Cheng Dawei Zhusuan

Zhusuan is a method of digital computation through the abacus, which is a folk activity popular in Huangshan’s Tunxi district, Anhui province. As one of the national intangible cultural heritages, abacus has been with the Chinese people for a long time, and is also known as the fifth great invention in Chinese history. UNESCO adopted a resolution to officially including the "Chinese abacus " in the representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity on Dec 4, 2013.

The term "Zhusuan" was first used in Xu Yue's "Numerical Records" in the Han Dynasty. As of high economic prosperous in the Ming Dynasty, the abacus was popularized and promoted due to the need of commercial development, and gradually replaced the former general calculation, Chousuan. Cheng Dawei is the Ming Dynasty mathematician and a milestone in the history of Chinese abacus. He has compiled the “numerical method”, which plays an extremely important role in the promotion and development of Chinese abacus.

Chinese abacuses were spread to Japan, Korea, Southeast Asian countries after the Ming Dynasty, and were increasingly popular in America recently. By the time of the information age,the popularity of abacus began to decline, and its computing function had been replaced by digital calculators.

Abacus, an important invention in Chinese nation,has occupied a significant role in the history of human science and technology. As a kind of traditional folk knowledge and unique practice, the Chinese abacus still has its historical and cultural value. Wang Suqiu, the representative inheritor, has inherited and carried forward this intangible cultural heritage skill.

Entries:

1.Cheng Dawei Zhusuan

2.abacus

3.digital computation

4.Tunxi, Huangshan, Anhui Province

5.folk activity

6.national intangible cultural heritage

7.Chinese abacus

8.the fifth great invention in Chinese history

9.representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

10.Xu Yue

11.Numerical Records

12.Cheng Dawei

13.a milestone in the history of Chinese abacus

14.digital calculator

15.great invention in Chinese nation

16.traditional folk knowledge

17.unique practice

18.historical and cultural value

19.Wang Suqiu

20.representative inheritor