Review and prospect of metallurgical history research in China

(2) The rapid development of research on the history of metallurgy in China

In the mid-1970s, the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry set up the compilation group of the History of Metallurgy in China, organized experts from Beijing Institute of Iron and Steel, the Laboratory of Natural Science History of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Institute of Non-ferrous Metals to collect and sort out a batch of precious materials, which opened the era of systematic research and compilation of ancient Chinese metallurgical history by domestic scholars. He also published two books, "Metallurgy in Ancient China" and "A Brief History of Metallurgy in China". During this period, under the leadership of Professor Ke Jun, the Metallurgical History Group of Beijing Iron and Steel Institute worked closely with archaeologists, and a number of important research results were born one after another, such as "Discussion on the development of iron smelting technology in the early feudal society of China", "Analysis on the copper yue iron blade of the Gaocheng Shang Dynasty", "a preliminary study on iron smelting technology in the Han Dynasty of Henan", "Preliminary study on early Chinese copper ware".

A group photo of some members of the compilation group of the History of Metallurgy in China

Since then, the study of the combination of literature and cultural relics and archaeology has greatly promoted the research progress of the history of Chinese metallurgy, and the academic papers published have grown in a straight line, which can not be listed because of space constraints. A number of representative comprehensive academic works have been published, marking the gradual maturity of the study of Chinese metallurgical history. For example, Tian Changhu's "History of Metal Technology in China" (1987), Su Honor's "Ancient Metal Technology in China" (1995), Hua Jueming's "Ancient Metal Technology in China - Civilization created by Copper and Iron" (1999), Sun Shuyun's "Monograph on Ancient Chinese Metallurgical Technology" (2003), Han Rubin's "History of Science and Technology in China - Mining and Metallurgy" (2007) He Tangkun's History of Metal Smelting and Processing Engineering Technology in Ancient China (2009), Chen Jianjian's New Exploration of Ancient Chinese Metal Smelting Civilization (2014), etc.

At the same time, a number of thematic works have been published, reflecting the characteristics of a hundred flowers blooming. Among them, Zhang Zengqi's "History of Yunnan Metallurgy" (1980), Li Jinghua's "Research on Ancient Metallurgical Technology in Central China" (1994, 2003), Zhu Peijian's "Foshan Ming and Qing Dynasty Smelting and Casting" (2009), Li Xiaocen's "Research on Bronze Technology in Ancient Yunnan" (2011); In the history of non-ferrous metals, his English works include Mei Jianjun's Red Copper and Bronze Technology in Prehistoric Times in Xinjiang (2004) and Zhou Wenli's Large-scale Zinc Smelting Technology in Chongqing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2016). Chinese scholars include Liu Shizhong's Mining and Casting Technology in the Bronze Age of China (1997), Qian Wei's Bronzes of Prehistoric Times in Hami Region of Xinjiang and Their Relationship with Surrounding Areas (2006), and Chen Jianjian's Research on Pottery Casting Technology of Bronzes of Shang and Zhou Dynasties (2011). In the history of iron and steel, Jiang Maofa et al., "Annals of Chinese Iron Metallurgy" (2005); Baiyun Xiang, "Archaeological Research on Iron Ware in the Pre-Qin and Han Dynasties" (2005); Chen Jianjian et al., "Research on Iron and Steel Technology in the Middle Plains of Han and Jin Dynasties and Northern China" (2007); Huang Quansheng, "Investigation of ancient iron smelting sites and Slag Research in Guigang Area of Guangxi" (2011); In terms of methodological research, such as Lead isotope Archaeology: A Case study of bronzes in China and Vietnam by Cui Jianfeng et al. (2008) and Lead Isotope Archaeology in China by Kim Jung-yao (2008); In terms of traditional technology, such as the Complete Collection of Chinese Traditional Technology: Metal Technology (2005) by Tan Deli et al. In terms of economic history, Huang Qichen's History of Iron and Steel Production in China in the Fourteenth Century to the Seventeenth Century (1989) and Wang Lingling's Research on Mining and Metallurgy Industry in Song Dynasty (2005); In the history of coins, Zhou Weirong's Research on the Alloy Composition of Ancient Chinese Coins (2004), Scientific Research on Ancient Chinese Silver ingots (2016) and so on. Since the 1980s, the Institute of Metallurgy and Materials History of the University of Science and Technology Beijing has compiled and published five volumes of Essays on the History of Metallurgy in China, mainly collecting and sorting out papers on the history of metallurgy by teachers and students in the Institute. Essays by scholars of metallurgical history, such as Mohaji - Su Honor Self-Selected Works (2012), Mohaji - Han Rubin's Selected Works on Metallurgical History (2014), Attack Gold Collection - Sun Shuyun's Selected Works on Metallurgical Technology History (2015), Hua Jueming Self-Selected Works (2017), have also been published.