Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 13 Mathematics and Genius

Right wing of the Huangji Hall, 3:30 PM

The imperial tutor Sun Chengzong was dismissed.

The reason why Sun Chengzong is called the emperor's teacher is because he was also Zhu Changluo's teacher. However, Zhu Changluo was already very old when he took Sun's class.

In the 42nd year of the Wanli reign, Sun Chengzong was transferred to the Imperial Household Department as a lecturer to the Crown Prince. Zhu Changluo was 33 years old that year.

From the day Zhu Changluo took Zhu Youxiao away, he had been attending Mr. Sun's class with the two princes. Although he would only attend for half an hour, he came every day, rain or shine.

Zhu Changluo never checked the children's homework, because that was the job of Teacher Sun and the eunuchs who attended to their studies. He only needed to receive the summarized information. If Zhu Changluo came to a prince about a problem with his homework, it would not be enough to just criticize him.

The fifth prince Zhu Youjian experienced this once. However, the emperor's punishment for the princes was not something perverted like caning in court. If it really happened, it would not be corporal punishment but domestic violence.

He ordered Zhu Youjian to copy the missed lessons ten times before he could go to bed. While Zhu Youjian was copying, Zhu Changluo also copied Zhu Youjian's lessons twenty times. As a result, he was still awake when Zhu Youjian was asleep.

“If a child is not taught well, it is the fault of his father.” If one makes a mistake, he must be punished.

The next day, Zhu Youjian was beaten, but it was not his father who beat him but his brother.

"My teacher." Zhu Changluo took out a few pieces of paper and handed them to Sun Chengzong.

"Your Majesty, what are these symbols?" Sun Chengzong was the runner-up in the imperial examination in the 32nd year of the Wanli reign, but he could not understand what was written on the paper.

"Arabic numerals." Zhu Changluo replied.

The so-called Arabic numerals were actually invented in India and were improved by the Arabs after being introduced to Arabia.

The earliest Indian numerals were introduced to China in the 8th century AD, along with the spread of Buddhism to China, but were not adopted. Modified Arabic numerals were introduced to China by Muslims between the th and th centuries AD, but were also not adopted.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Ming Dynasty scholars represented by Xu Guangqi (a Catholic) began to translate a large number of Western mathematical works, but the Arabic numerals in the books were still regarded as foreign languages ​​and translated into Chinese characters.

Why is this? Because science is not equal to technology, and technology is not equal to strength. It takes a long time for science to become technology and then become strength. And when people choose knowledge, they often don't base it on science, but on strength.

Compared with my Tang Dynasty, what is India without unification?
Compared with our Yuan Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, where are the overseas barbarians like Arabia and Europe located on the map?

China invented counting rods and abacus, highly advanced calculating tools of the time, very early on. This led to a long period of Chinese technological advancement ahead of the world. However, those who are ahead don't always stay ahead, and those who lag behind don't always lag behind. It was precisely these advanced tools that limited the further development of Chinese mathematics.

It was not until the end of the 19th century that the door to imperial China was blasted open by cannons "armed" with mathematics (precise calculations of ballistics and gunpowder ratios), and people began to formally use this scientific method that had been introduced to this land a thousand years ago.

"I found this in Wenyuan Pavilion." Zhu Changluo lied. He had not been to Wenyuan Pavilion.

"I don't understand what the emperor means." Sun Chengzong asked in confusion.

"I want to promote this set of numbers and this arithmetic called 'four arithmetic operations'." Zhu Changluo replied.

"Your Majesty can issue an imperial decree. But forgive me for being frank, it will not be useful." Sun Chengzong said bluntly.

"Why?" Zhu Changluo was puzzled. "Because there's nowhere to use them. Abacuses and counting rods are used wherever arithmetic is needed. People won't abandon them just because of an imperial decree, unless the emperor sends the Imperial Guards to force everyone to use them with knives. But that's definitely not good governance, it will cause great chaos. The disaster of the mining tax supervisor during the previous emperor's reign is still fresh in our memory."

Because of his position as the Imperial Tutor, Sun Chengzong never held back when giving advice; he spoke his mind. He also didn't kneel down after every two words like Yang Lian did. "Furthermore, I don't understand how this kind of Arabic arithmetic can compare to the arithmetic of the Ming Dynasty."

"This method can calculate quickly and can also intuitively preserve the calculation process, making it easier to correct errors and verify. It can also preserve the technological innovations obtained by skilled craftsmen when they have a burst of inspiration and pass them on to future generations." Zhu Changluo replied.

"Then please Your Majesty demonstrate it for me." Sun Chengzong didn't believe it.

Zhu Changluo waved to Zhu Youxiao and said, "Brother, come here."

Zhu Youxiao originally wanted to continue his carpentry work after returning, but when he saw his father coming, he stood by and waited. Seeing his brother waiting, Zhu Youjian, like a follower, also waited.

"Your sons Zhu Youxiao and Zhu Youjian pay their respects to your father." The two princes walked forward and knelt down to salute.

"Get up." Zhu Changluo nodded. "Write down a few random numbers in the tens of thousands, then connect them with lines. Write addition or subtraction on the lines."

"As you wish." Zhu Youxiao picked up a pen and paper and wrote down 19,843, 168,452.
"My teacher, let's see who can calculate faster." As soon as Zhu Changluo finished speaking, Wang An came over and handed the prepared abacus to Sun Chengzong.

"Haha, Your Majesty comes prepared." Sun Chengzong smiled heartily and took the abacus.

19843+168452=188295，.89542-42321=47131，.十组万位以上的加减法结束。

"Your Majesty, you lose." Sun Chengzong was worthy of being the second in the country in the 32nd year of Wanli. Even the abacus, which he rarely used, was not inferior to the craftsmen who had devoted themselves to this field.

"My teacher, do you still remember how the result 47131 came about?" Zhu Changluo put his hand on Zhu Youxiao's paper.

"Eighty-nine thousand five hundred and forty-two, minus forty-two thousand three hundred and twenty-one." Sun Chengzong was known as the Sun Prodigy when he was young. When Zhu Changluo said that he could keep the calculation process, he paid attention and wrote down all ten groups of numbers.

Holy crap! Is it that amazing?
"Well, he's worthy of being the Imperial Tutor." Zhu Changluo sighed and said with emotion, "But how many people in the world are as talented as my teacher?"

The slight glint of elation in Sun Chengzong's eyes faded. He picked up the emperor's handwriting and examined it carefully, briefly comparing the Arabic numerals with the Chinese numerals in his mind.

The two sets of numbers gradually began to correspond.

One is 1, two is 2. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face, and his brows furrowed. But at the last moment, Sun Chengzong smiled and said, "My emperor has far-sightedness, which I cannot match. If this law can be promoted throughout the country, the industry and commerce of our Ming Dynasty will be greatly developed. It will also be of great benefit to the reform of officialdom and the punishment of corruption."

"But as I said before, this law is difficult to implement. People in the world will not suddenly abandon the old and adopt the new. It is difficult to change people's already formed habits." Sun Chengzong said.

"If I don't change them, people will continue to think and make a living in the old ways. So I will start with the future of the Ming Dynasty and slowly change this empire. The Ming Dynasty has many children and young people." Zhu Changluo bowed to Sun Chengzong as a disciple. "My teacher, I leave the care of my children in your care."

Sun Chengzong was moved and also bowed to Zhu Changluo as a disciple: "There are different levels of learning, and different specializations in different skills. Today, Your Majesty is my teacher."

Zhu Youxiao stood by from beginning to end. The impact of this scene on his young heart was no less than his father's "national destruction theory" when he was holding court at Qianqing Gate. So he bowed deeply, both to his father and to his teacher.

(End of this chapter)