Ep. 155 | Joseph Needham (Part 1)
In this long-awaited topic, Laszlo introduces “The Man Who Loved China”, Dr. Joseph Needham. A true friend of China for most of his adult life, Needham’s contribution was the epic work “Science and Civilization in China”.
Today this massive undertaking is spread out over 24 volumes, 17 of which were written in Needham’s own lifetime.
Prior to Joseph Needham getting the word out, China was not getting the respect it deserved for all its great contributions to human civilization. He carried out intensive research and brought his findings to the public. In this Part 1 episode, we only go up to 1943 and the end of Needham’s first expedition in China.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Anyang | 安阳 | City in northern Henan where the Shang period Yin Ruins are located |
| Baoji | 宝鸡 | Another city in Shaanxi |
| Chongqing | 重庆 | Former wartime capital of China also known as Chungking |
| Dadu River | 大渡河 | Another tributary of the Yangzi |
| Dujiangyan | 都江堰 | One of the greatest civil irrigation projects in human history that provided benefits to hundreds of millions of people since it was built in 256 BCE |
| Dunhuang | 敦煌 | Great trading city and center for Buddhist learning |
| Hanzhong | 汉中 | City in Shaanxi |
| Huang Xingzong | 黄兴宗 | H.T. Huang, collaborated with Needham on Science and Civilization |
| Héxī Corridor | 河西走廊 | The geographic region running east and west inside Gansu Province. It was an ancient road from thousands of years ago |
| Jianqiao Daxue yu Zhongguo Daxue hezuo weiyuanhui | 剑桥大学与中国大学合作委员会 | Sino-British Scientific Cooperation Office |
| Jiayuguan | 嘉峪关 | End of the line as far as the Great Wall went |
| Li Bīng | 李冰 | The official credited with overseeing the entire Dujiangyan project |
| Liao Hongying | 廖鸿英 | Chemist, Worked for British Council in Chengdu |
| Lizhuang | 李庄 | City in Anhui located on the banks of the Yangzi |
| Lu Guizhen | 鲁桂珍 | (1904-1991) Biochemist and long-time assistant and muse to Needham. Also his 2nd wife. |
| Lu Shiguo | 鲁仕国 | Father of Lu Guizhen |
| Luo Zhongshu | 罗忠恕 | (1903-1985) Scholar who got the word out in the west about China’s suffering under Japan |
| luohou | 落后 | backwards |
| Lushan | 芦山 | City in Sichuan near Ya’an, (written in the book as Loushan) |
| Min River | 岷江 | Great river of China where Dujiangyan is located |
| Mogao Caves | 莫高窟 | The caves at Dunhuang where so much Buddhist treasure was found |
| Nanbei Chao | 南北朝 | (420-589) The Northern and Southern Dynasties Period |
| Northern Zhou | 北周 | (557-581) A northern Dynasty during the Northern & Southern Dynasties Period |
| Qin Shihuang | 秦始皇 | The Qin emperor |
| Shaanxi | 陕西 | One of the great ancient provinces of China |
| Shu Kingdom | 蜀国 | The Kingdom located in and around where present-day Chengdu is located |
| Shuangshipu | 双石铺 | A town near Baoji in Shaanxi |
| Wang Yuanlu | 王圆箓 | The guy who got duped into selling 24 wagon loads of treasure, including the Diamond Sutra to Aurel Stein for about 220 quid |
| Yang Jian | 杨坚 | Former Northern Zhou official who went on to found the Sui Dynasty |
| Zhongguo Kexue jìshù shi | 中国科学技术史 | Science and Civilization in China |
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