Shi Shen

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Shi Shen (Chinese: 石申; Wade-Giles: Shih Shen, fl. 4th century BC) was a Chinese astronomer and contemporary of Gan De born in the State of Wei, also known as the Master Shi Shen (Shi Shenfu) ^[1]. He is credited with positioning the 121 stars found in the preserved texts. He also made the earliest surviving undated record ^[2] of sunspot observation, which is sometimes erroneous credited to Gan De. He assumed that these spots were eclipses that began at the center of the sun and spread outward. Although he was wrong, he recognised the spots for what they were — solar phenomena. ^[3]

His works included the 8-volume Astronomy ^[4], the one-volume Celestial Map and the one-volume Star Catalogue of Shi ^[5]. The latter two are now believed to be written by his school followers. Most of his works did not survive intact, but a few of his crucial writings were preserved in the Treatise on Astrology of the Kaiyuan Era.

Shi Shen crater on the Moon is named after him.

[edit] Footnotes

^ There were variant courtesy name given to him; in Hanshu 30 his name was listed as Shi Shenfu (石申夫), Shi Shenfu (石申甫) as in Jiu Tangshu 51, and Shi Shenfu (石申父) under a commantary in Hou Hanshu 100. Though he was simply known as Shi Shen under Shiji 27.
^ The first dated record of sunspot came from Hanshu 27 which was observed on 10 May 28 BC.
^ Kaiyuan Zhanjing Vol. 6.
^ a.k.a. the Shi's Treatise on Stars.
^ Suishu 34 listed three of his works together, the Tianwen (天文), Huntian Tu (浑天图) and Shishi Xingbu Jingzan (石氏星簿经赞) a.k.a. Shishi Xingjing Buzan (石氏星经簿赞).

[edit] References

Du Shiran et al (1992). Biographies of Ancient Chinese Scientists Series One: Shi Shenfu. Beijing: Kexue Chubanshe, 22-25. ISBN 7-03-002926-7.
Zhu Genyi et al (1999). Concise Spotlight on Who in the World of Science and Technology. Beijing: Zhongguo Kexue Jishu Chubanshe, 2-3. ISBN 7-5046-2602-3.
Dick Teresi (2003). The Ancient Roots of Modern Science--from the Babylonians to the Maya. New York: Simon & Schuster, 148. ISBN 0-7432-4379-X.