欧洲天文学在清代社会中的影响

在中国古代,天文学一直是由皇家垄断的。这种垄断局面直到明代后期才开始被打破,而进入清代之后,随着西方天文学在清代取得官方地位,局面发生了剧烈的、彻底的改变。这一改变对清代中国的政治、哲学、科学、文化等方面的影响,值得深入探讨。清代在最重要的政治象征———历法和皇家天学———上改用欧洲天文学,为此还发生了激烈的争论。天文学又成为清代上层社会的一种时髦,民间的天文学研究也受到官方鼓励。中国一度非常接近欧洲的天文学前沿,但中国天文学最终未能继续前进,则主要是内部的原因。

On the Influence of European Astronomy on Qing Society

In ancient China,astronomy was mainly monopolized by the royals until the late Ming Dynasty.In Qing Dynasty,with Western astronomy receiving official recognition,the situation underwent a radical change,whose influence on Qing politics,philosophy,science and culture is worth in-depth discussion.Qing Dynasty's adopting European astronomy for traditional calendar and royal astronomy,the most important political symbol,triggered furious debate.Astronomy became a fashion of that upper class,while nongovernmental astronomy was also encouraged.China was once very close to the frontier of European astronomy.Unfortunately,due to domestic reasons,Chinese astronomy failed to catch up with the Western world.