Abacus¹ and Calculation with an Abacus

算盘和珠算

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，英国《独立报》评选出10l款改变世界的小发明，排在第一位是有近2000年历史的中国算盘。算盘是中国古代一项伟大的发明。

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 period.In 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.

盘是中国人在长期使用算筹的基础上发明的。古时候，人们用小木棍进行计算，这些小木棍叫“算筹”，用“算筹”作为工具进行的计算叫“筹算”。后来，随着生产的发展，需要计算的数目越来越大，用小木棍计算受到了限制，于是，人们又发明了更先进的计算器—算盘。

The earliest known painting of the Chinese abacus can be found in the famous long scroll² Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival painted by Zhang Zeduan(1085-1145)during the Song Dynasty(960一1297).There，an abacus is clearly seen 1y-ing beside an account book on the counter of an apothecary’s.

最早的算盘图见北宋画家张择端(1085一1145)的《清明上河图》长卷。画卷上一家药铺柜台上账本左边，一个算盘清晰可见。

The abacus is rectangular with wooden frame on the four sides and small rods fixed³ inside strung with wooden beads⁴;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.

算盘是长方形的，四周是木框，里面固定一根根小木棍，小木棍上穿着木珠，中间有一根横梁把算盘分成两部分:每根木棍的上半部有两个珠子，每个珠子代表五;下半部有五个珠子，每个珠子代表一。

With the application of the abacus，people summarized many abacus rhymes，increasing the calculating speed.By 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.

随着算盘的使用，人们总结出许多计算口诀，使计算的速度更快了。这种用算盘计算的方法，叫珠算。到了明代，珠算已能进行加减乘除的运算，广泛用于计算物体的重量、数量、面积、体积等。

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.

由于算盘制作简单，价格便宜，珠算口诀便于记忆，运算又简便，所以算盘在中国被广泛使用。中国各行各业都有一批打算盘的高手，而且有的人能用左右两只手同时打算盘。

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 calculation.Since it requires cooperation of the mind，eyes and hand，it is a good way to im-prove the comprehensive reaction ability.

算盘后来陆续流传到了日本、朝鲜、美国和东南亚等国家和地区。人们在使用过程中发现，使用算盘，除了运算方便以外，还有锻炼思维能力和动手能力的作用。因为打算盘需要脑、眼、手的密切配合，是训练综合反应能力的一种好方法。