3. Japanese Studies In The History Of Astronomy

Abstract

The dating and chronology of ancient China has, since the early eighteenth century, been the subject of much controversy among European Orientalists. The 'Astronomers' School' has its centre of activities at Kyoto, where research activities in the history of science are now on a permanent basis. The interests of Western sinologists in Chinese astronomy have so far been by and large focused upon the ancient period, in which the Chinese pattern was formed, and on the contributions of the Jesuits, for which abundant Western sources are available. Chinese astronomy in its earlier phase and it assimilated itself to Western astronomical theories and techniques in the later phase. Before and during the Second World War, Japanese chronology had been left beyond the pale of scientific investigation. Compared with works on Far Eastern astronomy, those on the history of astronomy in Greece, the Near East and Europe are disproportionately few.Keywords: Chinese astronomy; Japanese astronomy; Kyoto; Western sinologists