The Meticulous Development and Expansive Scope of the "Science and Civilisation in China" Volumes

Key Insight

The initial plan for seven 'heavenly' volumes rapidly expanded beyond control, with almost every major heading of knowledge generating countless divisions and subdivisions. This necessitated the creation of numerous 'earthly' subsidiary volumes, each massive and complex enough to become a standalone work, leading to an elephantine gestation period for the entire project and challenging the aim of comfortably readable book sizes.

Volume II, initially intended to cover Chinese philosophical approaches to science, exemplifies this expansion. By 1954, its scope broadened immensely, eventually reaching almost 700 pages upon its 1956 publication. It meticulously detailed Confucianism and Daoism, including essays on 'Scapulamancy and Milfoil Lots,' 'Oneiromancy,' and even seven pages on 'Tantric Sexual Techniques,' which referenced tenth-century Daoist manuscripts like 'The Book of the Mystery-Penetrating Master' to reassure men about sexual continence and challenge celibacy.

Volume IV, Part 3, 'Civil Engineering and Nautics,' published in 1971 after fifteen years of work, is considered a prime example of the project's meticulous craft. It elegantly transitioned from stone-based civil engineering (roads, walls, bridges) to water-and-stone integrations (canals), concluding with pure nautics (ships, navigation, propulsion, steering, and 'techniques of peace and war,' including anchors, grappling irons, and armor plating). This volume, a collaboration of a 'holy trinity' of researchers, relied on vast, diverse material, from articles on coracles to ancient scroll paintings, showcasing an unparalleled depth of detail.