Top of page

Book/Printed Material Kao gong ji yao 考工記要

[ Volume 1 ]

More Resources

[ Volume 2 ]
[ Volume 3 ]

About this Item

Title

  • Kao gong ji yao

Other Title

  • 考工記要

Translated Title

  • Essentials on Industrial Technology

Summary

  • Kao gong ji yao (Essentials on industrial technology) has no title page. The heading at the front of Juan 1 reads: "Kao gong ji yao, written by Matisheng of England; translated by Fu Lanya of England and Zhong Tianwei of Huating; edited by Wang Zhensheng of Liuhe." At the beginning is a preface written by the author in London, on June 1, 1881, which was the seventh year of the Guangxu reign of Qing emperor Dezong. The script at the end of each juan reads: "illustrated by Zhao Hong of Yanghu; proofread by Shen Shanzheng of Tongxiang." "Matisheng" is Ewing Matheson (1840-1917), a British civil engineer. "Fu Lanya" is John Fryer (1839-1928), who was born in England and, after graduating from university in 1861, taught English in China and was the editor of Chinese newspapers. In 1868 he became a translator at the Translation Department of Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau in Shanghai and worked there for 28 years. In 1896 he was appointed a professor at the Department of Eastern Languages and Literatures, University of California, and later became an American citizen. Fryer's collaborator, Zhong Tianwei (1840-1900), was a renowned translator during the Qing dynasty. He was appointed a translator in 1881 at the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau. The work has 17 juan in eight stitch-bound volumes, each with illustrations. At the end are photographic plates, for a total of 195 illustrations. This work is a second volume of the author's 1878 work, Gong cheng zhi fu lun lue (Aid book to engineering enterprise), originally published in London and New York, which focused on essential issues relating to public works and engineering projects, including cost estimates. This volume was intended to complement the earlier one. The book discusses the equipment and materials necessary for various engineering projects, methods of writing contracts and agreements, and specifications on format, size and color of machines, and materials to be acquired. The preface, table of contents, and Juan 1-2 are presented here.

Names

  • Fryer, John, 1839-1928 Translator
  • Matheson, Ewing, 1840-1917 Author
  • Shen, Shanzheng Editor
  • Wang, Zhensheng Editor
  • Zhao, Hong Illustrator
  • Zhong, Tianwei, 1840-1900 Translator

Created / Published

  • Shanghai : Shanghai Bureau of Machine Manufacture, 1881.

Headings

  • -  China
  • -  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland--England
  • -  1878
  • -  Engineering
  • -  Machinery

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource at: National Central Library.
  • -  Content in Chinese.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.
  • -  Title revised per Asian Division.--cc28 2023-01-06

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021666468

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Fryer, John, Translator, Ewing Matheson, Shanzheng Editor Shen, Zhensheng Editor Wang, Hong Illustrator Zhao, and Tianwei Zhong. Kao Gong Ji Yao. Shanghai: Shanghai Bureau of Machine Manufacture, 1881. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666468/.

APA citation style:

Fryer, J., Matheson, E., Shen, S. E., Wang, Z. E., Zhao, H. I. & Zhong, T. (1881) Kao Gong Ji Yao. Shanghai: Shanghai Bureau of Machine Manufacture. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666468/.

MLA citation style:

Fryer, John, Translator, et al. Kao Gong Ji Yao. Shanghai: Shanghai Bureau of Machine Manufacture, 1881. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021666468/>.