Chinese abacus is the treasure of the country, which embodies the wisdom of the Chinese nation.

     In the past, we discussed abacus mostly on abacus, and basically did not jump out of the circle of abacus. Su Dongpo once said, "I don't know the true face of Lushan Mountain, only because I am in this mountain". The reason why people can not recognize the true face of Lushan Mountain is that they are in the middle of Lushan Mountain, and their vision is limited to the local scenery such as the mountains and peaks of Lushan Mountain, but they can not see the whole picture of Lushan Mountain. If you want to see Lushan in an all-round way, you need to find a new commanding height and look back at Lushan. In order to better understand, inherit and develop the abacus, the best way is to jump out of the abacus and look at the abacus, to find a new height, to select a new angle, to examine the abacus in an all-round way. So today I want to analyze abacus from several different perspectives.

      In addition to the rich historical accumulation of abacus itself, our affection for abacus includes the words that our beloved Premier Zhou once left behind: "Don't throw away the abacus". In 1972, Premier Zhou Enlai met with Chinese-American physicist Dr. Li Zhengdao and his wife in the Great Hall of the People. Dr. Li Zhengdao said in his conversation with Premier Zhou: "China should be more advanced in computer than anyone else.  China's abacus is the oldest computer. Premier Zhou was deeply touched. He said to the people around him, "Tell the bottom not to throw away the abacus. It's the most dangerous thing for monkeys to eat peaches."  Premier Zhou's phrase "Don't throw away the abacus" is to warn us to better protect and inherit the abacus.

      In the past, people studied the history of abacus, judged its realistic status and looked forward to its future development, mainly focusing on two dimensions of science and technology. To study abacus from a scientific dimension is mainly to study the inherent regularity of abacus arithmetic.  To study abacus from the technical dimension is mainly to study the advanced technology of abacus.

      Today, I want to study abacus from three dimensions and examine abacus from a multi-dimensional perspective. The first dimension is the scientific perspective, the second dimension is the technical perspective, and the third dimension is the cultural perspective. The purpose of studying abacus from a scientific point of view is to explore the law of abacus. Scientists often adopt the method of constructing mathematical model to describe the law. Mathematical model is the most concise and accurate mathematical expression reflecting the law. From the perspective of technology, people often judge the level of Abacus Technology by formulating the grade standard of abacus. The technical level of abacus is divided into general level and skilled level. Ordinary level is divided into six levels: ordinary six, ordinary five, ordinary four, ordinary three, ordinary two, ordinary one, ordinary six is the lowest, ordinary one is the highest; expert level is also divided into six levels: expert six, five, four, three, two, one, the lowest, the highest. The study of abacus from a cultural perspective mainly studies the powerful spiritual power behind the development of abacus through the development and evolution of abacus tools and technologies. Culture is an abstract thing. It has no model or standard. Culture is only a feeling. There are many kinds of expressions of culture, but the most direct and simple expression is that your heart is hot and your eyes are red. If you are touched and infected by something you can't tell clearly, it must be that culture is playing a role, because only culture can reach people's hearts directly. Next, we study abacus in detail from three dimensions.

     First, the calculation of beads from a scientific perspective
Science is a kind of knowledge system. It is about discovery, invention, creation and practice. It has objectivity and practicality.
        After more than 1,800 years of development, the Abacus has formed a relatively systematic knowledge system, such as counting methods. Xuyue recorded in the "Numbers" that there are calculations, Taiyi calculations, two instruments, three counts, five elements calculations, eight calculations, nine palace calculations, operations calculations, calculations, calculations, calculations, and calculations. There are dozens of algorithms. In practice, people have continuously improved and successively developed the discipline system of "Pearl Calculations Development Brief History", "Pearl Calculations Culture", "Pearl Calculations Foundation", "Pearl Calculations Addition and Subtraction Method", "Pearl Calculations Method" and so on.
So what are the characteristics of Chinese Pearl calculations in the scientific perspective? First, true reason. Pearl calculation has its internal logic, and the calculation principle behind the Pearl calculation has its own internal scientific logic. For example, the Pearl calculation is "one on one, two on two, three on three, and four on four", and the ball is allocated., It can represent a certain number of relationships, and the accumulation of beads is actually the accumulation of physical individuals. The Abacus calculation theory conforms to the objective law. One of the characteristics of the objective law is that it does not rely on the subjective will of the person. For example, through the image display of the electrocardiogram, one can know the health status of a person. The uniform fluctuation of the curve indicates that the heartbeat is normal, and there is no regular fluctuation. Indicates irregular heartbeat. If you show a straight line without fluctuations, it means that you have lost your vital signs. These are all reflections of objective phenomena and do not depend on human will. Ball is a reflection of mathematical laws, and the correct results will not be different because of the Abacus people and draw different conclusions. The calculation principle of bead calculation has objectivity. Second, practicability. On the one hand, the Abacus calculation can be verified, and through the inspection, it can be known whether the results are correct or not; On the other hand, the Abacus calculation can be repeated, and it can be used repeatedly. If the results of a scientist's research are not repeatable and repeatable, its scientific nature will be questioned. Therefore, scientific things are first and foremost verifiable. The results of the Abacus calculation can be verified, and the results are consistent, stable, and have repeatable characteristics. Third, systematic. After a long period of development, the Abacus theory has formed a relatively complete system. It includes the Abacus basis, Abacus calculation and other aspects. The Abacus operation includes addition and subtraction operations, multiplication and division operations, Square operations, and cubic operations. The formation of these Abacus theory systems fully conforms to the cognitive laws from shallow to deep, from simple to complex, from easy to difficult, and gradually. Fourth, development. The Abacus theory is produced with practice, and the Abacus theory is developed with practice. Practice determines the understanding that the perfection of the Abacus theory is not an overnight process, it is a process that continues to develop in the course of long-term practice, and develops with the development of practice.

      Second, the calculation of beads under the technical perspective
Technology is the experience or skill that comes from the combination of people and tools. The history of counting has gone through a process from knot notes, stony notes, calculation notes, calculation notes, Abacus notes to computers. With the development of technology, we have not observed the process of computer storage and computing, only the number of inputs. And output results.
There are four main features in the Abacus calculation under the technical perspective: first, dependence. The Abacus technology must be attached to the Abacus tool. One of the reasons why the Abacus is called Abacus is to operate it. This is different from the mental calculation. At the same time, the Abacus technology is determined by the calculation tools. The improvement and development of the calculation tools will affect the development of the Abacus technology. The Abacus has been continuously improved from generation to development, and the diamond Abacus frame distance during the Ming and Qing dynasties has become narrower and narrower. The span of the fingers is greatly shortened. The ball is changed from a drum to a diamond to facilitate the ball. The fingering method is also changed from five fingers, four fingers, and three fingers to two fingers. The result of the development is that the calculation speed is faster and faster. The higher the accuracy. This is the dependence of Abacus technology on Abacus tools. Second, development. From a technical point of view, the Abacus technology changes with the Abacus tool, and the Abacus tool progresses with the technological innovation. The Abacus tool is also in constant change and has undergone a process from simplicity to refinement. The improvement of the Abacus tool is to meet the requirements of the Abacus technology, and to some extent to promote the Advancement of Abacus technology. Third, standardization. The Abacus technology has certain standards, and the Abacus technology has a certain level, that is, the general level and the expert level. Both the general level and the expert level are divided into six levels, and the corresponding levels correspond to the corresponding standards. Fourth, plasticity. Technical skills come from training. As the saying goes, "Kung Fu must often be kicked and the Abacus must often be pulled." The level of a person's Abacus calculation is inseparable from his training. Only through long-term training can the Abacus level reach a higher technical level.
III. Beading from a Cultural Perspective
What is culture? I 've looked at the literature, and there are hundreds of definitions of culture, because of the abstraction and complexity of culture. I define culture as a combination of knowledge, wisdom and ability. First of all, people get a lot of new information through education, reading books, browsing the Internet, and other channels. These new information are stored in the brain, that is, knowledge. This is "text", not "culture." From "Wen" to "Culture", there are two transformations. The first transformation is to transform knowledge into Chengzhihui, which is a process of processing and converting the acquired information into its own. People combine their subjective and objective environments to constantly think and process the knowledge stored in the brain(`` Wen ") and gradually form ideas, opinions, views and ideas. These ideas, views, views and ideas are wisdom. The transformation of knowledge into wisdom through thought activities is called "internalization." The second transformation is the transformation of wisdom into ability. People translate ideas, opinions, views and ideas into actions through practical activities, and use wisdom to guide social practices to form capabilities. This transformation is called "externalization." The first transformation is called "internalization," which is achieved through thinking and internalized in the "heart." The second transformation is called "externalization," which is achieved through practice and externalized in "lines." Information obtained through the eyes, ears, or social practice is called knowledge. Knowledge is processed through thinking activities to generate wisdom, and the application of wisdom is demonstrated through practical activities. In this sense, therefore, culture is a complex of knowledge, wisdom and capabilities. The fact that Abacus can be included in the UNESCO list of human intangible cultural heritage fully shows that Abacus in China not only contains the knowledge and wisdom of human beings, but also embodies the ability of human beings to conquer nature and transform it.

       So from a cultural point of view, what are the characteristics of Pearl calculation? First, integration. In addition to the requirements of algorithms and calculations, Chinese Abacus also includes the production process of Abacus, which is the crystallization of human comprehensive wisdom. In the process of development, Chinese Abacus is more and more particular and more exquisite. In the process of Abacus production, there are both inheritance and innovation, as well as digestion and absorption. Other peoples and other countries in the world have contributed to the improvement and development of abacus. For example, it is said that in order to shorten the beaded distance, speed up the calculation speed, and improve the efficiency of computing, the Japanese improved the form of bead calculation, changed the bead from a drum to a diamond, and then returned to China. Although the truth of this statement needs to be examined, it fully shows that different countries and different ethnic groups have their contributions in the process of Abacus development. Abacus spread from China to South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, and some English-speaking countries, indicating that the Abacus has strong vitality, and other countries will make some improvements in order to be more flexible and simple in their use. This makes the Abacus have a certain degree of compatibility. This is the first feature. Second, sharing. The penetration and wide dissemination of Abacus fully explain the sharing of abacus. Pearl calculations have a long history in China. From the calculations to the calculations, the Ming Dynasty went out of the country to the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Southeast Asia and other countries, indicating that the calculations are shared. Thirty years ago, every family in mainland China, no matter which social class it belongs to, had an abacus, which was the basic computing tool that every family had to use. In the previous stage, the symphony "Jin Shang Feelings" rehearsed by the Hong Kong Chinese Music Orchestra was mainly an abacus. The Abacus was full of rhythm and clear and loud, and the Abacus had a wide range of functions. This is sharing. Third, intangible. The Abacus culture is intangible. On the one hand, a person always unconsciously produces emotions for the Abacus, and on the other hand, the Abacus has a subtle influence on people. It quietly plays a role. This is "diving into the night with the wind, moistening things silently." Culture is like the air, invisible, but everyone can feel it. For example, when Liuwuran's teacher talks about Wangwensu, algorithms, and reasoning, his feelings are turbulent. This kind of emotion is an expression of the heart and is invisible. Today, my friends have come all the way to Taiyuan to discuss the proposition of Abacus culture. In fact, it is also the intangible attraction of Abacus that attracts everyone to join and gather together. Fourth, development. The Abacus culture changes with time and space. It is not immutable. It has different forms of expression at different times and in different regions. For example, Fujianese and Shanxi people have different feelings about abacus. People at different levels also experience different experiences in looking at Abacus, so people at different levels feel different about the same thing. In addition, the same people may have different experiences of the same things at different times and spaces. Some people look at problems at this stage of history as an attitude, but as time changes, the environment changes. Their attitudes and emotions will also change.
These are my three points of view. Finally, I would like to summarize the five characteristics of culture: the first is consciousness. Culture is voluntary and all acts of coercion and coercion are not cultural. If the Japanese take the initiative to queue up, he is self-conscious, and so are the Germans. At present, our country has not yet formed a conscious cultural atmosphere. After the "road self-confidence", "theoretical self-confidence" and "institutional self-confidence", the party central committee also proposed to "cultural self-confidence." The second is forward orientation. The pursuit of culture is true, good and beautiful, culture is good, not evil. Some local Internet fraud is quite common, and some local drug production and trafficking have been repeatedly banned. These phenomena can not be said to be a cultural phenomenon. In nature, culture is positive and good. The third is pluralism. There are different cultures in different regions, ethnic groups, and at different levels. The Han nationality has Han culture, Islam has Islamic culture, the Mongolian nation has Mongolian culture, the urban culture has urban culture, the rural culture has rural culture, and the intellectual group has intellectual culture. Soldiers have the culture of soldiers, workers have the culture of workers, businessmen have the culture of businessmen, and so on. The fourth is extensiveness. Culture must be universally recognized by the majority. Most people generally agree that it does not require 100 % recognition, but it must be recognized by the majority that culture must have a broad mass foundation. The fifth is persistence. Persistence manifests itself in a culture that continues to function over a long period of time. We attach importance to cultural construction because culture can continue to play a role for a long time.
Consciousness is the basic feature of culture, positivity is the nature of culture, pluralism is the formal feature of culture, universality is the spatial feature of culture, and persistence is the time feature of culture. This is the five characteristics of culture.
In order to resist five kinds of anti-cultural phenomena, we must pay attention to five kinds of anti-cultural phenomena when inheriting and innovating the Pearl culture. The first is utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is only focusing on results and not on processes. Some people only see the results of the calculation function of Abacus being replaced by computers, but they do not see the role of Abacus in the history of human civilization for more than a thousand years. The second is money worship. There is no future for some people who, under the guise of inheriting the Abacus culture, seek material benefits as their main purpose. The third is pragmatism. It is typical pragmatism to look at China's Abacus simply because it is useful and useless at the moment and see if it can bring benefits to you. If you can learn, you can use it, or you will abandon it. The fourth is entertainmentalism. The pursuit of formal beauty, the pursuit of short-term enjoyment of the senses, does not pay attention to spiritual feelings and enlightenment functions, like certain forms of art in the entertainment industry. Although it can bring people haha smiles, it can bring temporary sensory pleasure. However, there is no enlightenment and guidance for people, so it can not endure for a long time. A good cultural form will make people better. Therefore, General Secretary Xi mentioned at the second symposium of literary and art workers that he must resist the "three customs." The fifth is individualism. When we spread and innovate Abacus culture, we must give play to the advantages of the team. We must concentrate our energies and twist them into a rope. Everyone is just a point. We must connect a point and connect it into a line, weave it into a face, and form a body. Let the people who love Abacus all over the country and the world jointly add color to the inheritance and innovation of Abacus culture.
That's what I'm going to tell you today.
Thank you for listening and welcome the criticism!