[Explanation] Han Tianqian, 100 years old this year, is a famous Chinese geodetic astronomer and astro-geodynamicist, one of the founders of Chinese astronomy and geodesy, and has witnessed the development of Chinese astronomy for more than 70 years.
Recently, Han Tianqian accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency's "Dongxiwen", looking back at the process of Chinese astronomy from "stargazing with naked eyes" to "gazing at the sky".
[Explanation] According to Han Tianqian, Chinese astronomy has sprouted as early as the primitive society of the Neolithic Age. Since the Xia Dynasty, there have been full-time astronomical officers, who are engaged in longer-term and more systematic observations, and at the same time collect scattered scattered astronomical knowledge. tidy.
After the Qin and Han Dynasties of the Warring States Period, ancient Chinese astronomy formed a complete system centered on the calendar and astronomical observation.
[Concurrent] Han Tianqian, a famous Chinese terrestrial astronomer and astro-geodynamicist
The Chinese calendar should be said to be the most particular and the most particular.
The Chinese calendar does not have this calendar in the West. Anyway, we know that a year has 365.242 days, and there are more than one leap every four years, so it is used for a hundred years without leaps. This is very scientific.
[Commentary] Han Tianqian admitted that although China has had astronomical research since ancient times, there were only two purposes at that time, one was agricultural production, and the other was divination.
[Concurrent] Han Tianqian, a famous Chinese terrestrial astronomer and astro-geodynamicist
In terms of natural science concepts.
He was connected with people, good and bad luck, he became a fortune teller, Qin Tianjian mainly became a fortune teller, so Chinese astronomy should be called the study of the unity of nature and man.
[Explanation] Han Tianqian said that until the early days of the founding of New China, the Chinese began to truly study astronomical phenomena and astronomical laws, breaking away from "good and bad luck" and returning to the field of natural science.
[Explanation] At the end of 1953, China began to use an imported instrument, the Wilt T4 almighty theodolite, to conduct first-class astronomical measurements for the Yellow River.
After the completion of the Yellow River astronomical survey task, in the late 1950s, Han Tianqian proposed the T4 all-around theodolite method to measure the time according to the double-star height method by using the contact micrometer to realize the semi-automatic recording of astronomical time measurement, which greatly improved the time measurement accuracy. It is called "China's Ginger method" by the astronomical circle.
This scientific research achievement has been used by the Chinese surveying and mapping department as one of the important methods for measuring high-precision astronomical coordinates.
[Concurrent] Han Tianqian, a famous Chinese terrestrial astronomer and astro-geodynamicist
This is a method of geodetic surveying.
Earth astronomy uses astronomy to measure the earth. It is a double star level method. The simple name is "East and West double star level method". One is in the east and one is in the west. , in fact, in terms of the name of the discipline, it is "Eastern and Western Double Stars and other Higher Laws".
[Explanation] Han Tianqian said that in his life, he has witnessed the transformation of Chinese astronomy from "one-poor and two-white" and "stargazing with the naked eye" to the establishment of a complete and necessary theoretical and technical foundation for terrestrial astronomy.
[Concurrent] Han Tianqian, a famous Chinese terrestrial astronomer and astro-geodynamicist
This can hardly be measured by scale. In our 70 years, from the founding of the People's Republic of China to the present, we have basically caught up with the world's advanced level. Look at a 500-meter large telescope in Guizhou. No one else has it yet. The 500-meter telescope With radio telescopes, he can see pulsars hundreds of millions of light-years away.
[Commentary] Han Tianqian said that in the Chinese history he has experienced, there have been many stories of daring to be the first and to try.
I believe that there will always be a brighter starry sky waiting for us. No matter how dark the surroundings are, if you extend the observation mirror a little further, you can see the light.
[Concurrent] Han Tianqian, a famous Chinese terrestrial astronomer and astro-geodynamicist
First of all you don't have the concept of fame and fortune.
You really have to have a hobby of science, and be able to fight for the country and win glory for the country. Only in this way can people be cultivated.
Therefore, young people want to work hard, or this saying that the rise and fall of a country is the responsibility of every man, and it is possible to have this concept.
Reporter Zou Hao reports from Wuhan, Hubei
Responsible editor: [Ji Xiang]