康熙：最博学的帝王（下）
有时他亲自用几何方法测量距离，山的高度和池塘的宽度。他自己定位，调整各种仪器，精确地计算。然后他再让别人测量距离。当他看到他计算的结果和别人测量的数据相符合，他就十分高兴。对从法国带来的科技仪器，白晋说康熙“最喜欢的是用于观察天体的双筒望远镜、两座挂钟、水平仪，这种仪器精确度很高，他让把这些仪器摆放在自己的房间里。”他“把著直尺和圆规爱不释手”。
在法国巴黎凡尔赛宫2003年曾举办了“康熙大帝展”，展出故宫珍藏的康熙年间西洋科学仪器，至今仍运转自如，光彩耀人。这些展品主要有：（1）手摇计算机。世界上第一台手摇计算机是法国科学家巴斯如于1642年制造的。故宫博物院收藏10台手摇计算机，都是康熙年间制作，能进行加减乘除运算。（2）铜镀金比例规。原是伽利略发明的计算工具，可以进行乘、除、开平方等各种计算。康熙的比例规增加平分、正弦等不同的计算。（3）康熙角尺：尺上镌刻有“康熙御制”四个字。（4）平面和立体几何模型，全部由楠木精制，是清宫造办处为康熙学习几何学所制作的教具。（5）绘图仪。质地有银、木、漆、鲨鱼皮等，每套6至20余件不等。盒内装有比例规、半圆仪、分厘尺、假数尺、两脚规、鸭嘴笔等。为适用野外作业，有的还配有刀子、剪子、铅笔、火镰、放大镜、黑板、画棒等。这类仪器是康熙时期清宫造办处仿照西洋绘图仪器制作的，用于野外绘图。（6）御制简平地平合璧仪：它是集简平仪、地平仪、罗盘、象限仪、矩度为一仪的多功能测量仪器，携带方便，具有适合野外作业的特点。它共分六层，由清宫内务府造办处制造。
白晋、张诚之后，又陆续有不少西方科学家来到清宫。他们最大的成绩，莫过于促使康熙创建了被他们称为“中国科学院”的蒙养斋算学馆，和促使康熙实施了中国地理大测绘这一伟大创举。
康熙组织的这次地理大测绘，对世界地理学的贡献不容低估。法国科学家们也因此而有机会到中国各地考查，在其他方面的收获也相当大。康熙四十八年（1709年），杜德美参加了赴东北的勘测队。他在长白山见到采参的情况后，把参的性能、产地、采集、保存等等，写成文字、绘出图样寄回法国发表。没想到4年后，另一位法国科学家参照杜德美有关人参的文章，在加拿大与长白山纬度相近的魁北克一带，也发现了相似的参。它产于西洋，就有了“西洋参”这个名字。
At times, Emperor Kangxi applied geometry methods to calculate distance, the height of mountains, as well as the width of the lake. He set everything up by himself and did everything with precise calculations. After that, he would ask others to calculate the distance and if they had the same answer as his, he would be extremely elated."
In regards to the scientific equipment imported from the West, Joachim Bouvet said, "Emperor Kangxi loved the binoculars, two wall clocks and a leveler -- most of this equipment was made with high precision. All of this equipment was placed in his own chamber. He also liked the straightedge and compass very much."
In 2003, the exhibition, "Emperor Kangxi Exhibition" was held in the Palace of Versailles near Paris, and many types of scientific equipment that was created during Emperor Kangxi's period were all displayed. Amazingly, some of them still looked shiny and functional. The displayed items were as follows:
1. Hand-held calculator: the first hand-held calculator was made in France in 1642 by French scientist Blaise Pascal. The imperial palace kept ten of these ancient calculators and they were all made during Emperor Kangxi's reign. All of these calculators could do simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
2. Gold-plated compass: This was originally invented by Galileo Galilei and could do many different calculations. Kangxi's compass was a further improvised version which had more functions than before.
3. Kangxi's angle rule: It was engraved with four Chinese words which meant "Made by Kangxi."
There were many other pieces of scientific equipment that were made during that period of time and it was amazing to see the knowledge Emperor Kangxi had.
After Joachim Bouvet and Jean-Francois Gerbillon left, many more scientists from the West went to the palace in China for research purposes. The greatest achievements of these scientists perhaps were being able to encourage Emperor Kangxi to build a "China Science Research Institute" as well as implement the huge project of mapping China.
Emperor Kangxi's big project of mapping China has contributed a lot to world geography. It was because of this project that many French scientists had a chance to come to China for investigations, and they had many other gains from this project as well. In 1709, P. Jartoux joined the team in mapping the northeast region of China. At Changbai Mountain, Jartoux saw people harvesting ginseng and was amazed. He documented the function, location, storage methods of the ginseng as well as a picture of the ginseng. Then he sent them to France for publishing. After four years, another French scientist followed Jartoux's descriptions of ginseng and identified other ginseng types in Quebec, Canada, which shared the same longitude as Changbai Mountain. As this type of ginseng grew in the West, it was named "Western Ginseng."