Flora Sinensis
Encyclopedia
Flora Sinensis is one of the first European natural history books about China, published in Vienna in 1656
. Its author, Michael Boym, was a Jesuit missionary from Poland (at that time Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth).
The book was the first description of an ecosystem of the Far East published in Europe. Boym underlined the medicinal properties of the Chinese plants. Interestingly, the book also included pleas for support of the Catholic Chinese emperor and each page contained a chronogram pointing to the date of 1655, the date of coronation of Emperor Leopold I
as the King of Hungary, as Boym wanted to gain support of that monarch for his mission.
It is said that the Flora Sinensis was the first book that used the name "Flora
" in this meaning, a book covering the plant world of a region. However, despite its title the book covered not only plants, it obviously includes some species that are neither plants nor Chinese.
1656 in science
The year 1656 in science and technology involved some significant events.-Botany:* Publication in Vienna of Michał Boym's Flora Sinensis, the first book that uses the name "Flora" in this meaning, a book covering the plant world of a region....
. Its author, Michael Boym, was a Jesuit missionary from Poland (at that time Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth).
The book was the first description of an ecosystem of the Far East published in Europe. Boym underlined the medicinal properties of the Chinese plants. Interestingly, the book also included pleas for support of the Catholic Chinese emperor and each page contained a chronogram pointing to the date of 1655, the date of coronation of Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
as the King of Hungary, as Boym wanted to gain support of that monarch for his mission.
It is said that the Flora Sinensis was the first book that used the name "Flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
" in this meaning, a book covering the plant world of a region. However, despite its title the book covered not only plants, it obviously includes some species that are neither plants nor Chinese.
External links
- Bibliothèque Universtaire Moretus Plantin (access to the facsimile of the book, its French translation, and an article about it)