The Kaogongji, Kaogong Ji,[1] or Kao Gong Ji,[2] variously translated as The Record of Trades, Records of Examination of Craftsman, Book of Diverse Crafts,[citation needed] and The Artificers' Record,[3] is an ancient Chinese work on science and technology in China. It was compiled sometime during the 5th, 4th, or 3rd century BCE and then included as a section of the Rites of Zhou under the Han as a replacement for the lost text concerning the Offices of Winter concerning public works.
The diagram of Chengzhou's idealized layout from the 1175 Song-era Xinding Sanlitu, based on the Kaogongji descriptions of an ideal capital
The Kaogongji is the oldest known technical encyclopedia,[4] particularly noted for its early discussion of Chinese urban planning. It has been suggested that the Kaogongji "may have been written by an administrator to assure the emperor that everything was under control. It is part of a manual for how to run the empire".[1] The book includes "enigmatic" recipes for metal-making; in 2022, researchers reanalyzed its mention jin and xi, key components for making bronze thought for centuries to have been copper and tin, as possibly referring instead to premade alloys of uncertain composition. Such a composition would yield bronzes more like early Chinese bronzes, revealing unexpected complexity in early Chinese metal production.[1]
Scholarshipedit
Lin Xiyi (林希逸, Lín Xīyì) published his Kaogongji Jie, a study of the Kaogongji, c. 1235. Dai Zhen's own Kaogongji Tu was published in 1746 and Cheng Yaotian (程瑤田, 程瑶田, Chéng Yáotián)'s Kaogongji Chuangwu Xiaoji c. 1805.
English translationsedit
Jun Wenren (13 October 2017). Ancient Chinese Encyclopedia of Technology: Translation and Annotation of the 'Kaogong Ji' (The Artificers Record). Routledge. ISBN978-0-8153-6738-3. OCLC 1063733507.
Guan Zhengjian; et al. (2020). Kao Gong Ji: The World's Oldest Encyclopaedia of Technologies. Leiden, Boston: BRILL. ISBN90-04-41694-3. OCLC 1139014244.
Referencesedit
^ abcPare, Sascha (10 August 2022). "Researchers decode metal-making recipes in ancient Chinese text". The Guardian.
^Ashley Strickland (August 9, 2022). "Mystery ingredients in ancient recipes for bronze objects deciphered by researchers". CNN. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
External linksedit
April 10, 2024
kaogongji, kaogong, gong, variously, translated, record, trades, records, examination, craftsman, book, diverse, crafts, citation, needed, artificers, record, ancient, chinese, work, science, technology, china, compiled, sometime, during, century, then, includ. The Kaogongji Kaogong Ji 1 or Kao Gong Ji 2 variously translated as The Record of Trades Records of Examination of Craftsman Book of Diverse Crafts citation needed and The Artificers Record 3 is an ancient Chinese work on science and technology in China It was compiled sometime during the 5th 4th or 3rd century BCE and then included as a section of the Rites of Zhou under the Han as a replacement for the lost text concerning the Offices of Winter concerning public works KaogongjiTraditional Chinese 考工記 Simplified Chinese 考工记 Literal meaningRecord of a Review of Various WorksTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu Pinyin Kǎogōngji Wade GilesK ao kung chi Contents 1 Contents 2 Scholarship 3 English translations 4 References 5 External linksContents edit nbsp The diagram of Chengzhou s idealized layout from the 1175 Song era Xinding Sanlitu based on the Kaogongji descriptions of an ideal capitalThe Kaogongji is the oldest known technical encyclopedia 4 particularly noted for its early discussion of Chinese urban planning It has been suggested that the Kaogongji may have been written by an administrator to assure the emperor that everything was under control It is part of a manual for how to run the empire 1 The book includes enigmatic recipes for metal making in 2022 researchers reanalyzed its mention jin and xi key components for making bronze thought for centuries to have been copper and tin as possibly referring instead to premade alloys of uncertain composition Such a composition would yield bronzes more like early Chinese bronzes revealing unexpected complexity in early Chinese metal production 1 Scholarship editLin Xiyi 林希逸 Lin Xiyi published his Kaogongji Jie a study of the Kaogongji c 1235 Dai Zhen s own Kaogongji Tu was published in 1746 and Cheng Yaotian 程瑤田 程瑶田 Cheng Yaotian s Kaogongji Chuangwu Xiaoji c 1805 English translations editJun Wenren 13 October 2017 Ancient Chinese Encyclopedia of Technology Translation and Annotation of the Kaogong Ji The Artificers Record Routledge ISBN 978 0 8153 6738 3 OCLC 1063733507 Guan Zhengjian et al 2020 Kao Gong Ji The World s Oldest Encyclopaedia of Technologies Leiden Boston BRILL ISBN 90 04 41694 3 OCLC 1139014244 References edit a b c Pare Sascha 10 August 2022 Researchers decode metal making recipes in ancient Chinese text The Guardian Guan amp al 2020 Jun 2017 Ashley Strickland August 9 2022 Mystery ingredients in ancient recipes for bronze objects deciphered by researchers CNN Retrieved 2022 08 11 External links editIllustrations and intro on www cultural china com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kaogongji amp oldid 1214748675, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
