3.2 Ideas and Technologies of Ancient Space Flights
101
(5) The Wan Hu flying legend early came from the United States. It is unnecessary
that American scholars fabricated an adventure story that an ancient Chinese
attempted to fly into outer space by using rockets, and widely spread it.
3.2.4 Historical Context of Space Science Development
3.2.4.1 Science and Technology in Modern China
During more than 1000 years before the Ming Dynasty, the ancient Chinese science
and technology represented by the Four Great Inventions, i.e., the papermaking,
compass, gunpowder and movable-type printing technologies, were far ahead of the
other countries in the world [4]. A large number of the scientific and technological
works, from The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art (a classical mathematical
book) revised by Cang Zhang and Shouchang Geng in the Western Han Dynasty,
Qimin Yaoshu (a comprehensive agronomy book) written by Sixie Jia in the Northern
Wei Dynasty, The New Revision of Materia Medica (a medical and pharmacological
book) by Jing Su in the Tang Dynasty, The Sketchbook of Dream Brook (a technological encyclopedia) by Kuo Shen in the Song Dynasty, Timing Service Calendar (a
new calendar) by Shoujing Guo and Agricultural Book (an agronomy and agricultural
machinery book) by Zhen Wang in the Yuan Dynasty to The Compendium of Materia
Medica (a comprehensive medical and pharmacological book) by Shizhen Li, The
Encyclopedia of Agricultural Policy (an agricultural policy measures and technological book) by Guangqi Xu, Xu Xiake’s Travels (a geographical investigation report) by
Hongzu Xu, Tiangong Kaiwu (a comprehensive scientific and technological book on
agriculture and handicraft production) by Yingxing Song and Wubei Zhi (a book on
military science and technology) by Yuanyi Mao in the Ming Dynasty, had greatly
promoted the development of politics, economy, military affairs and science and
technology in ancient China.
During the 28 years since 1405, the fleets led by He Zheng in the Ming Dynasty had
made seven voyages to the West, involving more than 100,000 people successively,
and the furthest reaching the east coast of Africa. The unprecedented expedition
of ocean-going voyage had made amazing achievements, which showed China’s
leading technology in the world’s voyage industry at that time, as well as the peace,
prosperity and confidence of the Ming Dynasty. However, in 1433, Zhanji Zhu, an
emperor in the Ming Dynasty, suddenly ordered to stop Zheng’s fleet from sailing
again. From then on, China’s power turned to the inside and then the world’s oceans
were handed over to the Western adventurers.
The science and technology in ancient China was produced and developed for the
purpose of practicality, and the feudal autocracy of thousands of years had fettered
people’s thoughts. In the Ming Dynasty, The gate for Zheng’s fleet to explore the
unknown world was just opened but quickly closed. For the explorations of space
flight, the ancient Chinese still stayed in the fantasy poetries with supernatural power
and the stories on immortals and ghosts. A famous poet in the Tang Dynasty, Bai
101
(5) The Wan Hu flying legend early came from the United States. It is unnecessary
that American scholars fabricated an adventure story that an ancient Chinese
attempted to fly into outer space by using rockets, and widely spread it.
3.2.4 Historical Context of Space Science Development
3.2.4.1 Science and Technology in Modern China
During more than 1000 years before the Ming Dynasty, the ancient Chinese science
and technology represented by the Four Great Inventions, i.e., the papermaking,
compass, gunpowder and movable-type printing technologies, were far ahead of the
other countries in the world [4]. A large number of the scientific and technological
works, from The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art (a classical mathematical
book) revised by Cang Zhang and Shouchang Geng in the Western Han Dynasty,
Qimin Yaoshu (a comprehensive agronomy book) written by Sixie Jia in the Northern
Wei Dynasty, The New Revision of Materia Medica (a medical and pharmacological
book) by Jing Su in the Tang Dynasty, The Sketchbook of Dream Brook (a technological encyclopedia) by Kuo Shen in the Song Dynasty, Timing Service Calendar (a
new calendar) by Shoujing Guo and Agricultural Book (an agronomy and agricultural
machinery book) by Zhen Wang in the Yuan Dynasty to The Compendium of Materia
Medica (a comprehensive medical and pharmacological book) by Shizhen Li, The
Encyclopedia of Agricultural Policy (an agricultural policy measures and technological book) by Guangqi Xu, Xu Xiake’s Travels (a geographical investigation report) by
Hongzu Xu, Tiangong Kaiwu (a comprehensive scientific and technological book on
agriculture and handicraft production) by Yingxing Song and Wubei Zhi (a book on
military science and technology) by Yuanyi Mao in the Ming Dynasty, had greatly
promoted the development of politics, economy, military affairs and science and
technology in ancient China.
During the 28 years since 1405, the fleets led by He Zheng in the Ming Dynasty had
made seven voyages to the West, involving more than 100,000 people successively,
and the furthest reaching the east coast of Africa. The unprecedented expedition
of ocean-going voyage had made amazing achievements, which showed China’s
leading technology in the world’s voyage industry at that time, as well as the peace,
prosperity and confidence of the Ming Dynasty. However, in 1433, Zhanji Zhu, an
emperor in the Ming Dynasty, suddenly ordered to stop Zheng’s fleet from sailing
again. From then on, China’s power turned to the inside and then the world’s oceans
were handed over to the Western adventurers.
The science and technology in ancient China was produced and developed for the
purpose of practicality, and the feudal autocracy of thousands of years had fettered
people’s thoughts. In the Ming Dynasty, The gate for Zheng’s fleet to explore the
unknown world was just opened but quickly closed. For the explorations of space
flight, the ancient Chinese still stayed in the fantasy poetries with supernatural power
and the stories on immortals and ghosts. A famous poet in the Tang Dynasty, Bai