In 1629, under the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Jesuit missionaries began to work on an astronomical reform in Beijing under the patronage of Xu Guangqi 徐光啓 (1562-1633), a high official who was a Catholic convert. When the Manchu Qing dynasty overthrew the Ming in 1644, the reform had not yet been implemented. One of the Jesuits who had worked on the reform, Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1592-1666), was put in charge of the Astronomical Bureau shortly after the Qing took Beijing. His tenure continued until the attacks of a commoner, Yang Guangxian 楊光先 (1597?-1669), led to Schall’s condemnation in the trial held in 1664-1665. All missionaries working in China were banished to Canton, apart from Schall, his assistant Ferdinand Verbiest (1623-1688) and two others, who were placed under house arrest in Beijing. However, in 1669 the young Kangxi emperor (r. 1662-1722) removed Yang Guangxian from the Astronomical Bureau, and gave Verbiest the role that Schall had previously filled. This paper concentrates on the role of the making, presentation and use of material objects, mostly but not all astronomical, in gaining the interest and favour of successive monarchs, and in particular triggering in Kangxi a fascination with astronomy and mathematics that lasted throughout his reign.

Prof Catherine Jami

At the end of the 17th century, reports from French Jesuits about wild-harvested cocoons attracted the attention of French silk manufacturers, who were eager to reduce production costs while increasing silk output. Shortly after arriving in China in 1740, the Jesuit Father Pierre Nicolas d'Incarville (1706-1757) sent back to France a collection of reports, illustrations, Ailanthus samples, and wild silkworm eggs. These materials sparked research and the dissemination of knowledge about wild silkworm cultivation in Europe. Meanwhile, Europeans across the globe were investigating and collecting samples related to wild silk moths, and gained deeper insights into wild silkworm biology. By the mid-19th century, the French, following the example set by the Russians, promoted the cultivation of wild silkworms. They cultivated Ailanthus trees in large quantities to both boost silk production and promote soil and water conservation.
This study aims to examine the role of material objects in the diffusion of knowledge and techniques. Using the example of the wild silkworm, it explores how the circulation of physical objects—such as images, reports, silkworm eggs, cocoons, and Ailanthus samples—contributed to the development and spread of knowledge about wild silkworm cultivation.

Keywords: wild silkworm rearing, French Jesuit, French Academy of Science, specimens, pictures

During the Westernization Movement, the Jiangnan Arsenal, which had the greatest influence in introducing Western science, ordered hundreds of scientific instruments from 1867 to 1868. Most of these instruments were purchased from two very well-known instrument companies, Negretti & Zambra and Griffin and Sons. Some of these ordered physical and chemical instruments are placed in the library of Shanghai Polytechnic Institution for viewing. In addition, in order to let Chinese readers know the functions and principles of these instruments, Jiangnan Arsenal also translated the instrument catalogue. It is worth noting that there are also advertisements for these instrument companies in the Chinese Scientific and Industrial Magazine. The two main contributors to the purchase of scientific instruments were Xu Shou and John Fryer. From here, we can know that during the Westernization Movement, under the policy of enriching the country and strengthening the army, and coupled with the current foreign enemies, the Qing government basically put the cart before the horse to learn Western science. But from the perspective of purchasing science, there are still very few Chinese people who should learn Western science step by step.