes a positive evaluation of Cai Zuibai's academic achievements and historical status.It is considered that his works integrated Western astronomy and mathematics with Chinese classical astronomy and mathematics.It was an academic work leading the national astronomical community at that time.His creation of zhenbutang astronomical calendar has scientific value,folklore,historical value and cultural value.This paper makes a systematic investigation and Research on Cai Zuibai,a calendar mathematician in Almanac for the first time.Including a comprehensive analysis of his life story and learning experience;This paper classifies the contents and analyzes the text of several books of his works,such as Spring and Autumn Astronomical Examination,Arc Angle Seven Politics Map Calculation and Seven Politics Longitude and Latitude Almanac;The "table calculation method of Mars","table calculation of Jupiter","table calculation of Saturn" and its related materials "the books left by the Cai Zuibai" and "Cai Zhen Bu Tang run examples" were excavated,summarized,investigated and analyzed.