Lio Tiziana. The Italian Sinologist and Mathematician Giovanni Vacca in China： A Contribution to the Understanding of Chinese Sciences in the West[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 67-79. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247404
Citation:
Lio Tiziana. The Italian Sinologist and Mathematician Giovanni Vacca in China： A Contribution to the Understanding of Chinese Sciences in the West[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 67-79. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247404
Lio Tiziana. The Italian Sinologist and Mathematician Giovanni Vacca in China： A Contribution to the Understanding of Chinese Sciences in the West[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 67-79. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247404
Citation:
Lio Tiziana. The Italian Sinologist and Mathematician Giovanni Vacca in China： A Contribution to the Understanding of Chinese Sciences in the West[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 67-79. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247404
Tiziana Lioi， also known by her Chinese name Di Xiana， received her Ph.D. from Sapienza University of Rome in 2012. Her research interests include comparative literature， the works of Qian Zhongshu， and Chinese language education. Since 2006， she has been teaching Chinese language and literature and is currently on the faculty at the International University of Rome （UNINT）. Her principal publications include Viaggio in Cina 1907/1908–Diary of Giovanni Vacca， L'Asino d'oro， Rome 2016； Introduzione alla scrittura cinese （Introduction to Chinese Writing）， Hoepli， Milan 2016； Qian Zhongshu in Others’ Words， National Central University Press， 2014； and her Italian translation of Qian Zhongshu’s Humans， Beasts， and Ghosts （Uomini Bestie Demoni）， Aracne， Rome 2013， among others.
In 1907， Italian mathematician Giovanni Vacca undertook a journey of profound historical significance from Genoa to China， with the aim of collecting ancient Chinese mathematical texts， investigating the history of Sino-Western scientific exchange， and presenting a more authentic and nuanced image of China， often misunderstood in the West. Over the course of this two-year expedition （1907–1908）， Vacca explored the unique characteristics of Chinese mathematics， conducted meticulous research on the binary system within the I Ching （Book of Changes）， and studied the development of ancient Chinese science and technology. Through comprehensive fieldwork and the collection of primary sources， he amassed a trove of firsthand materials， substantially enhancing Western perspectives on Chinese science and laying a valuable foundation for Sino-Italian cultural exchange.In 2016， Vacca’s travel journals and collected documents were published in Italy， providing contemporary scholars with an indispensable historical resource. This study not only highlights Vacca’s academic accomplishments and his position within Western Sinology， but also offers a thorough examination of his views on the constraints that limited scientific advancement in ancient China. Vacca contended that China’s scientific progress was hindered by a combination of geographic， historical， and cultural factors， most notably a lack of sustained interaction with external sources， which limited both innovation and the spread of scientific ideas. Yet he highly esteemed the unique contributions of traditional Chinese science， particularly in astronomy， mathematics， and medicine， which he saw as expressions of China’s rich cultural heritage and intellectual tradition.Vacca further suggested that while Chinese science diverged from the Western trajectory， this divergence allowed it to preserve distinct features that held complementary potential to Western scientific models. Serving as a crucial bridge between Western and Chinese scientific understanding， Vacca’s research established a solid foundation for future Sinological scholarship and intercultural scientific discourse， offering enduring insights into ancient scientific philosophy and methodologies.
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