[Experts in the mathematical sciences and imperial projects during the Kangxi Reign.].
In 1713 the Kangxi emperor commissioned the compilation of a treatise on mathematics, astronomy, and harmonics. For this project, he recruited literati, selecting them by special examination and closely supervising their work. Only two of them went on to have careers as high officials. In the middle of the 18th century, mathematics began to be taught at the Imperial University. Thus the Qing dynasty established the transmission of a degree of expertise in this field as part of the training of certain literati who aimed at a civil service career.
Jami
Catherine
C
SPHERE, UMR 7219, case 7093, Université de Paris-Diderot, 5, rue Thomas Mann, 75205, Paris cedex 13, France, jami@univ-paris-diderot.fr.