{"product_id":"science-and-civilisation-in-china-part-2-mechanical-engineering-hardback-9780521058032","title":"Science and Civilisation in China, Part 2, Mechanical Engineering (Hardback) 9780521058032","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eScience and Civilisation in China, Part 2, Mechanical Engineering\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eJoseph Needham (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9780521058032, Cambridge University Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 2 January 1965\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e816 pages\u003cbr\u003e25.5 x 20.2 x 5.9 cm, 2.048 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\"Perhaps the greatest single act of historical synthesis and intercultural communication ever attempted by one man.\"\u003cbr\u003e  Laurence Picken, Cambridge University\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eAs Dr Needham's immense undertaking gathers momentum it has been found necessary to subdivide volumes into parts, each to be bound and published separately. The first part of Volume 4, already published, deals with the physical sciences; the second with the diverse applications of physics in the many branches of mechanical engineering; and the third will deal with civil and hydraulic engineering and nautical technology. With this part of Volume 4, then, we come to the application by the Chinese of physical principles in the control of forces and in the use of power; we cross the frontier separating tools from the machine. We have already noticed that the ancient Chinese concept of chhi (somewhat similar to the pneuma of the Greeks) asserted itself prominently in acoustics; but we discover here that the Chinese tendency to think pneumatically was also responsible for a whole range of brilliant technological achievements, for example, the double-acting piston-bellows, the rotary winnowing-fan, and the water-powered metallurgical blowing-machine (ancestor of the steam-engine); as well as for some extraordinary insights and predictions in aeronautics.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eList of illustrations\u003cbr\u003e List of tables\u003cbr\u003e List of abbreviations\u003cbr\u003e Acknowledgements\u003cbr\u003e Author's note\u003cbr\u003e 27. Mechanical engineering\u003cbr\u003e Bibliographies\u003cbr\u003e General index.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: History of science [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on History of science\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22History%20of%20science%20%5BPDX%5D%22\"\u003ePDX\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Cambridge University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46004168687896,"sku":"9780521058032","price":239.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/products\/9780521058032i.jpg?v=1694968949","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/science-and-civilisation-in-china-part-2-mechanical-engineering-hardback-9780521058032","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}