The Industrial Revolution of the Ming Dynasty? This strange book records that some Chinese invented bicycles and steam engines

The emergence of the steam engine promoted the process of the European Industrial Revolution in the 18th century and was a major leap forward in human history. ? (Watt’s Improved Steam Engine Painting) Regarding the history of steam engines, we all know: French physicist Denis Pabon made the world’s first working model of a steam engine in 1679; later, after Watt’s improvements, it was built in 1776 In 2001, he built the world's first practical steam engine. Of course, during this period, many people made great contributions to the improvement and development of steam engines. However, a strange book from the Ming Dynasty mentioned: In the Ming Dynasty of our country, there may have been records of the use of "steam engines" similar to "". (Statue of Wang Zheng) Wang Zheng, courtesy name Liangfu, a famous poet in the Ming Dynasty A scientist and machinery manufacturer, he was born in Jingyang, Xi'an Prefecture (today's Jingyang County, Shaanxi Province). He was a Jinshi in the second year of Ming Dynasty (1622). He served successively as an official, a governor, an inspector, a military affairs officer, and a military affairs officer in the Liaohai Sea. Wang Zheng can be said to be one of the few people who opened his eyes to the world at that time. He and Xu Guangqi at that time were both famous for their combination of Chinese and Western methods, and were known as the "Northern King of Xu (Guangqi) of the South". In the 17th year of Chongzhen (1644), When he learned that the capital had fallen and Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide, he fasted at home for seven days and died. Wang Zheng devoted his life to the research, discovery, manufacturing and improvement of science and technology. According to the "History of Ming Dynasty: Wang Zheng Biography", Wang Zheng died in his early years. In the countryside, I have a deep understanding of the suffering and hardship of farmers, so according to the needs of agricultural production, I devoted myself to research, improvement, and invention of a variety of tools and daily utensils suitable for farming, thereby improving the efficiency of agricultural production. After becoming an official, I was fortunate. Get acquainted with Western missionaries such as Ai Julius, Jin Nige, and Tang Ruowang? (Schematic diagram of Wang Zheng’s farming inventions) During his contacts with Western missionaries, Wang Zheng gained a deep understanding of Western science and technology. He learned a lot of experience and provided help for subsequent scientific research. He was knowledgeable and had a wide range of interests. In addition to science and technology, he also dabbled in literature, religion, phonology and other aspects during his life. After the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, some of the books compiled by Wang Zheng related to the Ming Dynasty. Some of the Qing wars involved religious issues, so most books were prohibited from being circulated. Only "Illustrated Notes on Strange Weapons of the Far West" and "Illustrated Notes on Newly Made Various Weapons" are widely circulated in the world? ("Newly Made" compiled by Wang Zheng. "Illustrations of Various Utensils") In "Illustrations of Various Utensils in the New System" compiled by Wang Zheng, Wang Zheng recorded three types of utensils: siphon, crane drinking, and zhuanya (i.e. grinding) (1. Lunjiya (with inscription), 2. Wind (moving), 3. Rotating (moving) grinding;) Illustrations of bicycles, farming machines, wheel pots, and crossbows. Bicycles are designed based on the gear train of the self-ringing clock and are driven by hanging weights (see the figure below). ) ?In "Illustrations of Strange Weapons", there are also wind mills, water mills, water saws, etc. The wind and water power drive bearings and gears and then drive stone mills and iron saws to grind noodles, saw wood, and even break down stone. The picture below shows a water-driven saw, which Wang Zheng calls wood-cutting. It can be seen that it has a very complicated gear linkage mechanism. According to the works of Wang Zheng that have been handed down, it benefited from the work of Western missionaries. Through in-depth communication, Wang Zheng's technical level was almost on the same starting line as the Western technical level at that time. However, according to another scientific and technological work written by Wang Zheng in the 13th year of Chongzhen (1640), "Illustrated Description of Various Utensils Made in Erajiya" ("E"). "Razia" means creation inspired by God.) This book also mentions: the rotation of the celestial sphere, the self-retracting of the earth's chasms, the self-moving sundial, the self-rotating moon compass, the self-drawing of water wheels, the self-rising of water leaks, and the self-rising of fire. The ship moves away by itself, the fire and thunder explode by itself, the windmill spins and becomes heavy, the windmill travels far, the ladder goes straight up, the ladder flies at an angle, the air is sufficient to shoot the arrow, the air is sufficient to transmit the sound, the machine is shallow and deep, the machine is small in heaving and sinking, the rotation is constant, and it is self-propelled There are twenty-four inventions, including the military chariot, the living platform cannon, the moving tongs to capture the bell, the wind generated by the spiritual orifice, the wonderful wheel playing music, the flow like the sea, and the divine power that frightens the enemy. In addition, there are 18 other inventions that have names but have not been compiled. . There is an invention: the fire boat goes away by itself. The ship sails automatically in the water, and ""fire" provides power for the ship. Although the description is not very detailed, if it is explained by current physics, this should be the use of the principle of ""steam engine" to provide power for the ship. According to the records in "Research on Qing History": In 1672, the Belgian missionary Nan Huairen used Western steam engine technology to build a "steam engine car" for Emperor Kangxi, which is now in the museum. The prototype of the machine at that time is also displayed. (Belgian missionary Nan Huairen) It can be said that the first steam engine in the West was invented in 1679. Although Nan Huairen was also a missionary from the West, in 1672. They used Western steam engine technology to create steam engine cars for Kangxi. It can be said that if China also engaged in the industrial revolution during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, its start would not be inferior to that of the West. It can be seen from the deeds of Wang Zheng and Nan Huairen: Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty had a lot of advanced science and technology, not only similar to steam engines. The Ming Dynasty had a hydraulic spinning machine as early as the 16th century. If people at that time made full use of these science and technologies and further developed them, in the middle and late Ming Dynasty and later. During the Qing Dynasty, Chinese civilization might not lag behind the West.

?Not only science and technology, in the Jiangnan area, some people started out in the textile industry and wanted to make a fortune with their own craftsmanship. In the process of exploring this road, they gradually found that their business was getting bigger and bigger, and they could do it alone. Or if a few people are simply too busy, they start to hire employees and expand the scale, and the beginning of the capitalist system appears. But the Ming Dynasty was still an agricultural country, and the people were restricted by their ideas. After all, they did not bring these systems out of the south of the Yangtze River and to the whole country. But everyone knows the fact that the rulers of the Ming and Qing Dynasties had a narrow vision, prided themselves on their vast land and resources, looked down on foreign technology, and implemented a policy of isolation from the country. The literati at that time believed that they were the Celestial Empire and were not willing to open their eyes to see the world. Due to multiple factors, Under the influence of this, Chinese civilization fell behind Western civilization behind closed doors. Although Wang Zheng wrote such a wonderful book, it was fate. The demise of the Ming Dynasty also led this genius to commit suicide and die for his country. Later generations did not inherit Wang Zheng's legacy, and finally missed the first industrial revolution. wave. Nowadays, when we study history, we want to explore the truth behind history. Through the summary of these historical experiences, we can learn from history so that we will not make the same mistakes in the future.

Reference materials: "Manuscripts of Qing History", "Research on Historical Materials of Ming Dynasty", "Illustrated Notes on the Newly Made Utensils", "Illustrated Notes on the Various Utensils Made by Erajiya"