Great Wall of China

Author: Wu Wenjun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: In 1984, four experts and professors in the history of Chinese mathematics proposed to compile a monumental work comprehensively discussing the historical development of traditional Chinese mathematics, titled The Great Series of the History of Chinese Mathematics. These four professors (in order of age) are: Professor Bai Shangshu of Beijing Normal University; Professor Shen Kangshen of Hangzhou University; Professor Li Di of Inner Mongolia Normal University; and Professor Li Jimin of Northwest University. Traditional Chinese mathematics has a long history with its own unique philosophical system and developmental path. From ancient times to the Song and Yuan dynasties, it was a major force in the development of world mathematics for a long time. However, since the Ming Dynasty, due to various political and social reasons, as pointed out by Xu Guangqi at the end of the Ming Dynasty, on one hand, "scholars who focus on theory neglect the practical realities of the world," and on the other hand, "superstitious practices falsely claim that numbers have a divine nature," traditional Chinese mathematics was on the verge of extinction. Later, it was completely replaced and dominated by the Western Euclidean tradition. Although there was a period of emphasis during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns, it was merely limited to the excavation and interpretation of ancient texts. By the mid-20th century, Li Yan and Qian Baocong wrote specialized works on the history of Chinese mathematics to introduce it, ensuring that ancient Chinese mathematics continued to exist.
In 1984, four experts and professors in the history of Chinese mathematics proposed to compile a monumental work comprehensively discussing the historical development of traditional Chinese mathematics, titled The Great Series of the History of Chinese Mathematics. These four professors (in order of age) are: Professor Bai Shangshu of Beijing Normal University; Professor Shen Kangshen of Hangzhou University; Professor Li Di of Inner Mongolia Normal University; and Professor Li Jimin of Northwest University. Traditional Chinese mathematics has a long history with its own unique philosophical system and developmental path. From ancient times to the Song and Yuan dynasties, it was a major force in the development of world mathematics for a long time. However, since the Ming Dynasty, due to various political and social reasons, as pointed out by Xu Guangqi at the end of the Ming Dynasty, on one hand, "scholars who focus on theory neglect the practical realities of the world," and on the other hand, "superstitious practices falsely claim that numbers have a divine nature," traditional Chinese mathematics was on the verge of extinction. Later, it was completely replaced and dominated by the Western Euclidean tradition. Although there was a period of emphasis during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns, it was merely limited to the excavation and interpretation of ancient texts. By the mid-20th century, Li Yan and Qian Baocong wrote specialized works on the history of Chinese mathematics to introduce it, ensuring that ancient Chinese mathematics continued to exist.
In the autumn of 1996, I discussed and planned the writing process and outline for the eight-volume (main volumes) The Great Series of the History of Chinese Mathematics with Professor Li Di at the Xin Song Apartment of Beijing Normal University. We agreed that after the completion of the main volumes, we would compile two supplementary volumes, which we would both be responsible for. When the main volumes were preliminarily completed by the end of 1999, I began writing the supplementary volume I was responsible for: Early Mathematical Documents. The bamboo slips of the Calculation Book had already been unearthed in the 1980s and had attracted worldwide attention. However, they were not fully organized and published until September 2000. As an inner text, I introduced it to this volume and provided an explanation, which was very timely. After a century of scholars' diligent excavation, research, and promotion, the profound and extensive Chinese mathematics has gained significant attention and acclaim in the history of world culture. Comparison is the key to discernment. We should strive to thoroughly understand the development of mathematics in different periods, regions, and ethnic groups worldwide: the depth and breadth of their research on the same mathematical phenomena, the methods they used to solve problems, the complexity and simplicity of their approaches, and the chronological order. Only by knowing ourselves and others can we provide a more objective and fair evaluation of Chinese mathematics. This is the main purpose of writing this supplementary volume in The Great Series.