Tiangong Kaiwu (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature)
Tiangong Kaiwu was the world's first comprehensive work on agriculture and handicraft production. It was first published in 1637 by the Ming Dynasty scientist Song Yingxing (1587- c.1666). The book covers 18 fields, documents over 130 techniques and tools, and features 123 vivid illustrations.
Regarding agriculture, the book discusses the impact of soil, climate conditions, and cultivation methods on the evolve- ment of crop varieties. On handicraft making, the book covers the main industries of the time, such as textiles, ceramics, metallurgy, and machinery. It records many technological achievements that were world-leading at the time, such as a textile machine called "flower machine", a metalwork technique that combined pig iron, wrought iron, and steel, and an advanced air blowing device – piston bellows – among others.
Known as the "Encyclopedia of Crafts in 17th Century China", the book was widely disseminated in East Asia and Europe and had a significant impact. It was instrumental in promoting the agricultural revolution in Europe and alleviating the raw material crisis in European papermaking. The concept of "unity of heaven and man" and the humanistic ethical ideas of science and technology contained in the book still provide inspiration for today's exploration of the relationship between humanity, nature, and technology.
《天工開物》
《天工開物》是世界上第一部關于農業和手工業生產的綜合性著作，初刊于1637年，作者是明代科學家宋應星（1587—約1666）。該書涉及18個生產領域，記錄了130 多項生產技術和工具，并繪制123幅精美的插圖進行生動呈現。
在農業方面，該書論述了土壤、氣候條件以及栽培方法對農作物品種變化的影響。在手工業方面，書中內容涵蓋了紡織業、陶瓷生產、冶煉業、機械制造業等當時主要生產行業。書中記錄了諸多當時處于世界領先地位的技術成就，比如最先進的紡織機械“花機”，從生鐵到熟鐵再合煉成鋼的生產系統，以及最先進的鼓風設備“活塞式風箱圖”，等等。
該書在東亞和歐美都有著廣泛的傳播和影響，被譽為“中國17世紀的工藝百科全書”， 曾直接推動歐洲農業革命，并幫助緩解歐洲造紙業的原料危機。該書蘊含的“天人合一”理念和人本主義科技倫理思想，對于當今人與自然、人與科技的探討依然具有啟示意義。
