中英雙語話中國歷史名人 第76期:張衡

Zhang Heng(78~139), whose courtesy name was Pingzi, was a famous astronomer in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

張衡(78~139 ), 字平子。東漢天文學家。歷官郎中、太史令等。

His publication Ling Xian (Mystical Laws) summarized his achievements in astronomy.

《靈憲》一文，全面地體現了他在天文學上的成就。

He held that the universe was infinite in both space and time and invented the world's first eauatorial armillary sphere.

他提出“渾天說”，認爲宇宙在空間上沒有邊界，在時間上沒有起點。他創造的天文儀器渾天儀，是一種演示天體星象運動的表演儀器。

He also believed that the heaven was round and the earth flat.

關於地球的結構，他持“天圓地平”說。

Furthermore, he recorded 2 500 stars, drew the first comprehensive star chart and accurately interpreted the formation of lunar eclipses.

他還記錄了2500顆恆星，畫出了中國第一張完備的星圖，正確解釋了月食的成因。

He was renowned as the inventor of the world's first seismograph, which was invented 1 800 years earlier than other similar devices.

在地震學上，他發明了候風地動儀，是世界上的地震儀之祖，比其它類似設備早了1800年。

Legend said that he invented two magical devices:a three-wheeled device that could rotate automatically and a wood carving that could fly in the sky.

傳說他當時還製作過兩件神奇的器物，一件是有三個輪子的機械，可以自轉;一件是一隻木雕，能在天上飛翔。

In a mathematical treatise, he approximated pi by working out two numbers.

在數學上，他寫過《算罔論》一書，推知圓周率大約在3. 14和3. 16之間。

He held fast the principle of seeking truth from facts and strongly objected to the non-scientific viewpoints in the society.

他堅持實事求是的原則，堅決與鄙棄知識的社會愚昧思想作鬥爭。

Zhang Heng was also an outstanding writer, whose Er Jing Fu (Two Capital Cities) and Gui Tian Fu (To Live in Seclusion) are considered as literary masterpieces in ancient China.

張衡還是一位大文學家，有《二京賦》、《歸田賦》等傳世之作。