The Translation of European Astronomical Works into Tibetan in the Early Eighteenth Century

Bibliographic Data

ID7802809
AuthorsLobsang Yongdan (University of Cambridge, corresponding author), Yongdan Lobsang (1 MIASU, University of Cambridge UK [email protected])
Year2015
Volume17
Issue2
Pages175-198
Publication date2015-12-09
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInner Asia (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1464-8172 • E-ISSN: 2210-5018
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1163/22105018-12340041
OpenAlexW2219883220
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited5

It has long been assumed that European scientific knowledge arrived in Tibet with the agents of the British Empire in the early twentieth century and furthermore that Tibetans did not engage with scientific knowledge until recent years. However, this is far from the case; from the beginning of the eighteenth century onwards Tibetans not only translated a great number of Jesuit astronomical works into Tibetan by order of the Kangxi Emperor (1654–1722), they also reformed one of the calendars in use in Amdo using the principles described by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). In this paper I look at how the relevant translations were done, by whom and in what historical context. I shall also explore the process by which the Jesuit-inspired astronomical and calendar turned out to be the catalyst for the adoption, reformation and manufacture of the Qing imperial calendar in Amdo

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art history · Astronomer · Danish · Emperor · Empire · Classics · Diverse Historical and Scientific Studies · Historical Astronomy and Related Studies · History · Philosophy · Reformation and Early Modern Christianity

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