New Research on the Original Versions of Translated Works on Steam Engines Introduced during the Westernization Movement in the Late Qing Dynasty
Vol. 53 No. 3 09/2023
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Title |
New Research on the Original Versions of Translated Works on Steam Engines Introduced during the Westernization Movement in the Late Qing Dynasty |
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Author |
Chang Hao |
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Genre |
Article |
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Pages |
575-618 |
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DOI |
10.6503/THJCS.202309_53(3).0005 |
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Download |
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Language |
Chinese |
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Key words |
the Westernization Movement, Qiji faren汽機發軔, Qiji biyi汽機必以, Qiji xinzhi汽機新制, Bingchuan qiji兵船汽機, Qiji Zhongxi mingmu biao汽機中西名目表 |
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Abstract |
Introducing the knowledge of steam engines was one of the primary tasks of the Westernization Movement. The Kiangnan Arsenal’s translations Qiji faren汽機發軔, Qiji biyi汽機必以, Qiji xinzhi汽機新制, Bingchuan qiji兵船汽機, and Qiji Zhongxi mingmu biao汽機中西名目表 are the most complete and comprehensive introductions to knowledge regarding steam engines produced in the late Qing Dynasty. They were completed by Alexander Wylie (1815-1887), Xu Shou徐壽 (1818-1884), John Fryer (1839-1928), Xu Jianyin徐建寅 (1845-1901) and Hua Beiyu華備鈺 (?-?) respectively. In particular, the original texts of Qiji faren and Bingchuan qiji, which were textbooks for the officers of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, advance the view that having a strong army is better than being a rich country. The Qiji biyi is rich in content, covering all kinds of steam engines used in ships, trains, agriculture and industry. As for the Qiji xinzhi, its title is slightly misleading in that there is no new content. The Qiji Zhongxi mingmu biao, which provides a set of naming guidelines for Chinese steam engine terms, was based on Xu Shou’s “Qiji mingming shuo 汽機命名說.” |