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Why did ancient Chinese scholars insist that the earth was flat?
Throughout global history, cultures have understood the shape of the Earth differently. Although ancient Greek scholars had proposed the hypothesis that the earth was a sphere as early as the 6th century BC, ancient Chinese scholars had long insisted that the earth was flat. This view did not change until their contact with the Jesuits in the 17th century. Why did ancient Chinese cosmology maintain this view so firmly over thousands of years of history?
Ancient Chinese cosmology
In ancient Chinese cosmology, the earth was considered flat and square. This view has remained virtually unchallenged throughout China's millennia of history. According to the cultural traditions of the time, ancient Chinese astronomers regarded celestial bodies as circles and used this to explain their movements and changes.
As stated in ancient texts, the idea of a round sky and a square earth was deeply ingrained in early Chinese cosmology. This view is not only reflected in the description of astronomical phenomena, but also affects many philosophical thoughts.
Early Chinese Astronomy
Ancient Chinese astronomers such as Zhang Heng often used circular metaphors when describing the movements of stars and planets. Zhang Heng pointed out that the sky is as round as an egg and the earth is in the center like an egg yolk. This metaphor is intended to emphasize the relative position between the flat earth and the round sky.
Influence from the outside world
By the 17th century, contact with the Jesuits began to shake these entrenched concepts. These Western scholars introduced the concept of the earth as a sphere into China, which gradually changed Chinese scholars' views on the shape of the earth. However, many Chinese scholars were initially skeptical of this theory, mainly because they had a flat earth concept ingrained in their culture for thousands of years.
Although Western scientific progress has affected Chinese scholars to some extent, they still experienced considerable struggles when accepting new knowledge.
The influence of culture and religion
In ancient China, cultural and religious concepts had a profound impact on society. The pursuit of "golden mean" in Confucianism reflects the respect and observance of the natural order, which made ancient Chinese scholars more inclined to explain the laws of the universe in terms of a plane. The Buddhist and Taoist concepts of this period also emphasized the concept of harmonious coexistence of all things, which further contributed to the deep-rooted view of the flat earth.
"In a specific cultural background, if a concept is deeply rooted in people's hearts, it will be difficult to change quickly even in the face of the challenge of new knowledge."
Conclusion
Although ancient Chinese scholars in the past insisted that the earth is flat, behind this concept is undoubtedly the result of the combined effect of history, culture, religion and scientific knowledge at that time. When we look back on this period of history, should we think about it: In the ever-changing modern society, will we unconsciously stick to some outdated concepts?
