Subject: Wu Mingxuan 吳明烜, fl. 1657

Qinding xinli ceyan jilüe 欽定新曆測驗紀略. 欽定新曆測驗記略. Ceyan jilüe 測驗紀略. [Jap-Sin II, 42 A., BnF Chinois 4992]
AuthorVerbiest, Ferdinand 南懷仁, 1623-1688
Place---
Publisher---
CollectionRicci Institute Library
Edition
LanguageChinese 中文
TypeBook (Text in Collection)
Series
ShelfHallway Cases
Call NumberBX1665.A24 B526 2009 v. 5
Descriptionv. 5, p. 317-414 ; 21.5 cm.
NoteBnF added title: Abrégé d'observations relatives au nouveau calendrier, imprimé par ordre impérial .
In: 法國國家圖書館明清天主教文獻. Chinese Christian texts from the National Library of France, v. 5.28. Ferdinand Verbiest 南懷仁. (Qinding xinli) Ceyan jilüe 欽定新曆測驗紀略. [4992].
Full bibliographic citation see: Ad Dudink & Nicolas Standaert, Chinese Christian Texts Database (CCT-Database).
Available online at Gallica.

JapSin II, 42 A
Qinding xinli ceyan jilüe 欽定新曆測驗記略.
By Nan Huairen 南懷仁 (Ferdinand Verbiest).
One juan. White bamboo paper in one ce, forty-two folios (ff. 8–10 and 29–31 are missing).

The title page is xylographed in Latin from the handwriting of Verbiest with the date 1668, which engraving was done in Beijing: Astronomia Europaea | sub Imperatore Tartaro Sinico | Cam Hy appellato | Ex umbra in lucem revocata | A P. Ferdinando Verbiest | Flandro Belga Brugensi | E Societate Jesu | Academiae Astronomiae | in Regia Pekinensi | Praefecto | Anno Salutis M.DCLXVIII.”
There are nine columns in each half folio with eighteen characters to each column. The Chinese title is given in the middle of each folio and the number of the folio below the fish-tail. At the top of folio 1 there is the following inscription: 奉旨查對楊光先吳明烜所造各曆并測驗諸差紀略,治理曆法極西耶穌會士南懷仁述 (A summary of the investigation, by order of His Majesty, of the diverse calendars composed by Yang Guangxian and Wu Mingxuan and the erroneous calculations they made. Account given by Nan Huairen of the Extreme West).
Folios 1–4 recall how, after the persecution of Yang Guangxian in the fourth year of the Kangxi reign (1665), the missioners in Beijing lived a retired life:
On the twenty-first day of the eleventh month, the seventh year of the Kangxi reign, we had an unexpected visit from four Grand Secretaries sent by His Majesty, namely, His Excellency Wu Gesai 吳格塞, His Excellency Duo Nuo 多諾, His Excellency Zhuo Ling’an 卓令安, and His Excellency Fan Chengmo 范承謨, all of them now deceased. His Majesty wanted to know whether the calendars then issued were correct. My reply was that they were very erroneous and that I had solid argument for saying so. There and then I pointed out the errors of these calendars. His Excellency Duo referred my reply to the emperor. The following day (22nd) an imperial order summoned me, An Wensi 安文思 [Gabriel de Magalhães], and Li Leisi 利類思 [Lodovico Buglio] to present ourselves at the Donghua Gate. On that same day the officials of the Imperial Observatory, Ma You 馬祐, Yang Guangxian, and Wu Mingxuan, were also there. [There followed a disputation between Yang, Wu, and Verbiest]. It was proved that the calculation of the calendar was incorrect and by imperial order the Qizheng minli 七政民曆 was compiled in the eighth year of the Kangxi reign by Wu Mingxuan, then Vice president of the Imperial Observatory, to be examined carefully for definite errors . . .
Folios 11–28 contain the errors in Wu’s calendar as pointed out by Verbiest. Folios 34–37a contain the replies of Verbiest to the questions of the Kangxi emperor. Folios 37b–38b give a list of names and ranks of the ministers. Folios 39a–41b contain the distinctions between the calendar and the choice of lucky days.
Then follow six folios, taken from the Xichao ding’an (4a–9a, cf. Jap-Sin II, 67 II), containing the order given by the emperor to the Ministry of Personnel for a decisive sanction to Wu Mingxuan for the error he had made. At the same time the said Ministry was to recommend what office should be given to Verbiest in the Imperial Observatory for his accurate experiments.
At the end of the book there are twelve folios (folio 6 not numbered) with twelve illustrations of astronomical instruments.

Cf. Sommervogel, vol. VIII, col. 576, 580; H. Bosmans, S.J., Ferdinand Verbiest, directeur de l’Observatoire de Péking, 1623–1668 (Extrait de la Revue des Questions scientifiques, janvier–avril 1912); Henri Bosmans, S.J., Les Écrits Chinois de Verbiest (Extrait de la Revue des Question scientifiques, juillet 1913, Louvain, pp. 272–298), p. 291. Courant 4992: “Khin ting sin li tchhe yen ki lio. Abrégé d’observations relatives au nouveau calendrier, imprimé par ordre imperial. Recueil de rapports et pièces diverses (1668 et 1669), émanant du P. Verbiest et d’autres fonctionnaires: texte et figures. 1 livre.--Cordier, Imprimerie Sino-européenne, 354. Grand in 8. Incomplet de plusieurs feuillets. 1 vol., cartonnage. Nouveaux fonds 3336.”For Jap-Sin II, 42 (I–III and A), see also Jap-Sin IV,27.
Source: Albert Chan, S.J., Chinese Books and Documents in the Jesuit Archives in Rome, pp. 343-344.

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Wu Mingxuan yu Wu Mingxuan 吳明炫與吳明烜 : 清初與西法相抗爭的一對回回天文家兄弟?
AuthorHuang Yi-Long 黃一農
PlaceTaibei 臺北
PublisherDalu zazhishe 大陸雜誌社
CollectionRicci Institute Library
Edition抽印本
LanguageChinese 中文
TypeExtract
SeriesDalu zazhi 大陸雜誌
ShelfFile Cabinet A
Call NumberQB17.H838 1992
Description5 p. ; 26cm.
Note"Wu Mingxuan yu Wu Mingxuan : Qingchu yu Xifa xiang kangzheng de yidui huihui tianwenjia xiongdi?" / Huang Yinong. "吳明炫與吳明烜 : 清初與西法相抗爭的一對回回天文家兄弟"? / 黃一農.
Reprint from: Dalu zazhi 大陸雜誌 ; 第84卷第4期.
Published: 民國81 [1992].
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