雙語科技百科(數學) 第31期 算盤和珠算

Abacus and Calculation with an Abacus

算盤和珠算

In 2007，the British newspaper The Independent listed 101 small inven-tions that changed the world，among which，the Chinese abacus which has enjoyed a history of 2,000 years or so，ranked the first.

2007年，英國《獨立報》評選出10l款改變世界的小發明，排在第一位是有近2000年曆史的中國算盤。算盤是中國古代一項偉大的發明。

The abacus was a great invention in ancient China. The abacus was invented on the basis that Chinese used the counting-rod for a long ancient times，people used small rods to count. Later, with the development of productivi-ty，the amount requiring calculation was greater, and calculation aith counting-rods limited the calculation. Thus，people invented a more advanced counter-the abacus.

盤是中國人在長期使用算籌的基礎上發明的。古時候，人們用小木棍進行計算，這些小木棍叫“算籌”，用“算籌”作爲工具進行的計算叫“籌算”。後來，隨着生產的發展，需要計算的數目越來越大，用小木棍計算受到了限制，於是，人們又發明了更先進的計算器—算盤。

The earliest known painting of the Chinese abacus can be found in the famous long scroll Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival painted by Zhang Zeduan(1085-1145)during the Song Dynasty(960一1297)e，an abacus is clearly seen 1y-ing beside an account book on the counter of an apothecary’s.

最早的算盤圖見北宋畫家張擇端(1085一1145)的《清明上河圖》長卷。畫卷上一家藥鋪櫃檯上賬本左邊，一個算盤清晰可見。

The abacus is rectangular with wooden frame on the four sides and small rods fixed inside strung with wooden beads;a girder across the middle separates the abacus into two parts:each rod has two beads on its upper part, each represen-ting five，and five beads on the lower part，each representing one.

算盤是長方形的，四周是木框，裏面固定一根根小木棍，小木棍上穿着木珠，中間有一根橫樑把算盤分成兩部分:每根木棍的上半部有兩個珠子，每個珠子代表五;下半部有五個珠子，每個珠子代表一。

With the application of the abacus，people summarized many abacus rhymes，increasing the calculating the time of the Ming Dynasty, people could use the abacus in addition，subtraction，multiplication and division，which were widely used in calculating weight, amount，space and volume.

隨着算盤的使用，人們總結出許多計算口訣，使計算的速度更快了。這種用算盤計算的方法，叫珠算。到了明代，珠算已能進行加減乘除的運算，廣泛用於計算物體的重量、數量、面積、體積等。

Since it is simple to make an abacus and cheap to buy one，and it is easy to remember abacus rhymes，simple and convenient to calculate with an abacus，it is widely used in China. There are many experts in the use of the abacus in all trades and professions，and some people can use an abacus with iwo hands at the same time.

由於算盤製作簡單，價格便宜，珠算口訣便於記憶，運算又簡便，所以算盤在中國被廣泛使用。中國各行各業都有一批打算盤的高手，而且有的人能用左右兩隻手同時打算盤。

Later the abacus was gradually spread into Japan，Korea，America，and countries and regions in Southeast Asia. People frnd that using an abacus can im-prove thinking and practical abilities in addition to providing convenient e it requires cooperation of the mind，eyes and hand，it is a good way to im-prove the comprehensive reaction ability.

算盤後來陸續流傳到了日本、朝鮮、美國和東南亞等國家和地區。人們在使用過程中發現，使用算盤，除了運算方便以外，還有鍛鍊思維能力和動手能力的作用。因爲打算盤需要腦、眼、手的密切配合，是訓練綜合反應能力的一種好方法。