本书的著者李约瑟博士是一位国际间知名的生物化学家及科学史家。他在英国剑桥大学讲授与研究生物化学多年。约二十几年前,他开使对于中国古代的科学与技术发生兴趣,于是开始学习中文,并搜集资料。在1942—1946年,他受英国政府的委托,在重庆办理中英两国间的文化与科学合作。这项工作使他有机会旅行中国各地,并搜集更多的资料,以进行中国科学与技术史的研究。他回国后,在王铃先生协助下, Dr. Joseph Needham is an internationally renowned biochemist and historian of science. He teaches and studies biochemistry at the University of Cambridge in England for many years. About twenty years ago, he started to make interest in science and technology in ancient China and began to learn Chinese and collect information. From 1942 to 1946, he was entrusted by the British government to handle the cultural and scientific cooperation between China and Britain in Chongqing. This work gave him the opportunity to travel all over China and collect more information for the study of the history of science and technology in China. After he returned to China, with the help of Mr. Wang Ling,