Suanjing shi shu
The Suànjīng shí shū ( Chinese 算 經 十 書 / 算 经 十 书 - "arithmetic canon in ten books", also: ten mathematical classics ) are a collection of mathematics books that ruled at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty on the orders of Emperor Tang Gaozu ( 618 to 626) have been reissued by mathematician Li Chunfeng and colleagues with comments. They later formed the basis for state exams for civil servants in China. Previously, an imperial astronomer (Wang Sibian) had complained about the shortcomings of the existing expenses. A first print edition ( xylography ) was published by imperial order in 1084, a second in 1213. No copy of the first print edition of 1084 has survived, as the palace archives were scattered during the siege of Kaifeng in 1126. The reprint in 1213 succeeded under the scholar Bao Huanzhi only with great effort. The collection was forgotten again in the course of the following centuries, until at the end of the 18th century scholars such as the mathematician Dai Zhen (1724–1777) and Kong Jihan (1739–1784) obtained another edition (Weiboxie edition 1773, Wuying-dian - edition 1775 to 1794).
The "ten classics" (in reality there are 12) include:
- Zhoubi suanjing ("Arithmetic classic of the Zhou Gnomons "), a primarily astronomical text with mathematical problems, among which the Pythagorean theorem occurs. It contains cosmological speculations about the size of the universe. It is often dated back to 100 BC. Dated to AD 100 ( Han dynasty ).
- Jiu Zhang Suanshu (“Nine Books of Arithmetic Technique”), the most important mathematical text in the collection. It is considered the mathematical classic of the Chinese and is a collection of problems (without proof in the actual sense, but with an indication of the solution and a description of the solution). It is often used around 200 BC. Dated.
- Haidao suanjing ("Mathematical Handbook of the Sea Island") written by Liu Hui (263 AD) as part of a commentary on the "Nine Books". It is about land surveying tasks.
- Sunzi suanjing ("Mathematical Handbook of Sunzi", Sun Zi lived in the 5th century, but nothing else is known about him). A collection of exercises like the “Nine Books”, but in general the exercises are simpler. One task contains the Chinese remainder of the sentence .
- Wucao suanjing ("Mathematical Handbook for the Five Administrative Departments ") is a textbook for prospective civil servants, possibly from the 5th century.
- Xiahou Yang suanjing ("Mathematical Manual of Xiahou Yang ", a 5th century mathematician about whom nothing else is known). The book is a collection of exercises, but it doesn't bring anything new compared to its predecessors.
- Zhang Qiujian suanjing ("Mathematical Handbook of Zhang Qiujian "), a collection of exercises similar to the Nine Books from the period 468 to 486.
- Wujing suanshu ("Mathematical Methods in Five Classics"). A Commentary on Math Problems (Like Calendar Questions) in Five Non-Math Classic Books.
- Jigu suanjing ("continuation of ancient mathematics"). A collection of 20 problems (for example from building dikes and canals) by Wang Xiaotong , a 7th century mathematician.
- Shushu jiyi ("Notes on Traditions of Arithmetic Methods"). The book claims that the author was mathematician Xu Yue (around 160 to 227), a student of calendar specialist Liu Hong at the Imperial Observatory, who is also said to have written a commentary on the Nine Books . The authorship has been questioned in the literature. The text explains older calculation methods, including versions of the abacus , and introduces powers of ten to represent large numbers. The text is mixed up with religious (Buddhist and Taoist ) remarks.
- Zhui shu ("method of interpolation") by Zu Chongzhi from the 5th century. The book has not been preserved, probably because its mathematics were too advanced for the civil servant candidates. Zu Chongzhi is said to have been the first Chinese mathematician to give the correct volume of a sphere, and similar problems were likely in the book.
- Sandeng shu ("art of the three degrees"). From Dong Quan from the 6th to 7th centuries, to notation for large numbers.
literature
- Jean-Claude Martzloff : A History of Chinese Mathematics. Springer, Berlin et al. 1997, ISBN 3-540-54749-5