Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 13: The time and year of the stems and branches

Not knowing why the emperor sighed, Yu Huang said carefully:

"If it were changed to ninety-six quarters a day, people today might have misunderstandings when reading ancient books."

"Folk sundials and cleats must also be remade."

"It's better to follow His Majesty's instructions and no longer use the quarter when using the self-ringing bell."

Zhu Youjian nodded, feeling that this was indeed the case. It can be predicted that for a long time, sundials and chronographs will still be the main timekeeping tools among the people. If you force the private sector to make changes in order to comply with the hourly system, your reputation will definitely be damaged.

It is better to follow what was said before and no longer use the quarter when using the self-ringing bell.

Judging from the experience of later generations, after the popularity of clocks and watches, the unit of engraving has been rarely used.

People talk about what time it is, not what time it is.

Just leave it out and let the moment still match the hour system.

Yu Huang was extremely excited when his idea was approved by the emperor. He believed that the new emperor could understand Yayan's words and was a wise master.

Thinking of what he had read in history books, Yu Huang added:
"In fact, it is difficult to correspond to the 12 hours of a day and the 100 hours. During the reign of Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty, he changed the 100 hours to 120 hours according to Gan Zhongke's theory."

"Hundred times correspond to ten o'clock. The "Sui Book" records the following: Daytime has Chao, Yu, Zhong, Asr, and Xi. Night has A, B, C, Ding, and Wu."

"This is ten hours and one hundred moments. The so-called fifth watch now comes from A night, B night, Bing night, Ding night, and Wu night. The watch is also based on the scale of the clepsydra, and the so-called watch is the leak."

Listening to Yu Huang's introduction, Zhu Youjian was thoughtful and thought of the heavenly stems corresponding to the earthly branches.

If we say that the twelve-hour system of Zichou, Yinmao, Chen, Siwu, Youxuhai, is called the Earthly Branches Time System.

As long as the "Chao Yu Zhong Han Xi" after A, B, Bing, Ding and Wu are replaced by "Ji Geng Xin Ren Gui", it will be the way to keep track of time.

In conjunction with the Hundred Moments a Day, it should be the Heavenly Stem Timekeeping Method. Correspondence at all times, more simple and clear.

The benefits of the decimal system in mathematics are obvious. When timing tools improve in the future, maybe minutes, centimeters, and milliseconds will be developed like the decimal system of minutes, seconds, centiseconds, and milliseconds.

Therefore, there is no need to change it at all, and it can be kept for future development. There is no need to change it to ninety-six quarters like the Qing Dynasty did.

After thinking about this, Zhu Youjian completely gave up his plan to change the moment. He also introduced to Yu Huang the relationship between the twenty-four-hour clock and the twelve hours.

This is easy to understand, because in the Song Dynasty, one hour developed into two hours: Chu and Zheng. If the sub hour corresponds to 23 o'clock to 1 o'clock the next day, then the sub hour corresponds to 23 o'clock to 0 o'clock, and the sub hour corresponds to 0 o'clock to 1 o'clock. It is very easy to switch.

In a short while, Yu Huang mastered the twenty-four-hour clock and wrote out the corresponding relationships.

Zhu Youjian praised this and asked him to write an article introducing the twenty-four-hour clock, as well as units such as hours, minutes and seconds. He also said to Wang Guotai:
"From now on, the palace will use the twenty-four-hour clock. Just look at the chiming clock to tell the time clearly."

"Time is more precise than hours and hours."

Just at this time, the young eunuch who went to inquire about the status of the self-ringing bell came back, brought a self-ringing bell, and reported back:

"After Matteo Ricci met with him, he taught the craftsmen in the palace his skills."

“Not only did I write names on the components of the chiming clock, but I also repeatedly disassembled and assembled them to demonstrate how to operate them.”

"The craftsmen in the palace can repair it, and the chiming bell can still be used."

Zhu Youjian was overjoyed when he heard this and said:

"Reward the craftsman who knows how to repair!"

"If you can imitate it, I will reward you greatly."

As he spoke, he remembered that this chiming clock was a product decades ago, and there might be better ones in the West now, and he added:

"Order officials and merchants along the coast to collect better clocks."

"Whether it's a desk clock that can keep time more accurately or a pocket watch that can be put in your arms, we have to collect them."

"Let Qin Tianjian send people to learn the manufacturing process. If the conditions are ripe, I will build a bell tower to tell the time to the whole city." Hearing that Zhu Youjian was going to build a lot of construction because of a clock, Yu Huang hurriedly advised:

"Your Majesty must not indulge in miraculous skills or build wonders to harm the country!"

Zhu Youjian frowned when he heard this, but he had to say seriously:

"This is not a miraculous trick, nor is it a spectacle that derails the country."

"For Qin Tianjian, precise time can better record the stars and formulate a more accurate calendar."

"And every household has a clock, or a clock tower can be used instead of the clock, which will save a lot of manpower."

"The minister will be more precise when he goes to court, so you don't have to worry about missing the time."

As he spoke, he pointed at the living room and said:

"In the future, when ministers have an audience, they must record the time."

"Whether it is ten minutes or twenty minutes, it must be recorded accurately."

"I only have twenty-four hours in a day, not compared to so many ministers. Everyone has twenty-four hours."

“Only by using accurate time can we allocate time better.”

Yu Huang gave a remonstrance because of his status. When the emperor gave the reason, he immediately stopped saying anything.

Zhu Youjian was relieved when he saw this, but he remembered this lesson. When deciding what to do in the future, let your ministers suggest it in advance, so as not to be criticized by your ministers if you propose it yourself.

Thinking like this, Zhu Youjian didn't want to say anything else. But now that the matter has come to this, he cannot give up halfway and leave the impression that he does not like to give advice. I can only continue:
"Besides, when it comes to chronology, you can't just write the emperor's reign name, as it will be inconvenient to calculate."

"Let me ask you first, when was Zhang Juzheng born, when did he die, and how old was he?"

Yu Huang calculated hurriedly, and after a while, he replied seriously:
"Zhang Juzheng was born in the fourth year of Jiajing and died of illness in the tenth year of Wanli at the age of fifty-eight."

"The fourth year of Jiajing is the year of Yiyou, and the tenth year of Wanli is the year of Renwu. From Yiyou to Renwu, it is exactly fifty-eight. There is only one Jiazi between Guiwei and Jiashen."

Nodding slightly, Zhu Youjian nodded in approval of Yu Huang's method of not using era names but using stem and branch chronological calculations, but he still said:

"Look at this calculation, you need to remember clearly the stems and branches corresponding to the year number, and you also need to calculate the order of the stems and branches."

"It can be said to be very troublesome and not intuitive at all."

"Nowadays, the Christian Era has been introduced to the West. The fourth year of Jiajing corresponds to 1525 AD, and the tenth year of Wanli corresponds to 1582 AD."

"How much time does it take to calculate Zhang Juzheng's age based on this?"

After staying for a while, Yu Huang knew that he could calculate it without thinking as long as he knew how to count. Unlike the zodiac calendar, it requires careful consideration.

After discovering the convenience and combining it with what Zhu Youjian said, Yu Huang was startled and hurriedly advised:
"Since ancient times, emperors have ruled the world, and they have always lived in China to control the barbarians, and the barbarians have lived outside to serve China. It has never been heard of the barbarians living in China to control the world."

"Your Majesty, this is the message of Taizu Fengtian to challenge the Yuan Dynasty and the Northern Expedition. Your Majesty must not use the Christian Era just because the Western Yuan Dynasty is simple!"

Also shocked, Zhu Youjian suddenly recited the Northern Expedition proclamation without expecting that Yu Huang said it well. Seeing his huge reaction, Zhu Youjian hurriedly explained:
"When did I say we should use Western dollars?"

"I want you to refer to the Western Yuan and formulate an era to be used together with the stems, branches, and year names."

"Lest anyone in the future find it convenient to replace the stems, branches, and year names with the Western Yuan."

　"History of the Ming Dynasty": (Twenty-eighth year of Wanli period) Matteo Ricci entered Fangwu in the Atlantic Ocean.

　　During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, Westerners such as Matteo Ricci entered China and became proficient in astronomy and calendrical calculations.

　　During the Wanli period, the Westerner Matteo Ricci made the armillary sphere, celestial sphere, earth and other instruments.

　　Xu Guangqi, courtesy name Zixian, was born in Shanghai. In the 25th year of Wanli's reign, he ranked first in the provincial examination and became a Jinshi in another seven years. Praise by Shuji Shili. He learned astronomy, calendaring, and firearms from the Westerner Matteo Ricci, and used his skills to the fullest. Then he studied various books on military aircraft, farming, salt policy, and water conservancy.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)