A Catalog of Chinese Mathematical Books

Author: Wu Wenjun
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-08-01
Features: The compilation and editing of ancient Chinese mathematical bibliographies can be traced back to the Yiwen Zhi in the Book of Han, which recorded two bibliographies. Later, mathematical bibliographies were included in works such as the Book of Sui, Old Book of Tang, New Book of Tang, Book of Song, Book of Ming, and Draft of the History of the Qing Dynasty. Mathematical bibliographies were also frequently included in other ancient bibliographic works. At the end of Suanfa Tongzong, there is a section titled Suanjing Yuanliu, which lists 51 mathematical books published during the Song Dynasty and before the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, Mei Wending compiled Wu'an Lixuan Shubiao, recording his own works. Specialized mathematical bibliographies did not appear until the late Qing Dynasty, including Feng Cheng's Suanxue Kaoyi Chu bian (20 volumes), Liu Duo's Ruoshui Zhai Gugun Suanxue Shulu (8 volumes), Liang Zhaoqing's Tianwen Suanxue Kaoyi (16 volumes), as well as mathematical bibliographies compiled by individuals such as Hua Shifang, Chen Li, and Ding Fubao, though their coverage was limited. In the early 20th century, the editing of Chinese mathematical bibliographies attracted significant attention, with contributions from scholars such as Qiu Chongman, Li Yan, Qian Baocong, and Yan Dunjie, gradually establishing the scale of Chinese mathematical bibliographies. Among these, Li Yan's Record of Modern Chinese Mathematical Works and Deng Yanlin's Joint Catalogue of Chinese Mathematical Books in Libraries of Beijing are particularly representative. In 1957, Ding Fubao and Zhou Yunqing published Sibu Zonglu Suanfa Bian. The term "Sibu Zonglu" refers to the mathematical sections of Ding Fubao's Suanxue Shubiao Tiyao, Liu Duo's Ruoshui Zhai Gugun Suanxue Shulu, Feng Cheng's Suanxue Kaoyi Chu bian, and Li Yan's Zhongxue Shulu. This work has two notable features: it focuses on extant mathematical books and includes prefaces, most of which mention versions, providing great convenience to readers. It was well-received and has been reprinted multiple times. In the mid-1980s, four experts in the history of Chinese mathematics proposed the compilation of a comprehensive work on 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: Bai Shangshu of Beijing Normal University; Shen Kangshen of Hangzhou University; Li Di of Inner Mongolia Normal University; and Li Jimin of Northwest University. Traditional Chinese mathematics has a long and profound history, with its own unique ideological 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 period. However, since the Ming Dynasty, due to various political, social, and other reasons—particularly as pointed out by Xu Guangqi in the late Ming Dynasty—one side saw "scholars of names and theories discard the practical realities of the world," while the other side witnessed "fantastical arts falsely claiming that numbers possess divine principles," leading to the near-extinction of traditional Chinese mathematics. Subsequently, it was completely overshadowed and even monopolized by Western Euclidean traditions. Although there was a brief resurgence during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns, it was limited to the excavation and interpretation of ancient texts. By the mid-20th century, scholars such as Li Yan and Qian Baocong wrote specialized works on the history of Chinese mathematics, ensuring the survival of ancient Chinese calculations.