Zhang Qiujian Suanjing (The Mathematical Classic of Zhang Qiujian) is the only known work of the fifth century Chinese mathematician, Zhang Qiujian. It is one of ten mathematical books known collectively as Suanjing shishu (The Ten Computational Canons). In 656 CE, when mathematics was included in the imperial examinations, these ten outstanding works were selected as textbooks. Jiuzhang suanshu (The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art) and Sunzi Suanjing (The Mathematical Classic of Sunzi) are two of these texts that precede Zhang Qiujian suanjing. All three works share a large number of common topics. In Zhang Qiujian suanjing one can find the continuation of the development of mathematics from the earlier two classics.[1] Internal evidences suggest that book was compiled sometime between 466 and 485 CE.
"Zhang Qiujian suanjing has an important place in the world history of mathematics: it is one of those rare books before AD 500 that manifests the upward development of mathematics fundamentally due to the notations of the numeral system and the common fraction. The numeral system has a place value notation with ten as base, and the concise notation of the common fraction is the one we still use today."[1]
Almost nothing is known about the author Zhang Qiujian, sometimes written as Chang Ch'iu-Chin or Chang Ch'iu-chien. It is estimated that he lived from 430 to 490 CE, but there is no consensus.[2]
- ^ a b Lam Lay Yong (2008). Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures (Editor: Helaine Selin). Berlin: Springer-Verlag. pp. 2353–2354. ISBN 978-1-4020-4960-6.
- ^ Robertson, E. F.; O'Connor, J. J. "Zhang Qiujian biography". www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk. Retrieved 2016-12-01.