How do the earliest known mathematical writings highlight the state's management of grains in early imperial China?

The earliest extant mathematical books from China contain a lot of problems and data about grains. They also betray a close relationship with imperial bureaucracy in this respect. Indeed, these texts quote administrative regulations about grains. For instance, the Book on mathematical procedures 箅數書...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archive for History of Exact Sciences Vol. 69; no. 1; pp. 1 - 53
Main Authors: Chemla, Karine, Ma, Biao
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer 01.01.2015
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Springer Verlag
Subjects:
[SHS.HISPHILSO] Humanities and Social Sciences/History, Philosophy and Sociology of Sciences
[SHS.HIST] Humanities and Social Sciences/History
ancient China
Astronomy
bureaucracy and mathematics
History
History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics
History of Mathematical Sciences
history of mathematics
History of Science
History, Philosophy and Sociology of Sciences
Humanities and Social Sciences
Management of grains
Mathematics
Mathematics and Statistics
Observations and Techniques
Philosophy of Science
Mathematical Writing
Mathematical Document
Measuring Unit
Mathematical Procedure
Cereal Plant
bureaucracy and mathematics
ancient China
Management of grains
history of mathematics
ISSN:0003-9519, 1432-0657
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The earliest extant mathematical books from China contain a lot of problems and data about grains. They also betray a close relationship with imperial bureaucracy in this respect. Indeed, these texts quote administrative regulations about grains. For instance, the Book on mathematical procedures 箅數書, found in a tomb sealed ca. 186 BCE, has a section in common with the "regulations on granaries" from the Qin statutes in eighteen domains, known thanks to slips excavated at Shuihudi. Mathematical writings also deal with official vessels used to measure grains. They cast light on statements from, and practices evidenced by, official histories and administrative documents. This article addresses the following issues.
ISSN:0003-9519
1432-0657
DOI:10.1007/s00407-014-0139-3