Xu Guangqi was a famous scientist and politician in the Ming Dynasty of my country. He was born in 1562 and was a famous Confucian of the generation in my country. He had a broad mind and broad insights. Xu Guangqi's ancestral home was in Suzhou. His father made a living by farming, so Xu Guangqi's family was not wealthy, but his father attached great importance to his education. When he was a boy, Xu Guangqi studied at Longhua Temple. Later, he passed the provincial examination in the ninth year of Wanli and taught in his hometown. Marrying a wife and having children, Xu Guangqi lived an ordinary life for the first half of his life. It was not until middle age that he entered the court to show his talents.
Song Qingling is a great woman in the history of our country. She is a patriot and democrat. She and her husband Sun Yat-sen devoted their lives to the revolution. The couple made great contributions to our country’s revolutionary cause. Due to his contribution, Soong Ching Ling has always been admired and respected by the entire Chinese people and overseas Chinese, and had a very high prestige during the Republic of my country. Soong Ching Ling's mother Ni Guizhen was also a legendary woman. Her prestige during the Republic of China was no less than that of the then President Sun Yat-sen. Soong Ching Ling and Ni Guizhen are both descendants of Xu Guangqi, so Soong Ching Ling and Xu Guangqi have a deep connection.
What is the specific relationship between Soong Ching Ling and Xu Guangqi? We all know that Soong Ching Ling’s mother, Ni Guizhen, has nearly half of her children and sons-in-law among the four major families of Jiang, Song, Kong and Chen in the Republic of China. Ni Guizhen is the 17th generation granddaughter of Xu Guangqi. Xu Guangqi is a very outstanding talent. He was very famous during the Ming Dynasty. Although he has passed away hundreds of years later, his descendants are still very famous figures in our country, and Song Qingling is one of them.
From the examples of Xu Guangqi and Song Qingling, we can see that a family’s characteristics and education can determine a person’s development direction and the way he behaves in the world. What are the contributions of the Ming Dynasty scientist Xu Guangqi?
Xu Guangqi was the Minister of Rites during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. He devoted his life to the research of mathematics, calendars, water conservancy and other aspects. He was also the person who promoted cultural exchanges between China and the West during the Ming Dynasty. An important figure, he made great contributions to the exchange of Chinese and Western cultures and the progress of mathematics and astronomy in our country during the Ming Dynasty. What specific achievements and contributions did Xu Guangqi have in various aspects throughout his life? Let’s find out together.
During the Ming Dynasty, the compilation of the calendar fell behind. Xu Guangqi, as the Minister of Rites, was obliged to correct the calendar. He compiled the "Chongzhen Almanac", which made a great contribution to the calendar of the Ming Dynasty. , introduced the concept of a round earth to the people of the Ming Dynasty for the first time, and also introduced the knowledge of longitude and latitude. In addition to astronomy, he also made certain contributions in mathematics. He proposed ten applications of mathematics in daily life, including astronomy, water conservancy, music, art of war, military, engineering, accounting and architectural surveying. At the same time, Responsible for the translation of the masterpiece of mathematics "Elements of Geometry".
In addition, he also made great contributions to agriculture. At first, he was persecuted by Wei Zhongxian and went to live at sea. During this period, he studied a lot of agricultural materials and began to conduct agricultural research. After Wei Zhongxian fell, he brought his many years of research results on sweet potatoes back to the country to benefit the people. His contribution to agriculture also included the compilation of the "Encyclopedia of Agricultural Affairs". Xu Guangqi also made great contributions to the military. He put forward important military ideas and made certain contributions to the Ming Dynasty's defense of the country and military training. At the same time, Xu Guangqi was also a famous calligrapher, and many of his calligraphy works have been handed down to this day.