The study aims to understand how mathematics has been developed along with the human history. From the old times, mathematics has participated in many parts of a human society as in trade, distribution and taxation. In terms of agriculture, astronomic...
The study aims to understand how mathematics has been developed along with the human history. From the old times, mathematics has participated in many parts of a human society as in trade, distribution and taxation. In terms of agriculture, astronomical observation, calendar-making and land surveying have been essential factors and it was mathematics that has conducted all of the businesses. Mathematics that we are now working on has been developed from arithmetic during the Chosun Dynasty Period but not from the one in the western countries. Mathematics in use has been generally based on many of arithmetic books from China. Korean ancestors worked hard for the development of arithmetic and the results are found in every arithmetic book written during the Chosun Dynasty Period.
The Chosun Dynasty Period is divided into four sub-periods as the early Chosun, the mid-Chosun, the Practical Science Period and the Enlightenment Period.
During the early Chosun, arithmetic was mainly developed based on Chinese arithmetic books 「YanghuiArithmetic」, 「Jubisankyeong」, 「SangmyeongArithmetic」, 「ArithmeticEnlightenment」, 「Cheukwonhaekyeong」, 「ArithmeticTongjong」, 「KujangArithmetic Biryudaejeon」, 「Arithmetic」, 「Kujang Arithmetic」, 「Jimyeong Arithmetic」.
Around that time, in Korea, 「Chiljeongsan Naepyeon」 and a calendar book 「Kyosikchubobeop」 were published. It is already widely known that those books have been greatly affected by 「Arithmetic Enlightenment」. So many arithmetic books were again published during the mid-Chosun and the Practical Science Period as Chosun arithmeticians studied Chinese arithmetic books such as 「Muksajip Arithmetic」, 「Kuiljip」, 「Kusuryak」, 「Chakeunbangmongku」, 「Arithmetic Kwankyeon」, 「Surveying Graphical Solution」 and 「Yusikugosulyo Graphical Solution」. Later on, 「Basic Arithmetic」 by Byeong-gil Nam was introduced while in China, a Chinese version of algebra from the west, 「The Great Arithmetic」, was published by Seon-lan Lee.
In the study, how arithmetic was developed from the early Chosun to the Enlightenment Period was examined while the study reviewed arithmetic books published during the Chosun Dynasty Period. To begin with, 「Shinpyeon Jimyeong Arithmetic」 which was not popular in the arithmetic field was studied. 「Jimyeong Arithmetic」 was quoted in 「Introduction to Arithmetic」 and 「Origin of Arithmetic」 by Yun-seok Hwang. Not only that, the study also examined calendar arithmetic found in a calendar book from the early Chosun, 「Kyosikchubobeop」. In addition, how advanced arithmetic was during the late Chosun was measured as the study translated the second and the third volumes of 「Basic Arithmetic」 by Byeong-gil Nam that has not been known in the field.
Through 「The Great Arithmetic」 imported from China around the Enlightenment Period, the study compared arithmetic to today's mathematics. Korean ancient arithmetic is considered rather practical than academic and, the field has not been properly preserved through the history. As a result, Chosun arithmetic has been somewhat neglected in its own country. However, recently, through translations on several arithmetic books, arithmetic during the Chosun Dynasty Period is being introduced to the outside. So far, we have focused on the western mathematics only. Now, it is time for us to know more about our own arithmetic history so that we can establish an identity of Korea. That is what the study has aimed from the beginning. Through the findings of the study and translations of the arithmetic books, it is expected that more of Korean arithmetic is actively examined while achievements of Chosun arithmeticians are introduced to later generations.