苏说文化之中国珠算（英文版）

Chinese Zhusuan

中国珠算

Calculating begins with the necessity of it. Stones, shells, knots, etc. are all the primary counting tools. Later, with the development of productivity, the amount of calculation became greater, and simple counting could no longer meet the demand. So, our ancestors invented Zhusuan. In Chinese, "Zhu" means small beads, and "Suan" refers to a special mathematical theory. And the tool Chinese use to do Zhusuan is called the abacus, known as China's "Fifth Great Invention". Combining with abacus rhymes, people can do mathematical calculations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and power, by moving the abacus beads with fingers. The abacus is acknowledged as "the oldest computer in the world" for its simplified calculation and unique mathematical theory.

人类的计算行为，始于“数”的必要性。石子、贝壳、绳结等是最初级的计数工具。后来，随着生产力的发展，计算量越来越大，简单的计数已经无法满足需求。于是，我们的祖先发明了珠算。在汉语中，“珠”是指小珠子，“算”是指一套特殊的数学理论。中国人用来进行珠算的工具叫做算盘，它被称为中国的“第五大发明”。人们依据珠算口诀，通过手指拨动算盘珠子便可以完成加、减、乘、除、乘方等数学计算。算盘以其简便的计算和独特的计算理论，被誉为“世界上最古老的计算机”。

Since it was easy to make an abacus and it was also easy to remember abacus rhymes, the abacus was widely used in ancient China. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were records about Zhusuan. Since the 12th century, Chinese Zhusuan has been quite perfected. In the painting of The Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival by Zhang Zeduan, a painter of the Northern Song Dynasty, a big abacus is placed on the counter of a medicine shop. That is the best proof that the abacus was widely used and Zhusuan was popularized in China, which means China had an absolute leading position in mathematics at that time.

算盘制作简单，口诀朗朗上口，所以在古代被广泛使用。我国东汉时期，就有关于珠算的文字记载。12世纪，中国珠算体系已经相当完善。北宋画家张择端的《清明上河图》中，一家药铺柜台上摆放着一把大算盘，这说明北宋时，算盘已经在中国广泛使用，珠算已经普及。这在当时的数学届绝对处于领先地位。

According to records, Chinese Zhusuan has gradually spread into Japan, Korea, America and other countries and regions since the 16th century. In 2002, the World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic was established in Beijing. At present, the association has 58 members from 17 countries and regions, including America, Australia, Tonga, Brunei, Canada, Russia, Japan and South Korea. In 2013, Chinese Zhusuan was officially inscribed the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In the late 20th century, the Chinese invented mental arithmetic based on Zhusuan, which enables people to do super complex calculations mentally. Children's educators have found that practicing mental arithmetic significantly improves children's attention, memory, thinking, creativity and reading.

据史料记载，中国的珠算，从16世纪开始，算盘逐渐传入日本、韩国、美国等国家和地区。2002年，世界珠算心算联合会在北京成立。目前，世珠联有来自美国、澳大利亚、汤加、文莱、加拿大、俄罗斯、日本、韩国等，17个国家和地区的58个会员单位。2013年12月4日，中国珠算被正式列入人类非物质文化遗产代表代表作名录。20世纪后半叶，中国人推出以珠算为基础的珠心算，人们在大脑中就可以完成超级复杂的计算。儿童教育家还发现，珠心算可以显著提高儿童的注意力、记忆力、思维力、创造力和阅读力等。

Chinese Zhusuan is not only the traditional Chinese knowledge and practice, but also an important wisdom of ancient Chinese civilization. As an intangible cultural heritage, Chinese Zhusuan reminds more people that the Chinese used and are using it to control the world. The unique way of thinking and values will not only be passed down continuously, but also affect the whole world.

中国珠算，既是中国人的传统知识与实践，也是古代中华文明的智慧结晶。作为非物质文化遗产，它正在让更多人记住，中国人用珠算来计算大千世界。这种独特的思维方式与世界观，不仅会永续流传，而且会影响整个世界。