Movers and Shakers of Knowledge in China during the Ming-Qing Period

摘要

The period of 1600-1910 is commonly viewed as one of decline in Chinese science and technology in world history. This article examines the movers and shapers of knowledge in China to show how the Chinese elite tried to catch up with the advancing West. They were not as stubbornly conservative as one might think. However, a degree of openness did not guarantee China's ability to modernize.