The Renaissance was an influential cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation at the dawn of modern European history. It began in Italy and later spread to the rest of Europe, immediately following the Middle Ages and spanning roughly from the 14th to the 17th century. The Renaissance was characterized by a revival of interest in classical learning, wisdom and values from the Ancient Greek and Roman eras. Renaissance scholars employed the humanist method in study and searched for realism and human emotion in art. Scientists no longer accepted the teachings of the Church at face value. Instead, they studied the natural world through their own observation and experimentation. Likewise, artists developed new techniques and achieved more advanced effects by applying mathematics and optics (光学) to paintings, sculpture and other art forms. The Renaissance profoundly changed the European intellectual life in the early modern period. Through the rediscovery of ancient texts, it triggered both a rebirth of classical learning and a rebirth of European culture in general. Its influence was felt in literature, philosophy, art, politics, science, and many other fields. 文艺复兴是一场影响巨大的文化运动。它在现代欧洲史的开端时期开创了一个科学革命和艺术变革时代。它始于意大利，之后蔓延到欧洲其他国家。它紧接在中世纪之后，贯穿14至17世纪。文艺复兴时期的特点是，人们对古希腊和古罗马时期的古典知识、智慧和价值观重新焕发了兴趣。文艺复兴时期的学者在学术中采用人文方法，在艺术上追寻现实主义和人类情感。科学家们不再一味地接受教堂传播的说教。相反，他们通过观察和实验来研究自然世界。同样，艺术家们将数学和光学运用到绘画、雕塑及其他艺术形式中，从而发展出新技术，并取得了更高水平的艺术效果。文艺复兴深刻地改变了现代早期的欧洲知识界。它通过对古代文献的重新发现，触发了古典知识和整个欧洲文化的重生。文学、哲学、艺术、政治、科学及其他许多领域都能感受到它的影响