An Historical Examination of the Establishment and Development of Physical Mechanics

作者：Wei Jiang, Jiang Yuping · 发表于：Studies in the History of Natural Sciences · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3724/shns.2026.01.005 · 研究领域：History and Theory of Mathematics、Historical Astronomy and Related Studies、Relativity and Gravitational Theory

Physical mechanics is a branch of mechanics established by Chinese scientists and recognized by the world scientific community. Since Qian Xuesen (钱学森) proposed the establishment of physical mechanics in 1953, this discipline has made significant progress and achievements, and has played a very important role in many fields. However, constant controversy has surrounded the issue, with doubts even being raised that the creation of physical mechanics has been a failure. This article systematically reviews and examines the historical context of the establishment, evolution, and development of physical mechanics, revealing in detail the ideological origins of this interdisciplinary field, the setbacks and difficulties encountered in its development process, and its interactive relationship with related disciplines. The article then analyzes and summarizes the forward-looking and scientific nature of Qian Xuesen's academic thoughts on physical mechanics, in order to respond to the various doubts raised and help everyone form a correct understanding of physical mechanics.