Di Sue Xu Zhi 地學須知 [Essentials of Geology] Shanghai, 1883

6 leaves of plates containing 50 figures. One volume, Orig wrappers, small 8vo (19.6 × 13 cm), 26 leaves. 光緒9年, Shanghai, 1883.

An early introductory work on geology compiled by John Fryer for the Jiangnan Arsenal’s scientific education program. The 50 figures on the six preliminary plates depict geological strata and the fossils of animals, plants, and insects found within them, as well as prehistoric stone tools associated with early human activity.

The text is organized into six concise chapters, covering: general geological conditions, igneous rocks, strata containing ancient fossils, strata containing middle-period fossils, strata containing more recent fossils, and a concluding summary. Designed for use in new-style schools and technical institutions, the work provided one of the earliest structured introductions to geological science in Chinese and contributed to the development of modern scientific vocabulary and pedagogy in the late Qing period.

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