NATURE|Vol 454|24 July 2008 OPINION

are scientists used to explaining their research to Stephen Minger of King’s College London and “There is a lot of interest in science and tech- a general audience. As a result, much of China’s his Chinese colleagues had lively exchanges nology from all sectors of the Chinese public,” population is insufficiently informed about sci- about stem-cell therapies with audiences of all says Liu. “To channel that energy and curiosity ence and technology issues. “It’s an important ages and professions. Last month, the - properly is key to promoting the awareness of aspect of building a more democratic society,” based National Art Museum of China mounted science and its social impact.” ■ says Zhu. “It will come with time.” an exhibition called Synthetic Times. Prominent Jane Qiu is a science writer based in London and Yet people in China are eager to obtain more installation artists from 29 countries explored Beijing. information and voice their views. In Shanghai, issues such as identity, emotion, perception of e-mail: [email protected] at one of several ‘café scientifique’ events organ- reality, and the relationship between humans ized by the British Council, stem-cell researcher and technology in time and space. See Editorial, page 367. A shared view of the heavens A woodcut of Ferdinand Verbiest, the ’s Flemish astronomer and mastermind of Beijing’s Ancient Observatory, records a remarkable seventeenth-century cultural exchange. Martin Kemp explains.

Ferdinand Verbiest: Heaven on Earth instruments and their manufacture, but also Museum of the History of Science demonstrating Euclidian geometry, ballistics Oxford, UK and various notable feats of engineering. The Until 7 September graphic technique of his illustrations exploits western-style draftsmanship for the instru- Not far from Beijing station, in ments themselves, whereas the spaces within a cityscape dominated by new which they are located are drawn in the Chinese buildings and multi-lane high- manner. Thus, the celestial globe is rendered in ways, stands a squat, ancient a convincingly plastic form, but the chequer- tower. On top sits the world’s board tiling beneath it clearly does not observe greatest historical ensemble of large-scale the rules of linear perspective. LIBRARY BRITISH MUSEUM/BRIDGEMAN ART astronomical instruments. They were mainly The intellectual traffic between China and designed and installed in 1673 by Ferdinand Europe went both ways. The presence of the Verbiest, the Flemish Jesuit who was mathema- Jesuit scientists at the Chinese court led to a tician and astronomer to the Kangxi Emperor. greater awareness in Europe of the richness of Verbiest makes a striking appearance in a col- Chinese history, culture, science and technol- oured 1827 woodcut (pictured) by the Japanese ogy. The thoughts of Confucius were made artist, Utagawa Kuniyoshi. He stands in Chinese available to western philosophers when the state robes, accompanied by smaller variants of first edition of Confucius, Philosopher his celestial globe and sextant while enumerat- of the Chinese was published in Paris in 1686, ing points on his fingers. The inscription on the prefaced by introductions to Chinese history, print tells us that it portrays Chitasei Goyo, one and the philosopher’s own life. of the 108 rogue heroes of the popular classi- The reach of Verbiest’s fame, and of his splen- cal Chinese novel, Water Margin. How was the Chinese rival in a contest to demonstrate the did instruments, was considerable, as evinced master of transformed into accuracy of his science, and reformed the Chi- by Kuniyoshi’s spectacular print. And so to the the clever strategist of a military gang? nese calendar. A notable poly math and author, question of why the artist cast a Japanese bandit The story begins with one of the most who designed cannon and steam-driven vehicles hero in the guise of the famous astronomer. remarkable cultural exchanges of any era. It among other ingenious devices, Verbiest’s most The answer probably lies in Goyo’s Chinese involves three successive Jesuit astronomers, enduring achievement was the set of six new name, Wu Yong, which means ‘wise star’. Ver- sent as from to China. instruments for Beijing’s observatory tower. biest’s instruments thus refer in a double sense Verbiest followed and Adam Taking inspiration from Tycho Brahe’s to the hero’s name and to his famed wisdom as Schall von Bell to work as an astronomer at ensemble of massive astronomy instruments a military strategist, which required expertise the emperor’s court. The Jesuits were in fierce on the Danish island of Hven, Verbiest spared in maps, navigation and the various technolo- competition with traditional Chinese and no expense in establishing the world’s definitive gies over which Verbiest claimed mastery. Muslim astronomers for scientific and reli- observatory. The great bronze celestial globe, for These interchanges between Jesuit and Chi- gious supremacy. At one stage, when the intell- example, is almost 2 metres in diameter, and he nese science and Japanese mythology remind ectual and political climate had moved against boasted that it cost the massive sum of 50,000 us that global communication thrived long them, Schall and Verbiest were imprisoned taels, or silver pieces. Then, as now, astronomy before our technological era. ■ under sentence of death by dismemberment, a was a costly science requiring big instruments. Martin Kemp is research professor in the history gruesome fate they only narrowly avoided. To bring his achievements before the widest of art at the University of Oxford, OX1 1PT, UK. By 1699, Verbiest’s star was in the ascend- international audience, Verbiest published a set ant with the emperor. He triumphed over his of 105 prints, mainly devoted to his observatory See Editorial, page 367.

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