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Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering

ISSN 2095-0233

ISSN 2095-0241(Online)

CN 11-5984/TH

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Front. Mech. Eng.    2016, Vol. 11 Issue (1) : 3-11    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11465-015-0359-5
REVIEW ARTICLE
Traces and echoes of De Architectura by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio in the work of Xu Guangqi in 17th century China
Michela CIGOLA1(), Yibing FANG2()
1. DART, Laboratory of Documentation, Analysis and Survey of Architecture and Territory, University of Cassino and South Latium, Cassino 03043, Italy
2. Institute for the History of Natural Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the role played by Xu Guangqi (1562–1633), minister of the Ming Dynasty, in the development of European scientific and technical knowledge in China between the 16th and 17th centuries by analyzing a book of Western technology that he wrote, namely, Taixi Shuifa (On Western Hydraulics). Several Western books related to machine knowledge are searched to trace the source of the illustrations in Taixi Shuifa. We found that Archimedes’ screw and Ctesibius’ machine, which are included in Vitruvius’ De Architectura volumes, also appear in the work of Xu Guangqi.
Keywords Vitruvius’ De Architectura      Xu Guangqi’s Taixi Shuifa      Jesuit missionaries      Italian Renaissance      drawing      representation     
Corresponding Author(s): Michela CIGOLA   
Online First Date: 07 December 2015    Issue Date: 02 March 2016
 Cite this article:   
Michela CIGOLA,Yibing FANG. Traces and echoes of De Architectura by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio in the work of Xu Guangqi in 17th century China[J]. Front. Mech. Eng., 2016, 11(1): 3-11.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fme/EN/10.1007/s11465-015-0359-5
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fme/EN/Y2016/V11/I1/3
Fig.1  Portrait of Xu Guangqi (Guangqi Park, Shanghai)
Fig.2  (a) The 1st illustration of Long wei che in Taixi Shuifa [6]; (b) Archimedes’ screw or cochlea in 1521 Vitruvius’ edition by Cesariano [19]
Fig.3  (a) The 5th illustration of Long wei che in Taixi Shuifa [6]; (b) Archimedes’ screw or cochlea in 1513 Vitruvius’ edition by Fra’ Giocondo [20]
Fig.4  Illustrations of Long wei che in Taixi Shuifa [6]: (a) 2nd, (b) 3rd, (c) 4th
Fig.5  (a) The 3rd illustration of Yu heng che in Taixi Shuifa [6]; (b) Ctesibius’ machine in 1513 Vitruvius’ edition by Fra’ Giocondo [20]
Fig.6  Illustrations of Yu heng che in Taixi Shuifa [6]: (a) 1st, (2) 2nd, (c) 4th
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