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Re: Zheng He steered by the stars?
From: Gerard Mittelstaedt
Date: 2002 Nov 23, 20:55 -0600
From: Gerard Mittelstaedt
Date: 2002 Nov 23, 20:55 -0600
Hi, I am fairly sure that the answer can be found in one of the volumes of Science and civilisation in China,, by Joseph Needham. Cambridge [Eng.] University Press, 1954-<2000 >illus., maps (part fold.) 26 cm. ----------- Partial Contents: v. 1. Introductory orientations.-- v. 2. History of scientific thought.-- v. 3. Mathematics and the sciences of the heavens and the earth.-- v. 4. Physics and physical technology: pt. 1. Physics, with the collaboration of Wang Ling and the special co-operation of Kenneth Girdwood Robinson. pt. 2. Mechanical engineering. pt. 3. Civil engineering and nautics <======= ?? with the collaboration of Wang Ling and Lu Gwei-Djen.-- ---------- Exactly what volume or part I can not say, perhaps vol 4 pt. 3 This is the great multi volume work that could answer your query. Needham wrote other works that could cover this topic. - Gerard Mittelstaedt - wearing librarian hat. Peter Fogg wrote: > > That the Chinese were very innovative in all sorts of technical areas > seems clear. > > However a new book '1421, The Year China Discovered the World', by Gavin > Menzies, published in Australia by Random House, postulates that the > Chinese admiral Zheng He and his fleet of massive 9 masted junks > explored much of what we assume was left to European navigators to > 'discover' some centuries later. > > Its fascinating stuff. The contention is that not only did his vice > admirals Hong Bao and Zhou Man in different ships circumnavigate > Australia (hitherto first credited to the Englishman Flinders in the > early 19th century) but that settlements were established complete with > observation towers and mines were exploited for a variety of minerals. > I should add that this theory is being contested, not least by Chinese > historians who thought they already knew all about Zheng He. > > The part that intrigues me is the idea that these sailors 'steered by > the stars'. > > The history of European navigation is fairly well known and documented. > But does anyboby know about what instuments and techniques Chinese junk > sailors may have had at their disposal? I know they had the compass, and > may have been introduced it to the west, but star measuring instruments? > > Polynesians had a compass that was the night sky itself, knew the > diffferent stars as they rose and set and could set course according to > them. I suppose any people that studied the stars for long enough could > have independantly devised ways of using star positions. > > Does anyone know any more? -- --------------- Gerard Mittelstaedt mitt@hiline.net McAllen, Texas USA