 On the grounds of the Beijing Ancient Observatory with a bronze bust of the astronomer and mathematicianGuo Shoujing in the foreground. | |
| Location | Jianguomen Subdistrict,Dongcheng,Beijing, PRC |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°54′22″N116°25′41″E / 39.9061°N 116.4281°E /39.9061; 116.4281 |
| Website | www |
  Location of Beijing Ancient Observatory | |
 Related media on Commons | |
TheBeijing Ancient Observatory (traditional Chinese:北京古觀象臺;simplified Chinese:北京古观象台;pinyin:Běijīng Gǔ Guānxiàngtái) is apretelescopicobservatory located inBeijing,China. The observatory was built in 1442 during theMing dynasty, and expanded during theQing. It received major reorganization and many new, more accurate instruments from Europeans (Jesuits) in 1644.
As one of the oldestobservatories in the world, the Beijing Ancient Observatory grounds cover an area of 10,000 square meters. The observatory itself is located on a 40 by 40 metres (130 ft × 130 ft) wide platform on the top of a 15 m (49 feet) tall brick tower, an extant portion of the oldMing dynasty eracity wall that once encircled Beijing. Several of thebronzeastronomical instruments are on the platform, and otherarmillary spheres,sundials, and other instruments are located nearby at ground level.[1] It is operated as a museum in affiliation with theBeijing Planetarium.
It was said that in 1227, the Jin dynasty transferred the ancient astronomical instruments from Kaifeng to the first observatory in Beijing. In 1279, thesucceeding Mongols underKublai Khan built a new observatory just north of the current observatory. Kublai Khan made his chief adviser of hydraulics, mathematics and astronomy,Guo Shoujing, director of the observatory in 1283 after the death of Guo's friend and predecessor Zhang Wenqian.[2] After the Mongols,Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding Ming Emperor, transferred the instruments from Beijing toNanjing. When the Yongle Emperor came to power, he had craftsmen make copies of the instruments in Nanjing and sent them to the Beijing observatory.
The current observatory was completed in 1442. It assisted the Ming and Qing astronomers in their observation reports for the Emperor. As he was considered the "Son of Heaven", the movements of the heavenly bodies were an important affair. Another function was to assist sea navigation, with Muslim scholars recruited for their expertise in the area.[citation needed] In the mid-17th century, after winning an astronomy contest, theJesuitFerdinand Verbiest was awarded complete charge of the astronomy observatory by the emperor. In 1673, he supervised the rebuilding of some of the instruments. He and otherJesuits helped to further develop the observations of the stars and the planets.
During the later stages of the Qing dynasty, members of theEight-Nation Alliance looted some of the instruments. However, asWorld War I drew to a close, the instruments were returned toChina by theFrench andGerman governments. An earlyseismograph ofZhang Heng's design used to be housed at the observatory. Some of the instruments from the Ming era are now atPurple Mountain Observatory inNanjing.[3][4]
The Beijing Ancient Observatory is located just south ofJianguomen inDongcheng District and can be accessed byLines 1 and2 of theBeijing Subway toJianguomen station (Exit C) andbus routes 25, 39, 43, 44, 52, 122, 434, 637, 638, 750 and 特2 to Jianguomen South (建国门桥南). TheBeijing railway station and theMing City Wall Relics Park are a short walk to the south.
