CHP-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 Jospeh 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. 

TERMS FROM THIS EPISODE

Zhongguo Kexue jìshù shi  中国科学技术史  Science and Civilization in China

Lu Guizhen   鲁桂珍  (1904-1991) Biochemist and long-time assistant to Needham

Luo Zhongshu   罗忠恕  (1903-1985) Scholar who got the word out in the west about China's suffering under Japan.

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

Lu Shiguo鲁仕国  Father of Lu Guizhen

luohou  落后  backwards

Chongqing  重庆  Former wartime capital of China also known as Chungking

Huang Xingzong  黄兴宗 H.T. Huang

Min River   岷江  Great river of China where Dujiangyan is located

Dadu River  大渡河  Another tributary of the Yangzi

Lushan  芦山  City in Sichuan near Ya'an, (written in the book as Loushan)

Lizhuang  李庄 City located on the banks of the Yangzi

Anyang   安阳 City in northern Henan where the Shang period Yin Ruins are located

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.

Hanzhong   汉中   City in Shaanxi

Baoji  宝鸡  Another city in Shaanxi

Shaanxi   陕西  One of the great ancient provinces of China

Jiayuguan  嘉峪关  End of the line as far as the Great Wall went. 

Dunhuang   敦煌  Great trading city and center for Buddhist learning.

Liao Hongying   廖鸿英Chemist, Worked for British Council in Chengdu

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

Qin Shihuang   秦始皇 The Qin emperor

Li Bīng   李冰  The official credited with overseeing the entire Dujiangyan project.

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

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.

Mogao Caves  莫高窟  The caves at Dunhuang where so much Buddhist treasure was found.

Northern Zhou  北周  (557-581) A northern Dynasty during the Northern & Southern Dynasties Period

Nanbei Chao   南北朝  (420-589) The Northern and Southern Dynasties Period

Yang Jian    杨坚 Former Northern Zhou official who went on to found the Sui Dynasty.

Simon Winchester amazon.com page:  http://www.amazon.com/Simon-Winchester/e/B000APLU5E/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1435163989&sr=8-1