Song Yingxing, whose name is Chang Geng, was a famous scientist in the Ming Dynasty. He devoted his life to the in-depth investigation and meticulous study of agriculture and handicraft production, and accumulated a wealth of scientific information. In addition, his writings and research fields span a variety of disciplines such as natural sciences and humanities, among which his most acclaimed masterpiece "Heavenly Creations" has been praised by later generations as "the encyclopedia of Chinese crafts in the 17th century", which shows the depth of his knowledge and outstanding contributions.
Song Yingxing has shown extraordinary intelligence since he was a child, he is familiar with the scriptures and history and the books of the hundred schools of thought, and is deeply loved and cultivated by teachers and elders. Later, he was successfully admitted to Fengxin County School and became a Xuan student. In 1615, Song Yingxing, who was only 29 years old, stood out in the township examination and won the examination, which was undoubtedly a great affirmation of his talent.
However, in the next five examinations, he failed to get his wish, and his name fell to Sun Shan, and he completely cut off the idea of gaining fame. Still, he was not discouraged and learned valuable life lessons, especially at the age of 45. The long journey back and forth between the north and the south not only broadened his horizons, but also gave him the opportunity to go deep into the fields and workshops to gather extensive knowledge of production techniques in agriculture and handicrafts. These experiences laid a solid foundation for him to write books such as "Heavenly Creations" in the future.
In 1635, Song Yingxing was appointed as the county school teacher in Fenyi County, Jiangxi Province, responsible for teaching students. During his tenure as a teacher, he devoted himself to academic studies and continued to write, and many important works were published during this period.
Among them, the book "Heavenly Creation" is a masterpiece, which was officially published in 1637. The book details the production techniques in various fields such as agriculture, handicrafts, machinery, bricks, ceramics, sulfur, candles, paper, weapons, gunpowder, textiles, dyeing, salt making, coal mining, oil extraction, etc.
In terms of agriculture, Song Yingxing not only pays attention to the production technology itself, but also attaches more importance to the main body of agricultural activities, and he has always advocated reducing the tax burden of farmers to promote agricultural development; For the industrial field, he focuses on the research and promotion of new inventions and efficient production technologies, and believes that human wisdom and innovation are endless. This kind of profound understanding and great importance of science and technology is rare among Chinese scientists in the 17th century, and it has far-reaching progressive significance.
In the book "Heavenly Creation", Song Yingxing not only described various practical knowledge in detail, but also revealed his admiration and advocacy for practical learning between the lines. He resolutely rejected those gentlemen who "knew the taste and forgot the source" and talked about the world, and made spicy satires and criticisms of those "sages who wrote books" who knew nothing about grains, as well as the so-called "saints" who knew nothing about food and clothing. This spirit of courage to challenge authority and pursue truth is admirable.
As a scientist in the feudal era, Song Yingxing was knowledgeable, diligent and eager to learn, and had a strong interest in exploring the mysteries of nature. He cherished a strong desire to promote the development of productive forces with advanced science and technology, had a sense of being ahead of his time, and always firmly believed that practice yielded true knowledge. These qualities allowed him to excel in the field of science and to radiate the brilliance of reason.
After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Song Yingxing chose to live in seclusion and resolutely refused to become an official. He spent his last years in poverty at the age of 80. Although he suffered from poverty in his later years, his spiritual pursuits and academic achievements will forever be recorded in history and admired by future generations.