李子金对西方历算学的反应

通过对李子金历算学著作的分析,揭示出西学传入中国,尤其是<西洋新法历书>颁布之后,李子金对西方历算学的反应.在此基础上指出,虽然他对中国传统历算学的处境深感忧虑,提倡对其加以研究和继承,但对于西学的优点也有较理性的认识.在李子金看来,在中学的框架内,对西学进行批判吸收,才是可以"垂范将来"的正途.

Li Zijin's Attitude Toward Western Mathematics and Astronomy

Introduced into China by Jesuits in the late Ming and early Qing, Western mathematics and astronomy had a great impact upon Chinese literati at that time, so that the evaluation of Western learning and its Chinese counterpart became a fundamental issue for almost every Chinese scholar. This article discusses the attitude of Li Zijin (1622-1701) toward Western mathematics and astronomy. By analyzing the sources of his works, the article points out that the growing influence of Western learning inspired him to re-examine traditional Chinese mathematics and astronomy. He attempted to show that traditional methods could be used easily and that their calculations could be precise as well. He believed that scholars should assimilate the Western learning critically in the framework of Chinese learning.