Description

Book Synopsis
This fifth volume of Colin Ronan's abridgement of Joseph Needham's monumental work is concerned with the staggering civil engineering feats made in early and medieval China. No other country did more, both as to scale and skill, than China. The book opens with an account of the road system, which compared not unfavourably with that of the Roman Empire. Naturally, the Great Wall of China is covered in some detail within the social context of walls, which mark, more than any other structure, the basic features of the Chinese communities. The Chinese genius of town planning and achievements in hydraulic engineering are covered in later chapters. This book concludes with an abridgement of Chinese engineering, and provides many clues as to the influence of Chinese innovation on Western engineering trends.

Table of Contents
List of illustrations; List of tables; Preface; 1. Roads; 2. Walls, and the Great Wall; 3. Building technology; 4. Bridges; 5. Hydraulic engineering (I), control, construction and maintenance of waterways; 6. Hydraulic engineering (II), water-raising machinery and the use of water as a power source; Bibliography; Table of Chinese dynasties; Index.

Shorter Science Civilsatn China v5 Volume 5 Shorter Science and Civilisation in China

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    A Paperback by Colin A. Ronan

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      View other formats and editions of Shorter Science Civilsatn China v5 Volume 5 Shorter Science and Civilisation in China by Colin A. Ronan

      Publisher: Cambridge University Press
      Publication Date: 9/14/1995 12:00:00 AM
      ISBN13: 9780521467735, 978-0521467735
      ISBN10: 052146773X
      Also in:
      History of science

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      This fifth volume of Colin Ronan's abridgement of Joseph Needham's monumental work is concerned with the staggering civil engineering feats made in early and medieval China. No other country did more, both as to scale and skill, than China. The book opens with an account of the road system, which compared not unfavourably with that of the Roman Empire. Naturally, the Great Wall of China is covered in some detail within the social context of walls, which mark, more than any other structure, the basic features of the Chinese communities. The Chinese genius of town planning and achievements in hydraulic engineering are covered in later chapters. This book concludes with an abridgement of Chinese engineering, and provides many clues as to the influence of Chinese innovation on Western engineering trends.

      Table of Contents
      List of illustrations; List of tables; Preface; 1. Roads; 2. Walls, and the Great Wall; 3. Building technology; 4. Bridges; 5. Hydraulic engineering (I), control, construction and maintenance of waterways; 6. Hydraulic engineering (II), water-raising machinery and the use of water as a power source; Bibliography; Table of Chinese dynasties; Index.

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