清前期宫廷西洋科学仪器的种类和来源/Types and Sources of Scientific Instruments in the Imperial Court of the Early Qing Dynasty

Abstract

明末清初以来，以耶稣会为主之西方传教士来华为契机，形成了具有深远影响的基督教在华传教和中西文化交流的浪潮。此次交流不同于以往之处在于科学成为联结中西两个世界最为重要的介质。综观此次中西之间碰撞和交流，如果说在民间是宗教和科学并举的话，而宫廷则演变为纯粹的中国皇帝利用西洋科学和技艺的场所，因此之故，北京故宫博物院收藏了相当数量的西洋科学仪器。本文对清宫西洋科学仪器的收藏情况作了比较全面的介绍，并通过档案、实物等材料探讨这些收藏的形成历程。Since the late Ming and the early Qing Dynasty, a far-reaching wave of cultural exchange was formed by Christian missionaries, with Jesuits as the mainstay. This exchange is different from previous ones in that science becomes the most important medium connecting the west and China. A comprehensive examination of this sino-western exchange shows that if lay communication is believed to be dominated by religion and science, the imperial court was turned into an arena where Chinese emperors utilized western science and techniques. It is for this reason that the Palace Museum has housed a considerable collection of western scientific instruments. This paper presents a comparatively full introduction to the collection and an exploration into the collection process by reviewing documents and physical objects.