Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Ancient Observatory
古观象台
, gǔguānxiàngtái • Off Jianguomennei Dajie • Tues-Sun 9am-5pm •
￥
20 •
010 65242202,
www.bjp.org.cn
• Jianguomen subway (lines 1 & 2)
An unexpected survivor marooned amid the high-rises beside the concrete knot that is the in-
tersection between Jianguomennei Dajie and the Second Ring Road, the
Ancient Observat-
ory
comes as a delightful surprise. The first observatory on the site was founded in the thir-
teenth century on the orders of Kublai Khan; the astronomers were commissioned to reform
the inaccurate calendar then in use. Subsequently the observatory was staffed by Muslim sci-
entists, as medieval Islamic science enjoyed pre-eminence, but, strangely, in the early sev-
enteenth century it was placed in the hands of
Jesuit missionaries
. Led by one Matteo Ricci,
they proceeded to astonish the emperor and his subjects by making a series of precise astro-
nomical forecasts. The Jesuits re-equipped the observatory and remained in charge until the
1830s.
The squat, unadorned building was built in 1442. Today it lies empty, and visitors aren't al-
lowed inside - there'd be little point, really, since Beijing's present-day skies often make it
impossible to see the
Marriott
down the road, let alone Mars. The best features of the com-
plex are, however, accessible: its
garden
, a placid retreat; and the eight Ming-dynasty
astro-
nomical instruments
sitting on the roof - stunningly sculptural armillary spheres, theodol-
ites and the like, all beautifully ornamented with entwined dragons, lions and clouds, looking
for all the world like gigantic Art Nouveau trinkets. The attached
museum
, displaying pot-
tery decorated with star maps, and arrayed around a courtyard featuring navigational equip-
ment dating from the Yuan dynasty onwards, is well worth a wander round.
THE JESUITS IN CHINA
Jesuitmissionaries
began to arrive in China in the sixteenth century. Though they weren't
allowed to preach freely at first, they were tolerated for their scientific and astronomical
skills, and were invited to stay at court: precise astronomical calculations were invaluable
to the emperor who, as master of the calendar, was charged with determining the cycle of
the seasons in order to ensure good harvests, and observing the movement of celestial bod-
ies to harmonize the divine and human order. Some Jesuits rose to high positions in the
imperial court, and in 1692 they finally won the right to preach in China.
Matteo Ricci
(1552-1610) was the most illustrious of the early Jesuit missionaries to
China. A keen Chinese scholar, he translated the
Confucian Analects
into Portuguese and
created the first system for romanizing Chinese characters. He began studying the Chinese
language in 1582, when he arrived in Macau. In 1603 he moved to Beijing and won the
respect of the local literati with his extensive knowledge of cartography, astronomy, math-
ematics and the physical sciences.
