Prof. Hans Ulrich Vogel, Chair for Chinese History and Society, Department of Chinese Studies, Tübingen University, and Prof. Zhang Baichun 张柏春, Center for Comparative Studies, Institute for the History of Natural Sciences (IHNS), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, have been generously granted an amount of ca. 200.000 € by the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion (SGCRP, Chinesisch-Deutsches Zentrum für Wissenschaftsförderung, 中德科学中心), Beijing . This grant is destined for the establishment of a Sino-German Mobility Programme dealing with the "Transfer of Technical and Scientific Knowledge between Europe and China during the Early Modern Period" (近代早期中欧技术科学知识的转移). Originally it was granted for the period 2020-2022, but due to the Covid crisis extended for another year until the end of 2023.
More...
Detailed Version of the Project Application

At this year’s 16th ICHSEA, which was held at Frankfurt University from 21 to 25August, numerous members and associates of our project presented and discussed their research results. Cao Jin 曹晉introduced the different phases, in which the production and application of nitric acid was introduced by Jesuits into China; Sabine Kink discussed the efficiency and potential of proposals for disaster relief included in the Taixi shuifa 泰西水法; Alexander Jost spoke about representations of the polar regions and polar phenomena in Chinese Jesuit geographic works; Han Qijin 韓奇金provided insights into the introduction of the European thermometer to the Kangxi court; Anna Strob’s topic was the reception and rejection of Aristotelian cosmology by Chinese scholars, while Jonas Schmidt demonstrated by the example of the Huogong qieyao 火攻挈要, how Jesuits involved into military matters during the late Ming period.
Moreover, it was excellent to see that partly with the support of the Sino-German Mobility Programme a large number of our Chinese colleagues could join the event and allowed us to continue the fruitful exchange which had commenced with our Beijing conference in spring 2019. These were Zhang Baichun 张柏春, Tian Miao 田淼, Zheng Cheng 郑诚, Huang Xing 黄兴, and Sun Chengsheng 孙承晟 (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Shi Yunli 石云里(University of Science and Technology of China), Shang Zhicong 尚智丛 (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Thierry Meynard (Sun Yat-sen University) and Han Qi 韩琦(Zhejiang University). The two panels organized by Cao Jin and Alexander Jost, in which most of our presentations took place, were well visited, and it was agreed that with the support of the journal Chinese Annals of History of Science and Technology a selection of research results will be published.
Special thanks go to Iwo Amelung from Frankfurt University, who did a wonderful job organizing this meeting together with his colleagues from Frankfurt Chinese Studies and offered us this great platform for academic exchange!
Panels and the abstracts of the individual lectures of the conference.

Upon receiving an invitation from Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Vogel at the University of Tübingen, I took this valuable opportunity and visited Germany from 3 to 26 August, 2023. This allowed me to visit several libraries and universities and to engage with many distinguished scholars in my field.
I began at the Staatsbibliothek in Berlin, making use of the extensive collections at the Max-Planck Institute. My research there predominantly focused on the European Jesuits and their work on science and technology during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. I also explored both individual scientific works and collective writings of European academics. These efforts facilitated insightful discussions with Dr. Martina Siebert of the Staatsbibliothek, Prof. Dr. Li Wenchao who is known for his work on Leibniz, and Prof. Dr. Dagmar Schafer of the Max-Planck Institute. In addition, I had an opportunity to visit Prof. Dr. Eberhard Knobloch of the Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and discussed with him the Jesuits’ contribution in Germany and the legacy of the Prussian Academy of Sciences.
On 15 August, my journey took me to Wurzburg University, where I met with Dr. Claudia von Collani, a key figure in the study of the Jesuit mission in China. We exchanged insights on the Jesuits and the transmission of European scientific knowledge to China. Apart from this, my time at Heidelberg University also proved valuable. Dr. Hanno Lecher introduced me to the Chinese resources in their library. This visit also enabled discussions with Prof. Dr. Joachim Kurtz who specializes in modern Chinese history, and Dr. Martin Hoffman. I also had a productive conversation with Prof. Dr. Andrea Breard of Erlangen University. Between 21 and 25 August, I attended the 16th International Conference on the History of Science in East Asia at the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, sharing with, and gaining knowledge from, international peers.
To conclude, this trip not only gave me access to a wealth of academic resources, but also broadened my understanding of research methods through various interactions with German scholars.

I am immensely pleased to have participated in, and benefited from, the Sino-German Mobility Programme, for which I applied some years ago. Over a 22-day visit in Germany, I explored research institutes and museums in Frankfurt, Tübingen, Stuttgart, Erlangen, and Berlin. During this time, I engaged in insightful academic discussions with esteemed German scholars, and in interactions that hold the promise of fostering greater academic cooperation and exchanges in the future.
In Frankfurt, I had the distinct privilege of talking with Prof. Iwo Amelung, the head of the Department of Sinology at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, and his dedicated team. Our discussions chiefly cantered on the influence of the Frankfurt School in China, a subject I often delve into during my lectures for doctoral students at my university in Hefei, China. Later in Tübingen, I attended the intriguing cultural event “Eine Traumreise aus China nach Tübingen: Festliche Vorstellung eines Imagefilm-Projekts” and enjoyed valuable academic interactions with fellow sinology scholars. It is worth noting that Mr. Philip Scherer visited me in Hefei shortly after my return to China. 
In Erlangen, my conversation with Prof. Michael Lackner was especially enlightening. I reported in detail on my distinctive method of employing the narrative of Western art for teaching the history of Western science and philosophy each year to a large number of doctoral students at my university in China. In Berlin, I visited several eminent museums, placing particular emphasis on exhibits that highlighted knowledge exchanges between China and the Middle East or Arab regions, which aligns with my ongoing research on knowledge exchanges between China and the ancient Iran. Moreover, given my past association as a Humboldt research fellow twenty years ago, a visit to both Humboldt University and the Humboldt Forum was a fitting homage, which further enriched my understanding of Humboldt’s profound influence on global education.
At the end of my report, I would like to express my profound gratitude for the unwavering support extended by this program. The knowledge acquired during this journey will undoubtedly inform and enhance my future teaching and research pursuits. My aim remains steadfast: to illuminate the minds of the next generation of Chinese scholars on the intricate tapestry of Western intellectual history and the history of East-West interactions.

In 2023, the Sino-German Mobility Program granted me the support for a three-week research visit to Germany. My stay during late July and August was primarily at the Department of Chinese Studies, University of Tübingen. Thanks to the collective efforts of Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Vogel, Prof. Dr. Achim Mittag and Mrs. Han Qijin, I took part in an academic gathering, where I shared insights from my study titled “Gewu qiongli zhi xue 格物穷理之学: ‘A Learning by Investigation’ from the late Ming to early Qing periods”. This occasion provided a vibrant floor for intellectual dialogues with scholars and students affiliated with the Department of Chinese Studies.
Further enriching this experience was my exploration of libraries and archives across German cities such as Berlin, Munich, Cologne, and Frankfurt, facilitated by the Sino-German Mobility Programme. This journey deepened my understanding of the knowledge and philosophical exchanges between China and Europe in the Early Modern Era and thus constitutes a milestone in my academic journey, for which I am truly thankful.
I must also convey my deep thanks to Prof. Dr. Zhang Baichun, Dr. Li Mingyang, and the team at the Sino-German Centre for Research Promotion for their trust and encouragement. I am enthusiastic about forthcoming collaborations and dialogues with scholars from both the West and China, exploring the intricacies of East-West historical interactions.

In 2019, the Sinology Department at University of Tübingen and the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences (IHNS) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences were honoured to receive a three-year grant to set up a Mobility Programme by the Sino-German Science Centre. After a first research visit at the beginning of 2020, my research travelling had to be interrupted due to the sudden outbreak of CoVid, a situation which impacted academic cooperation around the world deeply. Luckily, international travel is now returning to normal and the Mobility programme has been extended for another year. Therefore, I was fortunate enough to benefit from the project and spent four weeks from 29 June to 26 July 2023 in China for travel and academic activities.
In Beijing, at the invitation of the Institute of the History of Natural Sciences, I gave a presentation entitled “Jesuits and Qiangshui 强水 (Aqua fortis/ nitric acid) during the Ming and Qing Dynasties”, where I was able to discuss in depth with many colleagues the process of spreading and the impact of nitric acid, a new material introduced to China from the West during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and to speak about our research project departing from this topic. In addition, we discussed plans for the upcoming 16th International Conference on the History of Science in East Asia (ICHSEA) in Frankfurt in August, where two panels, “Knowledge Transfer between Europe and Ming-Qing China: Science” and “Knowledge Transfer between Europe and Ming-Qing China: Technology”, organised by Alexander Jost and myself, will be held. These two panels will feature 17 scholars presenting and discussing their respective research in this area, most of whom have been or will be supported by the Mobility Programme for their visit to China and Germany. 
In addition, I have also collected and researched historical materials at the First Historical Archives of China in Beijing, and at the Nanjing Library and Nantong University in Jiangsu Province, obtaining many valuable sources for my current research on the history of the Kunyu gezhi 坤輿格致 manuscript, the operation of the glassworks in the Qing Dynasty, and reed-land policy of Jianghuai, etc. My visits to the above institutions have also further deepened our academic cooperations.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Mobility Programme of the Sino-German Science Centre for facilitating my travel and stay in China. During my trips, I deeply felt the great impact of this programme on the exchange of visits and communication between Chinese and German scholars, as well as on the promotion of academic progress. Just as our research project focuses on the scientific and cultural exchanges between China and the West during the Ming and Qing dynasties, huitong 會通 (lit. to meet and to comprehend) is also indispensable for the current academic community and for our society as a whole.

As a participant in the Sino-German Mobility Program, I had the honour of spending several weeks in Germany to further my research on the topic of scientific exchange between China and Europe. My research journey began with two presentations in Bonn, stemming from my recent publication, The Stranger in the Middle: A Conceptual and Cultural-Historical Outline of China’s Spatial Conceptions in the Late Imperial Period (Vienna/Cologne: Böhlau 2023). This publication includes a detailed chapter on scientific exchange activities between China and Europe starting from the late sixteenth century.
On 22 June 2023, I was invited by the Institute Monumenta Serica in St. Augustin (Bonn) to present a lecture on “The Struggle for Clarity and Truth: The Nature and Role of Translations in the Transfer of Knowledge Between Europe and China from the 16th to the 18th Century”. On 26 June, I participated in an event at the Confucius Institute in Bonn, where a German professor from Jiaotong University in Shanghai shared insights on the recent developments in Chinese dialects. Thereafter on 28 June, Mr. Böttger, the owner of a bookshop in the centre of Bonn, invited me to discuss “China’s Historical Practice in Dealing with Foreign Countries” with a broader audience. 
Thanks to the invitation of Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Vogel and Prof. Dr. Achim Mittag, I had a productive stay at the University of Tübingen from 10 to 14 July. The Department of Chinese Studies invited me to present in two events held on 13 July: a session of translation exercise focusing on Feng Guifen’s text Cai Xixue yi (采西學議), and a lecture for Sinology students on China’s traditional mechanism acting as a global power.
Considering the challenges of personal academic exchanges between China and Germany in recent years, the German Association of Young Scholars in Chinese Studies invited me to a workshop titled “Social Practices in Contemporary Chinese Studies”. This workshop, held on 22 and 23 July in Iserlohn, allowed me to deliver a speech entitled “Current Developments of Research Conditions for International Scholars in the People’s Republic of China”.
Throughout my visits to Bonn, Tübingen, and Iserlohn, I engaged in meaningful discussions with prominent scholars and students about the development of scientific exchange. I also gained valuable advice for my future research and received updates on recent publications and institutional developments at several departments of Chinese studies such as in Heidelberg.
Finally, I would like to thank the organizers of the Sino-German Mobility Program, Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Vogel and Prof. Dr. Zhang Baichun, for offering me this opportunity, as well as to Prof. Dr. Achim Mittag and Mrs. Han Qijin in Tübingen. I also wish to thank Dr. Li Mingyang for his support from Beijing.

In early 2023, I had the privilege of receiving support from the Sino-German Mobility Programme, funded by the Sino-German Centre for Research Promotion (SGCRP), to conduct a 42-day research trip to China. During May and June 2023, I had the honour of being hosted by the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences (IHNS) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Zhang Baichun and Dr. Li Mingyang, the institute organized an academic exchange where I gave a presentation on “The Introduction and Application of European Thermometers in China between the Kangxi and Qianlong Reigns (1662-1796)” that is closely related to my ongoing research. This provided an excellent platform for fruitful discussions and the exchange of ideas with both professors and students from the IHNS.
In addition, with the support of the Sino-German Mobility Programme and the recommendation letters provided by the IHNS, I was able to conduct extensive research at libraries and archives in various locations, including Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai. These resources proved to be invaluable in expanding my understanding of the transfer of technical and scientific knowledge between Europe and China during the Early Modern Period. Looking back, I highly appreciate the research experience that enabled me to access relevant resources, and the academic exchange that allowed me to present my research findings to a knowledgeable audience. These experiences have greatly encouraged me to refine my ideas for my doctoral dissertation.
Herewith I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Vogel, Prof. Dr. Zhang Baichun, Dr. Li Mingyang, and the Sino-German Centre for Research Promotion for their support and the opportunity to be part of this programme. In the meantime, I look forward to future opportunities for similar activities, particularly considering the immense significance of scholarly interchange between Chinese and Western researchers in the field of the History of East-West Interaction, and yet the limited availability of platforms that can facilitate such exchange.

As a participant in the Sino-German Mobility Programme, I had the honor of spending several weeks in the People’s Republic of China to continue my research on the “Essentials of Firearms” (Huogong qieyao 火攻挈要), a work on gunpowder weapons completed by Jiao Xu 焦勗 and Johann Adam Schall von Bell in 1643.
The research trip began in Beijing, where I presented parts of my translation of the “Essentials of Firearms” at a talk organized by the Institute of the History of Natural Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IHNS) and received valuable feedback from researchers. The staff of the IHNS also helped to establish contact with the National Library, which allowed me to consult some of the Renaissance European works on military affairs in the Beitang Library collection and to search for marginalia by Jesuit authors. Further research in the rich collections of the National Library and the First Historical Archives of China complemented my stay in Beijing.
During my subsequent stay in Shanghai, I consulted the holdings of the Shanghai Library, and in particular its Zikawei (Xujiahui) branch. The latter contains eighteenth-century sources on the Jesuit mission in China as well as early twentieth-century research on the Jesuits in China that is otherwise difficult to access.
My next stop was the Hubei Provincial Library in Wuhan, which holds an early manuscript copy of the “Essentials of Firearms”. Thanks to the help of Dr Zheng Cheng of the IHNS, I was able to consult a microfilm copy which helped me to clarify some ambiguous passages in later versions of this treatise. It is to be hoped that the Library will publish a facsimile version of this important source in the future.
I would like to thank the organizers of the Sino-German Mobility Programme, Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Vogel and Prof. Dr. Zhang Baichun, for the opportunity to participate in this exchange and to carry out the fieldwork, as well as Dr. Li Mingyang for his support during my stay in China.