This fifth volume of Colin Ronan's abridgement of Joseph Needham's monumental work is concerned with the remarkable engineering feats made during the early and medieval periods. No other country did more in civil engineering, both as to scale and skill, than China. The book opens with an account of the road system, which compared favorably with that of the Roman Empire. Naturally, the Great Wall of China is covered in some detail within the social context of walls, which--more than any other structure--mark the basic features of Chinese communities. The Chinese genius for town planning and achievements in hydraulic engineering are covered in later chapters. This book provides many clues as to the influence of Chinese innovation on Western engineering trends and will fascinate readers who are interested in the history of science and Chinese civilization.
OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.
Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.
Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.
We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.
Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.
Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.