4 replies to this topic

[somechineseperson]

Hi everyone I need some help.

I plan to write an extended essay (up to 15,000 words) on the comparison of ancient Greek and Chinese science, more specifically a comparison of the Greek concept of the Four Elements and the Chinese concept of the Wu Xing (Five Elements or Phases). Does anyone know of any primary sources on both topics?

Yun, can you help me out on this matter?

Thanks

[fcharton]

Hi everyone I need some help.

I plan to write an extended essay (up to 15,000 words) on the comparison of ancient Greek and Chinese science, more specifically a comparison of the Greek concept of the Four Elements and the Chinese concept of the Wu Xing (Five Elements or Phases). Does anyone know of any primary sources on both topics?

Yun, can you help me out on this matter?

Thanks

A good place to look for sources would be Needham. Iirc, there is an abridged "introduction to science and civilisation in china" which has a full chapter on Wu Xing, and does contain the reference to all early texts. You can probably find it (or the longer books) in libraries.

For the greek elements, the original proponent are the presocratic philosophers, notably empedocle.
It then get discussed by Aristotle (see his treatise "On generation and corruption") who proposes a fifth (quintessence)
Their application is medicine is discussed in Galen.

Hope this helps,
Francois

Edited by fcharton, 14 November 2005 - 10:47 PM.

[Borjigin Ayurbarwada]

The Dao Zang is where Needham drew most of his sources from.

[Yun]

SCP, the most original statement of the Wu Xing school is the Hongfan (Great Norm) chapter of the Shangshu/Shujing. I think you can look for Legge's classic translation of the Shangshu. All elaborations and expansions on the Wu Xing philosophy by the Han Confucians (including Dong Zhongshu) used the Hongfan as a starting point.

[Bao Pu]

Hi Somechineseperson

Aihe Wang's book "Cosmology and Political Culture in Early China" (2000) discusses the development of Wuxing, including its precedent in the Shang Dynasty's "Sifang" system. She stresses that there were numerous Wuxing systems in existence, before it finally stabilized. Some of the sources she mentions are: Hongfan chapter of the Shangshu, The Lüshi Chunqiu, The Zuo Zhuan, The Guanzi, the Huainanzi (chapters 3, 4, 5), The Mawangdui Xingde text, and the Shuihudi Rishu (Daybooks).