Liu Hui[1] who wrote a treatise entitled Chung-ch’a, but this seems to be No. 4 in the list.
4. San-k’ai Chung-ch’a. This is also unknown, but is perhaps Liu Hui's Chung-ch’a-keal-tsih-wang-chi-shuh (The whole system of measuring by the observation of several beacons), published in 263. The author also wrote a commentary on the Chiu-chang (No. 8 in this list). It relates to the mensuration of heights and distances, and gives only the rules without any explanation. About 1250 Yang Hway published a work entitled Siang-kiai-Kew-chang-Swan-fa (Explanation of the arithmetic of the Nine Sections), but this is too late for our purposes. He also wrote a work with a similar title Siang-kiai-Feh-yung-Swan-fa (Explanation of arithmetic for daily use).
5. Wu-t’sao Suan-shu. The author and the date of this work are both unknown, but it seems to have been written in the 2d or 3d century.[2] It is one of the standard treatises on arithmetic to the Chinese.
6. Hai-tao Suan-shu. This was a republication of No. 4, and appeared about the time of the Japanese decree of 701. The name signifies “The Island Arithmetical Classic”,[3] and seems to come from the first problem, which relates to the measuring of an island from a distant point.
7. Chiu-szu. This work, which was probably a commentary on the Suan-shu (Swan-king) of No. 8, is lost.
8. Chiu-chang. Chiu-chang Swan-shu[4] means “Arithmetical Rules in Nine Sections”. It is the greatest arithmetical classic of China, and tradition assigns to it remote antiquity. It is related in the ancient Tung-kien-kang-muh (General History of China) that the Emperor Hwang-ti,[5] who lived in 2637 B. C.,
- ↑ Lew•hwuy according to Wylie's transliteration, who also assigns him to about the 5th century B. C.
- ↑ But see Wylie, loc. cit., who refers it to about the 5th century, and improperly states that Wu-t’sao is the author's name. He gives it the common name of Swan-king (Arithmetical classic).
- ↑ Also written Hae-taou-swan-king.
- ↑ Kew chang-swan-shu, Kiu-chang-san-suh, Kieou chang.
- ↑ Or Hoan-ti, the “Yellow Emperor”. Some writers give the date much earlier.
