Lu Ban
Encyclopedia
Lu Ban (507–440 BC) was a Chinese
carpenter, engineer, philosopher, inventor, military thinker, statesman and contemporary of Mozi
, born in the State of Lu, and is the patron Saint
of Chinese builders and contractors. He was born in a renowned family during the Spring and Autumn Period when China was suffering from the chaos of civic wars between kingdoms. His original name was Gongshu Yizhi . He was also known as Gongshu Ban (公輸班), Kungshu Pen (公輸般) and Kungshu Pun (公輸盘). But he was more commonly known as Lu Ban.
Lu Ban is well notable for his achievements after his subject to the State of Chu.
According to the tradition, he was responsible for several inventions as seen on Mozi chapter 49 and 50:
There were also others inventions that contributed to him, such as lifting implement for burial, wooden horse carriage and coachman, and some other woodworking that can be see from various texts which thereafter led Lu Ban to be acknowledged as the master craftsman:
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
carpenter, engineer, philosopher, inventor, military thinker, statesman and contemporary of Mozi
Mozi
Mozi |Lat.]] as Micius, ca. 470 BC – ca. 391 BC), original name Mo Di , was a Chinese philosopher during the Hundred Schools of Thought period . Born in Tengzhou, Shandong Province, China, he founded the school of Mohism, and argued strongly against Confucianism and Daoism...
, born in the State of Lu, and is the patron Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of Chinese builders and contractors. He was born in a renowned family during the Spring and Autumn Period when China was suffering from the chaos of civic wars between kingdoms. His original name was Gongshu Yizhi . He was also known as Gongshu Ban (公輸班), Kungshu Pen (公輸般) and Kungshu Pun (公輸盘). But he was more commonly known as Lu Ban.
Lu Ban is well notable for his achievements after his subject to the State of Chu.
According to the tradition, he was responsible for several inventions as seen on Mozi chapter 49 and 50:
- Cloud ladder – a mobile counterweighted siege ladder.
- Grappling hooks and ram – boat implements used during on a naval warfare.
- Wooden bird – a non-powered flying wooden bird which could stay in the air for three days, and had been suggested to be a proto-kite.
There were also others inventions that contributed to him, such as lifting implement for burial, wooden horse carriage and coachman, and some other woodworking that can be see from various texts which thereafter led Lu Ban to be acknowledged as the master craftsman:
- The Book of Lineages (世本), written in about 3rd century BC.
- The Tales of the Marvellous (述异记), written in about 5th century by Ren Fang.
- The Records of Origin on Things and Affairs (事物纪原), written in about 11th century by Gao Cheng.
- The Origin on Things (物原), written in about 15th century by Luo Qi.
- The Treatise of Lu Ban (鲁班经), an attributed texts to Lu Ban written between 13th to 15th century.
External links
- A Restoration of Lu-Ban's Wooden Horse Carriage (PDF)
- Mozi (Chinese text and Mei translation) - Chinese Text ProjectChinese Text ProjectThe Chinese Text Project is a digital library project that assembles collections of early Chinese texts. The name of the project in Chinese literally means "The Digitization Project of Chinese Philosophy Books", showing its focus on books related to Chinese philosophy...