"Ninety-Nine Techniques", this is an ancient arithmetic mantra that you may never have heard of. Recently, the real multiplication formula unearthed from the Qinjiazui cemetery in Jingzhou, Hubei Province - Chu Jian's "Ninety-Nine Techniques" has given people a new understanding of the counting method during the Warring States Period. According to archaeological experts, this discovery is about a century earlier than the earliest known Hunan Liye Qin Jane multiplication formula "Jiujiu Table".
In the Chu slips unearthed from the M1093 tomb in Qinjiazui, the bamboo slips are full of ancient multiplication formulas. This discovery proves that multiplication formulas have been used in the state of Chu for a long time, revealing how people performed counting and arithmetic operations during the Warring States period. This also provides an important clue for us to re-understand the mathematical knowledge of the Warring States period.
For these unearthed Chu Jian, the "Ninety-Nine Techniques" has been preliminarily sorted out and studied, and it is found that their contents involve many categories such as Zhuzi, mathematics, medicine, animal husbandry, literature, and Japanese books, which provide valuable new materials for the study of the history, culture, and thought of the pre-Qin period. These discoveries have also triggered more exploration and expectation of ancient culture and social life during the Warring States period.
Through more than 20 protection and restoration steps, the almost decayed bamboo slips were gradually restored to their original appearance, and the handwriting was clearly reproduced one by one. These efforts are of great significance for the protection and transmission of this precious cultural heritage. From these discoveries, it can be seen that people in the Warring States period had already studied and applied mathematical knowledge in depth.
These ancient arithmetic formulas were actually a compulsory part of grassroots officials at that time, and were used for the calculation of manpower, material resources, and assets in their daily work. It also makes us even more amazed by the wisdom and knowledge of the ancient people. Through these unearthed Chu Jian, we seem to see the way of thinking and living conditions of ancient people, and also let us better understand the development and evolution of ancient society.
These fragments of history, like puzzle pieces, help us to restore and understand ancient cultures and knowledge systems. It is worth expecting that with the unearthing of more similar archaeological discoveries, our understanding of ancient societies will be more comprehensive and deeper. It is hoped that these precious cultural relics can be better protected and studied, revealing the mysteries of ancient societies for us and allowing us to better understand our history and culture.