China was a mathematician, astronomer, mechanic and botanist in Qing Dynasty. Original name, word, number Qiu Xian, alias Ren Shu. Haining, Zhejiang. Born on December 28th, the 15th year of Qing Jiaqing (181kloc-0/65438+1October 22nd); Guangxu died in Beijing on October 29th (1882 65438+ February 9th). I like math since I was a child. Later, I took Hangzhou as an exam for all my students, and got the "Measuring the Round Sea Mirror" by Ye Li, a famous mathematician in the Yuan Dynasty. I studied on this basis and made great achievements. Between Daoguang and Daoguang, four Yuan Jie, Linde Shu Jie, arrows reveal secrets, thousands of sources reveal mysteries, logarithmic exploration, etc. , thus gaining great fame. Xianfeng lived in Shanghai at the beginning. From 1852 to 1859, he translated the last nine volumes of Euclid's Elements with the British sinologist Willie Yali in Shanghai Mohai Library, completing the unfinished business of Xu Guangqi and Matteo Ricci in the late Ming Dynasty. He has also translated many books on western mathematics and natural sciences, such as Generation Generation Generation, Re-learning and Tian Lun, etc. On the occasion of Xian Tong, he successively entered the scene of Jiangsu Governor Xu Youren and Liangjiang Governor Zeng Guofan. He is good at mathematics and is trusted. In the seventh year of Tongzhi (1868), recommended by Governor Guo, he went to Beijing to be the chief teacher of arithmetic and mathematics in the museum, and was awarded the posts of doctor of the household department and yamen of the prime minister, and was awarded the third-class title. He took "Measuring the Round Sea Mirror" as the basic teaching material and trained many talents. He studied ancient and modern times and integrated Chinese and western mathematics. From 65438 to 0860, he participated in scientific and technological activities in the Westernization Movement. From 65438 to 0868, he served as the head teacher of astronomy and arithmetic in Beijing Wentong Museum until his death. The main works are collected in 24 volumes of Zegu Xizhai Arithmetic 13, in which the discussion on the quadrature of sharp cones has begun to take shape, and the research on trigonometric functions, logarithmic power series expansion and higher-order arithmetic progression summation has reached a high level in China's traditional mathematics. After Mei Wending, he became another outstanding representative in the history of mathematics in Qing Dynasty. He translated many books on western science and technology in his life, and introduced the latest achievements of modern science from astronomy to plant cytology to China, making outstanding contributions to the development of modern science.
all one's life
Li was born in a family of literati, and his ancestors can be traced back to Li Boyi, a native of Bianliang, Kyoto (now Kaifeng, Henan) at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty. Boyi studied all his life and didn't like to make progress. At the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, his son Li Yanju was virtuous and upright, and he asked the doctor to meet the general manager of Jiaxing Road when he aided Korea. His family settled in Shixia Town, Haining County. For 500 years, he spread the family line to 17. Married his wife and sister, filled the house, and then died. The second wife, Cui Shi, is the daughter of Cui Jingyuan, a famous Confucian. Cui Shi gave birth to three sons: Lan Xin (Shan Lan), Messing and Xin Rui, and a daughter. Mei Xin knows math, too. Li married Xu Shi in his hometown in his early years and had no children; In his later years, he married a concubine, Mi Shi, in Beijing, but he still didn't have a son. The adopted nephew Cui Jingchang is the heir. Jing Chang Zi Mei, a former official of Jianghai Customs.
Li studied in a private school since childhood and received a good family education. He is intelligent and studious, and he can recite the poems he reads as soon as he reads them.
At the age of 9, Li found an ancient China mathematical masterpiece "Nine Chapters Arithmetic" on his father's bookshelf, which was very novel and interesting, and he became fascinated with mathematics.
14 years old, Li learned the first six volumes of Euclid's Elements of Geometry, namely Xu Guangqi (1562- 1633) and Matteo Ricci (M. Ricci,1522-1663) in the late Ming Dynasty. It has its own characteristics and advantages, which is quite different from the traditional mathematical thinking in ancient China, which emphasized practical solutions and calculation skills. On the basis of Nine Chapters Arithmetic, Li absorbed the new ideas of Geometry Elements, which made his mathematical attainments deeper and deeper.
A few years later, as a student of a county, Li went to Hangzhou, the provincial capital, to take the provincial examination. Because he "dabbled in exegetics, not as good as arithmetic, so he was deeply involved in arithmetic" (preface to Li Xizhai's Arithmetic), the eight-part essay was not well done and ranked last. But he didn't mind at all, but took advantage of the opportunity in Hangzhou.
Wu, a native of Haiyan, said in the poem "Reading a Scholar's Book and Showing Uncle Li": "Many streams converge into one valley, and Yazhi says arithmetic. There are factions in China and the West, and the diameter of the circle is poor and dense. " "Three series to explore Chinese methods, the rest is difficult to understand. The rest are eager to learn, poor in mind and single-minded. "Xu Xiang's" Biography of Poems "said:"
In his hometown, Li and Jiang, Cui Dehua and other relatives and friends organized the "Garden Lake Music Society" and often went to the "Dongshan Villa" to sing with different rhymes. At that time, he used the principle that the sides corresponding to similar Pythagoras shapes were proportional to each other to calculate the height of Dongshan. Chen Huan, his teacher of Confucian classics, said in The Origin of Teachers and Friends that he "learned the technique of nine numbers, always set a table line, and used the length formula to measure the sun scene according to the seasonal climate.
1840, the opium war broke out. The invasion of China by imperialist powers inspired Li's thought of saving the country by science. He said, "Alas! Today, European countries are becoming more and more powerful, which is a border issue for China. Push the reason, the device is also excellent, and the plan is also clear. " "In another day (China), everyone will learn to calculate and be sophisticated, and countries outside Weihai will be shocked and pay tribute." Since then, he has been engaged in mathematical research in his hometown.
Around 1845, Li set up a library in Jiaxing to teach students, and was able to meet scholars (mainly mathematicians) in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces (1799- 1862), Zhang (1808- 1885) and Zhang. They often discuss math problems together. During this period, Li's works on the "pointed cone technique" came out one after another, such as "Explanation", "The Secret of the Arrow" and "Logarithmic Exploration". Later, he wrote "Four Solutions" and "Linde's Technical Solutions".
185 1 year, Li met the famous mathematician Dai Xu (1805- 1860). Dai Xu said in 1852, "Last year, I was handed over to Uncle Li Jun of Haichang, and ... I was sentenced to correct my unfinished manuscript, and Uncle Ren rewarded Yu Arc. Is it rare to have the help of friends and friends? " Li and his friends learn from each other academically and learn from each other's strengths. He and mathematicians Luo Shilin (1774- 1853) and Xu Youren (1800- 1860) also "post questions and reply frequently."
In the summer of 1852, Li went to Shanghai Mohai Library to show his mathematical works to foreign missionaries in China, which was appreciated by (A. Wylie, 18 15- 1887) and others. From then on, he began to cooperate with foreigners to translate western scientific works.
The first work translated by Li was the last nine volumes of Euclid's Elements of Geometry. At the same time, he translated twenty volumes of Re-learning with J. Edkins (1823-1905). Later, he also translated Tan Tian (volume 18), Algebra (volume 13) and The Generation of Differential Calculus (volume 18) in cooperation with Wei. He also co-translated Naiduan Mathematics with Alexander Wylie and John J. Flair (that is, Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), but it is a pity that the book was not completed and failed to be published.
1860, Li was a guest at the door of Xu Youren, the governor of Jiangsu Province. After the Taiping Army occupied Suzhou, all the books he left there, including all kinds of manuscripts, were lost. From then on, he "abandoned current affairs", avoided Shanghai, immersed himself in mathematical research and wrote a new book. At the same time, he also had academic contacts with mathematicians Wu Jiashan and Liu Yicheng.
186 1 autumn, Zeng Guofan (181-1872), leader of the westernization movement and governor of the two rivers, founded Anqing ordnance institute in Anhui. Famous chemist Xu Shou (181-1884) and mathematician Hua (1833-1902) were invited to take a curtain call. Li was also hired in 1862. Zhang, Zhang Sigui and others were recommended to enter the play. They live in the same place, often hold academic discussions, and actively participate in activities related to science and technology in the new westernization policy.
1In the summer of 864, Zeng Guofan captured Tianjing (now Nanjing), the capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and Li and others followed him to Nanjing. He once again proposed to Zeng Guofan to engrave his translated math books into words, which was supported and funded by Zeng Guofan. Therefore, 1865 Jinling Edition Geometry Elements 15 Volume and 1867 Jinling Edition Gu Ze Xi Zhai Arithmetic 24 Volume were published one after another. At the same time (1866), Li Hongzhang (1823-6544), who founded Jinling Machinery Bureau in Nanjing,
1866, Astronomical Arithmetic Museum was merged into Shi Jing Wentong Museum. Li was recommended by Guangdong Governor Guo Songtao (1817-1891) as the head teacher of astronomical arithmetic, while Li was busy publishing books in Nanjing until 188. Until his death in 1882. During this period, he taught more than 100 students, who pointed to paintings while talking and taught for more than ten years. All the students study effectively, or they are officials from other provinces or make them travel abroad (Cui Jingchang's uncle Li Chuan), among them are famous Gan, Xiong Fangbai, Chen Shoutian and He.
After Li arrived at the museum, he was awarded the title of "Zhongshu in the branch library of Zhongshu" the following year (1869), 187 1 year, 1874 was promoted to the position of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and 1877 was awarded the title of Minister of Foreign Affairs. 1882, Sanpinqing was awarded the titles of Minister of Housing, Minister of Guangdong and Foreign Affairs Office of the Prime Minister. For a time, all officials in the capital were "famous and important, and their reputation increased" (Jiang's Huaiting Poem). However, he still works tirelessly in Wentong Library, burying himself in academic works. 1872.
Li's research achievements in mathematics are mainly found in his book Xizhai Arithmetic 13 kinds of 24 volumes, and the method of taking root number is called Xizhai Arithmetic 14. Gu Zexi's Arithmetic was published in 1867, which contains his various astronomical works in recent 20 years. There are Fiona Fang 1 volume (1845), Revealing Arrow 2 volumes (1845), Logarithmic Exploration 2 volumes (1845), Superimposed Correlation 4 volumes and Quaternary Solution 2 volumes. Elliptic Addendum, Volume 1 (1858) Real Tactics of Firearms, Volume 65438+.
Li's mathematical achievements mainly include three aspects: sharp cone skills, stacking skills and prime number theory.