How the Abacus Became a Worldwide Phenomenon算盤如何走向世界

The abacus1 has been used in China for millennia， and although its popularity has declined since the invention of hand-held electronic calculators in the 1970s， it remains in widespread use among traders and clerks in Asia and Africa， in shops， restaurants and street stalls. Family-owned stores in Hong Kong and Macao， particularly those selling traditional Chinese medicine， use abacuses， and it is much the same in Chinatowns in North America.

算盤在中國有數(shù)千年歷史。盡管20世紀70年代手持電子計算器問世以來，其受歡迎程度有所下降，但在亞洲和非洲的商販和文員手中，在商店、餐館和街頭攤位，算盤仍然廣泛使用。香港和澳門的家族經(jīng)營商鋪，尤其是中藥鋪，仍在使用算盤，北美華人社區(qū)亦是如此。

Many factors contribute to the staying power of this ancient device—it’s cheap to produce， easy to use， and requires no electricity—but perhaps the most significant is the same factor that has cemented2 its place in Chinese culture. While the origin of the abacus itself remains unknown， China can claim the best and most widespread method for using it： zhusuan.

這一古老的計算工具經(jīng)久不衰有許多原因：它成本低廉，操作簡便，無需電力。然而，最關鍵的因素或許就是它扎根中華文化的那個緣由。盡管算盤的起源尚不明確，但中國可以說擁有世界上最先進、最普遍的算盤使用方法——珠算。

Rise of mathematics

數(shù)學的誕生

The abacus is the oldest and most widely used tool for calculation in the world， appearing in Mesopotamia3 as early as 2700–2300 BC. Many early civilisations， including the Babylonians and Egyptians， utilised a rudimentary4 form of the abacus， but it was the Persians who exported the abacus to Europe and Asia.

算盤是世界上最古老、使用最廣泛的計算工具，早在公元前2700至2300年就已出現(xiàn)在美索不達米亞。巴比倫和埃及等許多早期文明都使用原始算盤，而將算盤傳播到歐洲和亞洲的則是波斯人。

The earliest record of the Chinese abacus， known as suanpan （counting tray）， is an illustration from Supplementary Notes on the Art of Figures5 by Xu Yue6. Published in 190 AD， the book also introduced zhusuan as a method for performing mathematical calculations with an abacus.

關于中國算盤的最早記載出現(xiàn)在公元190年徐岳所著《數(shù)術(shù)記遺》中的一幅插圖。除算盤外，該書還介紹了利用算盤進行數(shù)學計算的方法——珠算。

Zhusuan likely predates7 the invention of the decimal system8 by Indian mathematicians between the first and fourth centuries AD， and builds on a long tradition of mathematical innovation in China.

珠算是中國數(shù)學長期創(chuàng)新發(fā)展的成果，其出現(xiàn)時間很可能早于印度數(shù)學家在公元1至4世紀間發(fā)明的十進制。

The earliest surviving evidence of mathematics dates from the Shang Dynasty （1600–1046 BC） in the form of numbers scratched into tortoise shells. It was the most advanced number system in the world at the time， enabling calculations on number rods， and eventually， on suanpan.

現(xiàn)存最早的數(shù)學證據(jù)可以追溯至商朝（公元前1600—前1046）；當時，人們在龜甲上刻下數(shù)字。這是當時世界上最先進的數(shù)字系統(tǒng)，使得人們可以使用算籌進行計算，并最終發(fā)展出算盤。

Suanpan were typically constructed of bamboo with seven or more fixed wires or wooden rods affixed9 to metal reinforcements10. Beads were attached to each wire or rod， organized into an upper and lower deck. The upper deck， known as heaven， carried two beads per rod or wire， each with a value of five. The lower deck， known as earth， carried five beads per rod or wire， each with a value of one. This was the 2/5 abacus11 and remained in common use until the 1850s when a 1/4 abacus12 went into production.

傳統(tǒng)算盤通常由竹子制成，設有七根或更多固定的金屬或木質(zhì)算珠軸，并以銅鐵件加固。每根軸上的算珠分為上下兩欄：上欄稱為“天”，每根軸有兩顆算珠，每顆代表5；下欄稱為“地”，每根軸有五顆算珠，每顆代表1。這種“二五制”算盤一直沿用至19世紀50年代，之后“一四制”算盤開始投入生產(chǎn)并普及。

One of the most famous Chinese scholars of the abacus was Cheng Dawei13 （1533–1606）. He published General Source of Computational Methods14， an arithmetic15 guide for the abacus， in 1592. The book， which analyses 595 problems over 17 chapters， played a pivotal role in systematising and popularising zhusuan.

中國歷史上最著名的算盤學者之一是程大位（1533—1606）。他于1592年刊行了《算法統(tǒng)宗》，這是一本針對算盤計算的數(shù)學指南。該書共17卷，解析了595道數(shù)學題，極大地推動了珠算的系統(tǒng)化和普及。

With more than 100 editions printed around the world， Cheng’s book continued to influence mathematics and promote the spread of zhusuan for centuries. It reached Japan in 1600， pioneering the use of the abacus in that country.

《算法統(tǒng)宗》在全世界范圍內(nèi)印行了超過100個版本，幾個世紀以來持續(xù)影響著數(shù)學，并推動了珠算的傳播。它于1600年傳入日本，并將算盤帶入了這個國度。

By the end of the Ming dynasty， the book spread to Southeast Asia， Europe and the Americas， becoming the global foundation for developing the abacus.

到了明朝末年，該書流傳更廣，遠至東南亞、歐洲和美洲，為珠算在全球的發(fā)展奠定了基礎。

Moving into the modern era

邁入現(xiàn)代

For centuries， schoolchildren in the Chinese-speaking world， South Korea， and Japan learned zhusuan in their mathematics class. Research has shown that this method of instruction greatly improved their mathematical abilities and comprehension， enabling them to outperform16 their western counterparts.

千百年來，華語地區(qū)、韓國和日本的學生都在數(shù)學課堂上學習珠算。研究表明，這種教學方法顯著提升了學生的數(shù)學能力和理解能力，使他們的表現(xiàn)超過了西方同齡人。

In the west， children typically learned mathematics through memorization， engaging with figures in the abstract. By using an abacus， children in the east developed a clearer， more concrete grasp of figures. This type of abacus-based mental arithmetic is also thought to improve attention span， memory， and mental capability.

在西方，學生通常通過死記硬背的方式學習數(shù)學，抽象地接觸數(shù)字，而在東方，學生通過算盤形成了對數(shù)字更直觀、更具象的認知。這種基于算盤的心算訓練還被認為有助于提升注意力、記憶力和思維能力。

In China， zhusuan competitions between students using the abacus remained popular throughout this time. But the arrival of cheap electronic calculators in the 1970s dealt a heavy blow to this ancient device. Companies in Japan， Europe， and the United States began producing light， portable calculators suitable for individual use， which quickly spread across the developed world.

在中國，學生珠算競賽長期以來一直備受歡迎。然而，20世紀70年代，價格低廉的電子計算器問世，給這一古老的計算工具以沉重一擊。日本、歐洲和美國的公司開始生產(chǎn)適合個人使用的計算器；這種輕便而易于攜帶的計算工具很快就在發(fā)達國家普及開來。

Most shops and markets switched to the new invention， and schools began to cease17 abacus-based instruction. While still in use in some corners of the world， the abacus largely shifted from a valuable tool to an object used as a symbol， gift， or piece of art.

大多數(shù)商店和市場紛紛轉(zhuǎn)向這一新發(fā)明，學校也開始停止用算盤教學。雖然算盤在一些地區(qū)仍有使用，但它已更多地用作象征物、禮品或藝術(shù)品，而非有實用價值的工具。

Preserving heritage

傳承文化遺產(chǎn)

At the 2013 World Heritage Congress， held in Baku， Azerbaijan， UNESCO officially listed China zhusuan—along with Korean kimchi and Japanese traditional cuisine—as an element of intangible cultural heritage.

2013年，在阿塞拜疆巴庫舉辦的世界遺產(chǎn)大會上，聯(lián)合國教科文組織正式將中國珠算與韓國泡菜和日本傳統(tǒng)料理一道列入人類非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)名錄。

Often described as the fifth great invention—a reference to the Four Great Inventions： the compass， gunpowder， papermaking， and printing—zhusuan has permeated Chinese culture over the centuries. Beyond the practical use of zhusuan as a method of performing calculations， UNESCO pointed to its “vital role in giving an impetus to mathematical studies， promoting algorithmic practices， and fostering intelligence.”

珠算常被譽為“中國的第五大發(fā)明”，與“四大發(fā)明”（指南針、火藥、造紙術(shù)、印刷術(shù)）齊名，千百年來已滲透進中國文化的方方面面。聯(lián)合國教科文組織指出，珠算不僅是一種實用的計算方法，還在“推動數(shù)學研究、推廣算法實踐、促進智力發(fā)展”等方面發(fā)揮著重要作用。

Even today it is credited with contributing to the “advancement of calculating techniques， cognitive schemas， educational psychology， and intellectual development. It also has a far-reaching influence in various fields of cultural creativity， including folk customs， language， literature， sculpture and architecture.”

直至今日，珠算仍被認為有助于“促進計算技術(shù)進步、構(gòu)建認識圖式、推動教育心理學發(fā)展以及開發(fā)智力，并在民俗、語言、文學、雕塑、建筑等多個文化創(chuàng)造領域具有深遠影響”。

Let us leave the final word with scientist Huang Xuhua18， broadly considered the “Father of China’s nuclear subs”， to remind us of the important place of zhusuan in the history of China.

最后，讓我們聽聽被譽為“中國核潛艇之父”的黃旭華院士如何評價珠算在中國歷史上的重要地位。

In the late 1950s， Huang was working for the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation when it received the critical， and secret， mission of creating a nuclear submarine.

20世紀50年代末，黃旭華在中國船舶工業(yè)總公司工作時，接到一項至關重要且高度機密的任務——研發(fā)中國第一艘核潛艇。

“Lots of critical data used in the development of the submarine burst out of the abacus，” he recalls. Armed with their abacuses and zhusuan， the team turned out five original designs in a period of just three months. “Scientists attacked the beads until every section reached the same result.”

“核潛艇研發(fā)過程中，大量關鍵數(shù)據(jù)都是用算盤撥出來的?！秉S旭華回憶道——他的團隊依靠算盤和珠算，在短短三個月內(nèi)就拿出了五套初步設計方案，“科學家們撥動算珠，一遍又一遍地計算，直到每一組都算出相同的結(jié)果?！?/p>

The first submarine， the Chang Zheng 1 submarine SSN19， was launched in 1970 and went into service four years later. Decommissioned20 in 2016， the submarine is now exhibited at the Chinese Naval Museum in Qingdao in east China. Huang still owns one of the abacuses used by his team， a testament21 to the critical importance of this tool， and the method that carried it—and China—from the second century AD into the nuclear age.

中國第一艘核潛艇“長征一號”于1970年下水，并于1974年入列。2016年，這艘核潛艇退役，現(xiàn)陳列于中國青島海軍博物館。而黃旭華至今仍保留著當年團隊使用的一個算盤，證明了算盤這種工具及珠算這種計算方法至關重要，正是珠算將算盤——和中國——從公元2世紀帶到了核時代。

（譯者為“《英語世界》杯”翻譯大賽獲獎者；單位：中國人民大學外國語學院）

1 abacus算盤。" 2 cement鞏固，加強。

3美索不達米亞是古希臘對兩河流域的稱謂，意為“兩河之間的土地”（兩河指幼發(fā)拉底河與底格里斯河），地理位置大致包括現(xiàn)今的伊拉克、伊朗、土耳其、敘利亞和科威特的部分地區(qū)。" 4 rudimentary基本的，初步的。" 5《數(shù)術(shù)記遺》是東漢時期徐岳編撰的一本數(shù)學專著，內(nèi)有中國特色的14種算法，但流傳的只有珠算一種。書中還有關于數(shù)級和最大數(shù)的記載。" 6（？—220），字公河，東萊人，東漢時期著名數(shù)學家、天文學家。" 7 predate在日期上早于（或先于）。" 8 decimal system十進制，一種計數(shù)方法，即滿十進一，第一位位權(quán)為10^0，第二位10^1，第N位10^（N-1），該數(shù)的數(shù)值等于每位的（數(shù)值×位權(quán)）之和。

9 affix使固定，粘上。be affixed to指將某物牢固地連接或附著到另一物體上。" 10 reinforcement加固物，強化劑。" 11 2/5 abacus“二五制”算盤，每列上有兩個“天珠”（值5），下有五個“地珠”（值1），1850年代之前流行。" 12 1/4 abacus“一四制”算盤，每列上有一個“天珠”（值5），下有四個“地珠”（值1），19世紀后流行。" 13（1533—1606），明代商人、珠算發(fā)明家。" 14《算法統(tǒng)宗》，全稱《新編直指算法統(tǒng)宗》，也叫《原本直指算法統(tǒng)宗》，是中國古代數(shù)學名著。" 15 arithmetic算術(shù)的。

16 outperform勝過，做得比……好。

17 cease終止，結(jié)束。

18（1926—2025），中國著名船舶專家、核潛艇研究設計專家，中國工程院首批院士，中國第一代核動力潛艇研制創(chuàng)始人之一，中國船舶重工集團719所名譽所長。

19中國自行研制建造的091型攻擊型核潛艇首艇。1974年8月1日，“長征一號”正式編入海軍戰(zhàn)艦序列，隸屬中國人民解放軍海軍北海艦隊。" 20 decommission使（船）退役，報廢。" 21 testament證明，證據(jù)。

Quotes About Heritage

Those without heritage， history， and place are subject to exploitation， manipulation， and deception.

—Wayne Gerard Trotman

Our heritage and ideals， our code and standards—the things we live by and teach our children—are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.

—Walt Disney

A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of the people.

—Mahatma Gandhi

A people without a heritage are easily persuaded.

—Karl Marx