Source:

01-13-2006 16:56

Now parceled out into Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, the old province of Huizhou is home to many of ancient China’s most memorable stories and personalities. It was known as a stronghold of Confucian ethics and philosophy. At that time, the path to learning meant mastering the Confucian classics. Huizhou produced many people who influenced the development of China’s science and philosophy. Chen Dawei（程大位） was a mathematician from a small village in Huizhou. His work on a major mathematical textbook consolidated and extended Chinese mathematic theory. The book became the foundation of advanced mathematics in Japan, where Chen Dawei has his own festival.

Traditional Chinese medicine is based around herbal remedies and pulse observation. Meridians used in acupuncture and massage also play an important role. Each area of medicine had been extensively researched when Wang Ji（汪機） embarked on his career as a doctor. Works recording the uses and effects of various plants had been around for over a thousand years, as had treatises on pulses and pressure points. Wang Ji furthered the understanding of nutrition in traditional Chinese healthcare.

In the Confucian worldview, learning and virtue are the most highly valued. Those who were well educated were expected to use their knowledge to benefit the people. Joining the Imperial government was considered the best way to serve. The second option was to practice medicine. Wang Ji and Wang Dian（王典） were outstanding doctors who furthered China’s medical knowledge. Cheng Dawei’s work in mathematics refined and extended existing theories, establishing a solid basis for further work. They are just some of the outstanding thinkers from the Huizhou area whose work contributed to China’s scientific development.

 

Editor:Wang Ping