Nathan Sivin

1.1. Early Life and Background

Nathan Sivin was born on May 11, 1931, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.

1.2. Education

Sivin's academic journey began with a strong foundation in language and science. From 1954 to 1956, he participated in an intensive 18-month Chinese language program at the U.S. Army Language School. He then pursued his undergraduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in humanities with a minor in chemistry in 1958. His academic focus shifted towards the history of science during his graduate studies at Harvard University, where he received his Master of Arts in the history of science in 1960, followed by his Doctor of Philosophy in the history of science in 1966. His doctoral research centered on the study of Sun Simiao's Taiqing Danjing Yaojue. Initially specializing in chemistry, he shifted his research focus to the history of science and philosophy at MIT. He also studied a wide range of subjects including anthropology, sociology, and astronomy. Later in his career, he was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree by the University of Pennsylvania.

1.3. Career

Sivin' dedicated his professional life to academia, holding significant positions at leading institutions. In 1966, he began his teaching career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an assistant professor of humanities. He was promoted to associate professor in 1969 and became a full professor in 1972, serving until 1977. That year, he transitioned to the University of Pennsylvania, where he became a professor specializing in Chinese culture and the history of science. He remained at the University of Pennsylvania until his retirement in 2006, leaving a lasting impact on his students, including notable scholars like Benjamin Elman. In recognition of his scholarly contributions, Sivin was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1977. Beyond his university roles, he also served as president of the Franklin Inn Club, a literary society in Philadelphia, from 1996 to 1998.

1.4. Personal Life

Nathan Sivin was married to the artist Carole Delmore Sivin, who passed away in 2020. For many years, they resided in Chestnut Hill, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

2.1. Major Research Areas

Sivin's primary fields of study encompassed a wide range of topics within Chinese intellectual history. His core research areas included the history of science and technology in China, particularly focusing on its unique developments and theoretical underpinnings. He extensively studied medicine in traditional China, exploring its philosophical foundations, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic practices. Furthermore, Sivin delved into Chinese philosophy and Chinese religious beliefs, analyzing their intricate connections with scientific thought and societal structures. He was widely regarded as a pivotal figure in advancing the scholarly study of these subjects in the Western academic community.

2.2. International Activities and Exchange

Sivin's commitment to global scholarship was evident in his extensive international activities and collaborative exchanges. He frequently studied abroad, enriching his understanding of Chinese culture and science. From October 1961 to August 1962, he engaged in intensive study of Chinese language and philosophy in Taipei, Taiwan. Following this, from August 1962 to March 1963, he conducted research on the history of Chinese alchemy in Singapore, where he also delivered guest lectures. Throughout the 1960s and 1980s, Sivin was a frequent visitor to Kyoto, Japan, serving as a visiting professor and conducting research at the Research Institute of Humanistic Studies, where he focused on Chinese astronomy, alchemy, and medicine. Between 1974 and 2000, he made numerous trips to Cambridge, England, to study Chinese astronomy, visiting institutions such as Gonville and Caius College, the Needham Research Institute, and St. John's College. From the late 1970s to the late 1990s, he traveled several times to the People's Republic of China for research. His international lecturing included seminars at the École Pratique des Hautes Études in Paris, France, in September 1979, and at the Sinologisches Seminar at the University of Würzburg in Germany in 1981.

2.3. Language Proficiency

Sivin's scholarly depth was significantly aided by his impressive multilingual abilities. He was proficient in several foreign languages, including Mandarin, Japanese, German, and French. This linguistic mastery allowed him direct access to primary source materials and facilitated direct collaboration with scholars from diverse linguistic backgrounds, greatly enhancing the breadth and accuracy of his research.

2.4. Academic Society Activities

Throughout his distinguished career, Nathan Sivin was an active and influential member of numerous learned societies and academic committees. His involvement included elective memberships in organizations such as the American Society for the Study of Religion, the Philomathean Society, the Académie Internationale d'Histoire des Sciences, and the T'ang Studies Society, among many others. These affiliations highlight his deep engagement with the broader scholarly community and his contributions to the advancement of various academic disciplines.

3.1. Major Works and Publications

Sivin authored, co-authored, and edited numerous books and articles that have become foundational texts in the study of Chinese science and culture. His works are characterized by their meticulous research, interdisciplinary approach, and profound insights.

Some of his significant publications include:

• 1968. Chinese Alchemy: Preliminary Studies. Harvard Monographs in the History of Science, 1. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• 1969. Cosmos and Computation in Early Chinese Mathematical Astronomy. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
• 1973. Chinese Science: Explorations of an Ancient Tradition. MIT East Asian Science Series, 2. Edited by Shigeru Nakayama & N.S. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
• 1977. Science and Technology in East Asia. Articles from Isis, 1913-1975. Selected and edited by N.S. New York: Science History Publications.
• 1979. Astronomy in Contemporary China. A Trip Report of the American Astronomy Delegation. By ten members of the Delegation. CSCPRC Reports, 7. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences.
• 1980. Science and Civilisation in China. Vol. 5, Part 4. Chemical Discovery. By Joseph Needham, Lu Gwei-djen, Ho Ping-yu, & N.S. Cambridge, England: At the University Press. Sivin contributed a section on the theoretical background of laboratory alchemy.
• 1984. Chūgoku no Kopernikusu (中国のコペルニクス_{Copernicus in China}^Japanese), translated by Shigeru Nakayama & Teruyo Ushiyama. Selected essays by N.S., 1. Tokyo: Shisakusha.
• 1985. Chūgoku no renkinjutsu to ijutsu (中国の錬金術と医術_{Chinese alchemy and medicine}^Japanese), translated by Nakayama & Ushiyama. Idem, 2.
• 1987. Traditional Medicine in Contemporary China. A Partial Translation of Revised Outline of Chinese Medicine (1972) with an Introductory Study on Change in Present-day and Early Medicine. Science, Medicine and Technology in East Asia, 2. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, Center for Chinese Studies.
• 1988. Contemporary Atlas of China. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Sivin served as Consulting Editor.
• 1989. Science and Medicine in Twentieth-Century China: Research and Education, edited by John Z. Bowers, William J. Hess, & N.S. Science, Medicine, and Technology in East Asia, 3. Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan.
• 1995. Science in Ancient China. Researches and Reflections. Variorum Collected Studies Series. Aldershot, Hants: Variorum.
• 1995. Medicine, Philosophy and Religion in Ancient China. Researches and Reflections. Variorum Collected Studies Series. Idem.
• 1996. History of Humanity. Scientific and Cultural Development. Vol. III. From the Seventh Century BC to the Seventh Century AD, edited by J. Herrmann & E. Zürcher. Paris: UNESCO. Sivin contributed integrated sections on science, medicine, and technology.
• 2000. Science and Civilisation in China. Vol. 6, pt. 6. Medicine. Edited and with an Introduction by N.S. Cambridge University Press.
• 2002. The Way and the Word. Science and Medicine in Early Greece and China (with G.E.R. Lloyd). Yale University Press.
• 2005. "A Multi-dimensional Approach to Research on Ancient Science". East Asian Science, Technology, and Medicine, no. 23. Temporary Publisher: 10-25.
• 2008. Granting the Seasons: The Chinese Astronomical Reform of 1280, With a Study of Its Many Dimensions and A Translation of Its Records. Springer.

In addition to his numerous publications, Sivin delivered over 200 lectures across Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America, sharing his expertise with a global audience.

3.2. Academic Awards and Prizes

Sivin's scholarly excellence was recognized through prestigious awards. In 2010, his monumental volume, Granting the Seasons: The Chinese Astronomical Reform of 1280, became the inaugural recipient of the Osterbrock Book Prize, awarded by the American Astronomical Society. Commenting on this achievement, Sivin stated, "I am not a historian of astronomy... but a generalist who has investigated all of the Chinese sciences and every period of Chinese history." He noted that the project, which he began in the 1970s, highlighted the remarkable scale and lavish funding provided by the thirteenth-century Chinese government for mathematical astronomy, a stark contrast to the limited support for such endeavors in Europe before modern times.

3.3. Ongoing Research

In the final years of his life, Nathan Sivin continued to pursue ambitious research projects. These included working on a biography of Shen Kuo, the renowned Song dynasty polymath scientist. He was also engaged in translating into English a significant Yuan dynasty calendrical treatise published in 1279 AD, known as the Season-Granting, which is considered a hallmark of Chinese mathematical astronomy.

4.1. Academic Evaluation

Sivin was widely regarded by his colleagues and scholars as a "key player" in the development of the scholarly study of Chinese science and culture in the Western world. His meticulous research, broad intellectual curiosity, and ability to synthesize complex information across various disciplines earned him immense respect. He was particularly lauded for his pioneering work in areas like traditional Chinese medicine and alchemy, which had previously received less rigorous academic attention in the West. His collaborative spirit, notably with prominent scholars such as G.E.R. Lloyd, A.C. Graham, and Joseph Needham, further cemented his reputation as a central figure in the field.

4.2. Impact on Posterity

Sivin's influence extends far beyond his direct publications. He actively "nurtured younger" scholars, guiding and inspiring a new generation of sinologists and historians of science. His former students, such as Benjamin Elman, have gone on to make significant contributions, carrying forward the rigorous and expansive approach to scholarship that Sivin exemplified. By emphasizing the interconnectedness of science, philosophy, and religion in China, he encouraged a holistic understanding of Chinese intellectual history, moving beyond a purely Eurocentric perspective. His work laid the groundwork for a more nuanced and comprehensive global history of science, ensuring that the rich scientific heritage of China received the attention and analysis it deserved. The translation of his essays into Japanese also demonstrates the international reach and lasting relevance of his scholarship.