Why is Shen Kuo called "the most outstanding figure in the whole history of science in China"?

Speaking of Shen Kuo, we may have only heard of it, but other aspects are a little strange. But when it comes to Meng Qian Bi Tan, one of the earliest encyclopedias in China, you should suddenly realize this. Yes, Shen Kuo is the author of Meng Qian's Bi Tan. He is an outstanding talent in the history of science in China. Which dynasty did Shen Kuo come from?

The ancient portrait of Shen Kuo.

Shen Kuo was born in Qiantang County, Zhejiang Province in the Northern Song Dynasty, which is now Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Shen Kuo was interested in astronomy and geography since he was a child. Because my father is an ordinary family, I have followed my father to different places since I was a child and "visited" new things with my eyes, such as humanities and geography. Therefore, his childhood experience and family background made him a famous scientist with rich knowledge of blogs, astronomy and geography.

After knowing which dynasty Shen Kuo was, I couldn't help but understand his masterpiece Meng Qian Bi Tan. Meng Qian Bi Tan is rich in content, covering all aspects of life, including astronomy, geography, water conservancy, mathematics, medicine and music theory. It is a book written by Shen Kuo in his later years. He comprehensively recorded the labor inventions and scientific creations of people from all walks of life, so that the precious scientific achievements in ancient times will not be lost, and future generations can learn from them and continue to explore.

In fact, Shen Kuo not only made remarkable achievements in science and humanities, but also had a good understanding of politics and thought. He discovered oil, put forward the concept of environmental protection, and was also an ancient and naive materialist. Unfortunately, due to the political struggle in his later years, he did not get a good ending.

The story of Shen Kuo.

this is a

Shen Kuo stone statue

First of all, the person related to Shen Kuo is Shen Kuo's mother. Shen Kuo's mother is a very educated and educated woman. When he was young, Shen Kuo got into the habit of studying hard at home and finished reading thousands of books. During this period, she was led and accompanied by Shen's mother. This also made Shen Kuo develop a good habit of reading and studying from an early age.

Then his father influenced Shen Kuo. In Shen Kuo's story, his father played an eye-opening role in Shen Kuo. Because his father was easily transferred to the government, Shen Kuo was lucky enough to travel with his father. Of course, it was very helpful for Shen Kuo to write Meng Qian's Pen Talk later.

On the way to work, Wang Anshi had to mention his relationship with Shen Kuo. After Wang Anshi became prime minister, he began the political reform movement. At that time, Shen Kuo was favored and valued by Wang Anshi. Therefore, Shen Kuo in this period was full of energy and held important positions.

But all this was reduced to ashes after the failure of Wang Anshi's political reform, because Shen Kuo was later demoted and demoted again. As a result, Shen Kuo finally lost his desire to be an official and came to live in Meng Xi Park. It was here that Shen Kuo wrote A Brief Talk on Meng Qian, which was widely circulated by later generations. Shen Kuo also changed from a politician to a scientist and writer. Of course, these three people also have indelible marks in Shen Kuo's life.

Shen Kuo's works

Known as "the most outstanding person in the history of science in China", Shen Kuo devoted his life to scientific research. A famous scientist and politician in the Northern Song Dynasty was born in an official family, but he didn't like laziness. On the contrary, he is very clear about his life.

Statue of Shen Kuo

Shen Kuo began to travel with his father when he was young. Shen Kuo 14 years old, has browsed all the books at home. At ordinary times, Shen Kuo is also studious and thoughtful, which is the initial basis of Shen Kuo's later great works.

Shen Kuo's most famous work is Meng Qian's Bi Tan. This book is very detailed.

Of course, later generations often talk about Shen Kuo, not only praising Shen Kuo's works, but also interested in the relationship between Shen Kuo and Su Dongpo. Both of them are historical celebrities, but according to historical records, their relationship is not good. The reason is that when Su Shi was demoted, Shen Kuo also fell several times. But in the end, when both of them almost retired and went home for the aged, Shen Kuo always liked to chat with Su Dongpo, so Su Da, a gifted scholar, didn't like him either, but fortunately, both of them are people who understand books and manners, and of course they can get along better.