Ming · Official and Scholar

Xu Guangqi 徐光啟

Attested AD 1573 - AD 1628

Passages: 5
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Xu Guangqi was an official and Scholar.

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 7

Attested activity

AD 1628 崇禎初
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 5
AD 1573 to AD 1620 明萬曆間
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 4

Career and standing

superintendent of the calendar revision bureau 監督
Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 6

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 5

Events and relationships

Relation Student of · Person Matteo Ricci (利瑪竇)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 4
Relation Recommender of · Person Tang Ruowang (湯若望)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 272, passage 32

References in the histories

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 272Volume 272 Biographies 59: Tang Ruowang, Yang Guangxian, Nan Huai Ren · 5 passages

明萬曆間，利瑪竇挾天算之學入中國，徐光啟與遊，盡其術。 In the Wanli era, Matteo Ricci introduced Western astronomy and mathematics to China, and Xu Guangqi studied with him until he had mastered the art.

崇禎初，日食失驗，光啟上言：「台官用郭守敬法，歷久必差，宜及時修正。」 Early in the Chongzhen reign, when a predicted solar eclipse missed, Xu Guangqi submitted a memorial: "The Astronomical Bureau still uses Guo Shoujing's methods; given enough years, error is inevitable—the calendar ought to be corrected now."

莊烈帝用其議，設局修改曆法，光啟為監督，湯若望被徵入局掌推算。 Chongzhen accepted the proposal, set up a bureau to reform the calendar, made Xu Guangqi its superintendent, and called Tang Ruowang in to direct the computations.

光啟卒，以李天經代，奏進湯若望所著書及𢗝星屏障。 After Xu Guangqi died, Li Tianjing succeeded him and presented Tang Ruowang's books and a celestial globe to the throne.

徐光啟特薦於朝，一時專家治歷如魏文魁等，實不及爾。 Xu Guangqi singled you out to the court; reigning calendar men like Wei Wenkui could not match you.