早期中国与巴比伦天文学日月食理论比较研究

Solar and lunar eclipses are important astronomical phenomena both in early China and Mesopotamia. Prediction methods were developed from basing on eclipse periods, to constructing systematical theories. There have been scholars who brought the idea that ancient Chinese astronomy comes from the west, by comparing some specific features between the two cultures. However, the argument was not generally accepted by many scholars, due to lacking of systematic research on Babylonian astronomy. This project aims to push forward the researches on the eclipse theories in Babylonian astronomy, to a solid evidential level, and to a systematic level. It aims to reveal the development of the theories, and to analyze the differences of the prediction methods of solar and lunar eclipses between early China and Mesopotamia, from the perspective of mathematical astronomy. It aims to discuss the possibility of Babylonian astronomy transmitted to China or vice versa, based on investigating the basis and keys of the theories of eclipses, which are significant issues in early astronomy. It also reveals the different approaches the two astronomies were developed, brings a perspective that researches on comparative studies of the astronomies between China and the west should value the impacts of the transmission of knowledge on history. This project would be the first in its kind to study related fields on Babylonian astronomy by Chinese history of astronomy scholars.

中国和古代两河流域早期天文学都高度重视日月食现象，并在发展过程中各自形成了其从日月食周期出发，构建理论对天象进行预测的计算方法。曾有学者通过对双方个别特征的比较，提出过中国古代天文学起源西来的说法，但因缺乏对巴比伦天文学核心问题的系统研究，该说法并未成为学界共识。本课题旨在深入推进巴比伦天文学中的日月食理论的研究，使其系统化，实证化，揭示其发展历程，并从数理天文的角度出发，分析早期中国与巴比伦天文学中的日月食推算方法本质上的异同，从日月食理论这一早期天文学核心问题出发，在全面把握双方理论内涵的基础上，探讨中国与巴比伦天文学“中学西源”或“西学中源”的可能性，揭示其各自天文学理论发展的不同路径，提出中外天文学比较研究应重视知识传播的历史作用的新视角，填补中国天文学史界在巴比伦天文学研究相关领域中的空白。

本项目的研究方向为古代中国与古代两河流域对日月食的认识的比较研究。本项目的研究工作主要体现在三个方面：一，围绕与古代两河流域天文学与日月食的理论与观念相关的知识及体系开展研究，较为全面地阐述了古代两河流域天文学，特别是日月食理论与观念的基本情况。二，围绕早期中国与古代两河流域的时间、长度等计量单位之间的异同，和古代两河流域地图学史中的重要文献——巴比伦世界地图中与海洋和陆地相关的概念开展了早期中国与古代两河流域天文学若干问题的比较研究。三，围绕19世纪晚期至20世纪早期中国历史学界的“泛巴比伦主义”，项目进行了探讨中国与古代两河流域天文学“中学西源”或“西学中源”的学术史研究。项目组主办了题为“古代世界的交食比较研究工作坊”的国际会议。这是国际科学史届首个以中国和古代两河流域天文学史比较研究为主题的国际会议，为进一步开展古代中国和古代两河流域天文学的比较研究，及两河流域天文学在丝绸之路上的传播研究都打下了良好的基础。