ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

A Brief Discussion on the Composition and Evolution of Ancient Inorganic Material Processing Technologies

• In Event: The Evolution of Science and Technology in China: Tradition and Modernity in a Global Perspective 1

English Abstract

Before the Industrial Revolution, the technological systems of human societies were fundamentally based on material processing technologies. These primarily included the working of stone (including jade), the firing of pottery and porcelain, metal casting, and metal forging. These processes were achieved using two fundamental means: force and heat. Stone working can be viewed as a process where natural forces first achieved additive formation (creating rock), followed by human subtractive processing. Pottery and porcelain can be understood as processes where natural weathering first caused subtractive breakdown, followed by human shaping using water (forming), and finally fixing the form using fire (firing), resulting in an additive product. Metal casting, compared to ceramic firing, added the step of smelting. It adopted a sequence of heating first and forming later. Crucially, it involved efforts to lower melting points and increase furnace temperatures to achieve casting. Metal forging evolved from stone working. It first used heat to enhance the material's plasticity, then applied force to shape it. This was complemented by techniques like quenching, annealing, and tempering to regulate material properties at the crystalline level. Throughout the development of material technologies, an organic, holistic, and comprehensive technological perspective emerged. Guided by the concept of "Harmony" (和 He), it employed harmonious approaches and means to achieve the ultimate goal of harmony.

Author

• Xing Huang