Everything about Xu Guangqi totally explained
Xu Guangqi (1562–1633),
courtesy name Zixian (子先), was a Chinese bureaucrat, agricultural scientist, astronomer, and mathematician in the
Ming Dynasty. Xu was a colleague and collaborator of the Italian
Jesuits
Matteo Ricci and
Sabatino de Ursis and they translated several classic Western texts into Chinese, including part of
Euclid's Elements. He was also the author of the
Nong Zheng Quan Shu, one of the first comprehensive treatises on the subject of agriculture.
Life
Xu Guangqi was born in
Shanghai, where his final resting place would be as well. Xu received the equivalent of his bachelor's degree at 19, but didn't receive higher degrees until his thirties. Afterwards, he spent the majority of his time in positions of high office serving the Ming court. Ricci's influence led to Xu being baptized as a
Roman Catholic in
1603, under the name "Paul Xu Guangqi". Like Wang Zhen, Xu lived in troubled times, and was devoted as a patriot to aiding the rural farmers of China. His main interests were in
irrigation,
fertilizers,
famine relief, economic crops, and empirical observation with early notions of
chemistry.
- The Fundamentals of Agriculture (Nong Ben): quotations from the classics on the importance of encouraging agriculture
- Field System (Tian Zhi): land distribution, field management
- Agricultural Tasks (Nong Shi): clearing land, tilling; also a detailed exposition on settlement schemes
- Water Control (Shui Li): various methods of irrigation, types of irrigation equipment, and the last two chapters devoted to new Western-style irrigation equipment
- Illustrated Treatise on Agricultural Implements (Nong Chi Tu Pu): based largely on Wang Zhen's book of 1313 AD
- Horticulture (Shi Yi): vegetables and fruit
- Sericulture (Can Sang): silk production
- Further Textile Crops (Can Sang Guang Lei): cotton, hemp, etc.
- Silviculture (Chong Chi): forestry preservation
- Animal Husbandry (Mu Yang)
- Culinary Preparations (Zhi Zao)
- Famine Control (Huang Zheng): administrative measures, famine flora
Further Information
Get more info on 'Xu Guangqi'.
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