The Ten Computational Canons

The Ten Computational Canons was a collection of ten Chinese mathematical works, compiled by early Tang dynasty mathematician Li Chunfeng (602–670），as the official mathematical texts for imperial examinations in mathematics.

The Ten Computational Canons includes:

  1. Zhou Bi Suan Jing
  2. The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art
  3. The Sea Island Mathematical Manual
  4. The Mathematical Classic of Sun Zi
  5. The Mathematical Classic of Zhang Qiujian
  6. Computational Canon of the Five Administrative Sections
  7. Xia Houyang's Computational Canons
  8. Computational Prescriptions of the Five Classics
  9. Jigu Suanjing
  10. Zhui Shu

It was specified in Tang dynasty laws on examination that The Mathematical Classic of Sun Zi and the Computational Canon of the Five Administrative Sections together required one year of study; The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art plus The Sea Island Mathematical Manual three years; Jigu Suanjing three years; Zhui Shu four years; and Zhang Qiujian and Xia Houyang one year each.

The government of the Song dynasty actively promoted the study of mathematics. There were two government xylograph editions of The Ten Computational Canons in the years 1084 and 1213. The wide availability of these mathematical texts contributed to the flourishing of mathematics in the Song and Yuan dynasties, inspiring mathematicians such as Jia Xian, Qin Jiushao, Yang Hui, Li Zhi and Zhu Shijie.

In the Ming dynasty during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, some of the Ten Canons were copied into the Yongle Encyclopedia. During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor in the Qing dynasty, scholar Dai Zhen made copies of the Zhou Bi Suan Jing, The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, The Sea Island Mathematical Manual, The Mathematical Classic of Sun Zi, The Mathematical Classic of Zhang Qiujian, Computational Canon of the Five Administrative Sections, Xia Houyang's Computational Canons, Computational Prescriptions of the Five Classics, Jigu Suanjing, and Shushu Jiyi from the Yongle Encyclopedia and transferred them into another encyclopedia, the Siku Quanshu.

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