Understandable Chinese Geography at a Glance - (Illustrated New Curriculum) (Illustrated New Curriculum)

Author: Illustrative Team of New Curriculum Standards Compilation
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: "The Sky-Covering Theory" is one of the earliest cosmological theories in ancient China. This theory posits that the sky is round, like an open umbrella covering the earth, while the earth is square, resembling a chessboard. The sun, moon, and stars then move across the sky like crawling creatures. Therefore, this theory is also known as the "Round Sky, Square Earth Theory." Although the Round Sky, Square Earth Theory aligns with the rudimentary observational of the time, it is actually difficult to be self-consistent. For instance, how does the square earth connect to the round sky? As a result, the theory was modified: the sky does not connect with the earth but hangs high above it like a large umbrella, held together at its center by a rope at the hub and supported by eight pillars around its circumference. However, where do these eight pillars rest? Where does the umbrella handle of the sky cover insert? And where are the ropes that hold the large tent? These are also questions the Round Sky, Square Earth Theory cannot answer.
By the late Warring States period, a new version of the Sky-Covering Theory emerged. The new theory proposed that the sky resembles a covered (a conical hat), and the earth is like a covered plate, with the sky and earth never intersecting and being 80,000 li apart. The highest point of the plate is the North Pole. The sun revolves around the North Pole, and when it sets, it does not go below the earth but reaches an invisible place, much like when a person holding a torch runs far away and becomes unseen. The new Sky-Covering Theory not only represented a significant advancement in understanding compared to the old theory but also had a profound impact on the development of ancient mathematics and astronomy. In the new theory, there is a set of interesting numerical relationships between the sky and earth, along with a diagram illustrating the sun's path—the "Seven Circles and Six Intervals Diagram." Many ancient gnomons were 2.4 meters (8 feet) tall, which is directly related to the 40 million meters (80,000 li) distance between the sky and earth in the new Sky-Covering Theory.
The Sky-Covering Theory is a primitive cosmological theory that could not accurately explain many cosmic phenomena and had numerous flaws. By the Tang Dynasty, astronomers like Yixing, through precise measurements, completely refuted the Sky-Covering Theory's claim that "the shadow of the sun differs by one inch over a thousand li." After this, the theory collapsed. With the development of human society's productive forces, science and technology, and maritime transportation, people's range of activities expanded, their horizons broadened, and the concept of a spherical earth gradually took shape.
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