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Jamal al-Din

Type Figure Region China Time 1200–1307 Also known as Jamal al-Din、Jamal al-Din Muhammad、扎马鲁丁、Zhamaluddin、回回天文学家

Jamal al-Din (13th century), a Muslim astronomer and mathematician from Bukhara in the Western Regions, summoned to the Yuan court under Kublai Khan …

Timeline

  1. 1200–1260Bukhara · BukharaJamal al-Din was born or raised in Bukhara in Central Asia, mastering Arabic-Persian astronomy and mathematics and the computation of the Huihui calendar. After the Mongol conquests, ties between the Western Regions and the Central Plains strengthened, laying the foundation for his later journey to China.
  2. 1263–1276Dadu · DaduAfter Kublai Khan's accession, he summoned Jamal al-Din to court and appointed him to direct astronomical and calendrical affairs. He introduced Arabic astronomical instruments, participated in building the Dadu observatory, collaborated with Central Plains astronomers such as Guo Shoujing, and promoted the parallel use of the Huihui calendar and the Shoushi calendar.
  3. 1276–1307Dadu · DaduJamal al-Din led the revision of the Huihui calendar and compiled works such as the Wannian li; his astronomical observations and computational methods were adopted by the official Yuan calendrical system. His scholarly lineage influenced later Yuan-dynasty Muslim astronomers, becoming an important bridge for astronomical exchange between China and the West.

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