Born: 1768 (Anhui province, China)
Died: 1797
Biography:
Wang Zhenyi (simplified Chinese: 王贞仪; traditional Chinese: 王貞儀; pinyin: Wáng Zhēnyí; 1768–1797) was a Chinese scientist from the Qing dynasty. She breached the feudal customs of the time, which hindered women’s rights, by working to educate herself in subjects such as astronomy, mathematics, geography, and medicine. She was well known for her contributions in astronomy, mathematics, and poetry. She was an acclaimed scholar: An extraordinary woman of 18th century China.
Early Life and Family:
Wang’s ancestral home is in Anhui province, but her grandfather’s family moved to Jiangning or present-day Nanjing. She was very fond of reading when she was a child and was very clever. Her family consisted of her grandfather, grandmother, and her father. Her grandfather Wang Zhefu (王者辅), was a former governor of Fengchen county and Xuanhua District. He had a broad and profound intellect with a deep love for reading and had a collection of over seventy-five bookshelves. Her father Wang Xichen failed the imperial examination and instead studied medical science and recorded his findings in a four-volume collection called Yifang Yanchao (Collection of Medical Prescriptions).
Her grandmother’s maiden name was Dong. Her grandfather was her first teacher in astronomy; her grandmother was her teacher of poetry; and her father taught her medicine, geography, and mathematics. Wang Zhefu died in 1782 and the family traveled to Jiling (close to the Great Wall) for his funeral. They stayed in the region for five years, which is where Zhenyi gained extensive knowledge from reading her grandfather’s collection of books as well as learning equestrian skills, archery, and martial arts from the wife of a Mongolian general named Aa.
At the age of sixteen, Wang Zhenyi traveled south of the Yangtze river with her father until she moved back to the capital. She was able to see places like Shaanxi, Hubei, and Guangdong, broadening her horizons and enriching her experiences. When she was eighteen, she made friends with female scholars in Jiangning through her poetry and began focusing on her studies in astronomy and mathematics, most of which were self-taught. At age twenty-five, she married Zhan Mei from Xuancheng in Anhui province. After her marriage, she became better known for her poetry and knowledge in mathematics and astronomy, which she once taught to some male students. Wang Zhenyi died at age twenty-nine and had no children.
Academic Achievements:
Although she only lived to be twenty-nine, Wang Zhenyi was very accomplished in the academic world. She excelled in astronomy and mathematics. One of her contributions was being able to describe her views of celestial phenomena in her article, Dispute of the Procession of the Equinoxes. She was able to explain and simply prove how equinoxes move and then how celestial phenomena change over time. This article was groundbreaking at the time and demonstrated her deep understanding of astronomy.
Wang Zhenyi also made important discoveries in mathematics. She applied her knowledge of mathematics to solve practical problems, such as calculating the volume of spherical objects. She found a formula to accurately calculate this volume, which was later named after her.
In addition to her scientific achievements, Wang Zhenyi was also a talented poet. She wrote poetry that reflected her deep understanding of the natural world and her appreciation for the beauty of the universe. Her poems were widely admired and showcased her unique perspective as a female scientist and scholar.
Wang Zhenyi’s work and achievements were particularly remarkable considering the societal constraints placed on women during the Qing dynasty. She defied expectations and dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and making valuable contributions to the fields of astronomy and mathematics. She was a trailblazer for women’s rights and her accomplishments continue to inspire future generations.