先秦数学史研究的新进展--评邹大海著《中国数学的兴起与先秦数学》

20世纪60年代初,中国科学院自然科学史研究室(今自然科学史研究所前身)数学史组在钱宝琮主持下完成<中国数学史>[1]后,开始实施了一个断代专题研究的宏大计划:把中国数学史分几个断代进行更细致而深入的研究,以便将来在更高层次上编写一部中国数学史[2].钱宝琮在世时组织了宋元时期的断代研究并出版了一部<宋元数学史论文集>[3]."文革"使这个计划中断."文革"后,顺着他的这一思路,自然科学史研究所对于两汉魏晋和明清的断代研究也相继展开,并获得了很大进展,在学术杂志上发表一系列论文,并出版了一部论文集<明清数学史论文集>[2]和专著<〈九章算术〉汇校本>[4]、<古代世界数学泰斗刘徽>[5]等.近年出版的邹大海所著的<中国数学的兴起与先秦数学>(以下简称<先秦数学>)则是一项先秦数学的断代研究.

New Advances in the Study on History of Mathematics in Pre-Qin Period:A Review on Zou Dahai''''s Chinese Mathematics in Pre-Qin Period

Owing to the limitations of available historical literature,the study on Chinese mathematics in the Pre-Qin period has been a weak link among the studies on the history of Chinese mathematics in various periods.For the very first time,Prof.Zou has studied the topic completely and systematically in his monograph Mathematics in Pre-Qin Period,in which extensive materials are collected,external-history is used to verify internal-history and the method of pushing layer upon layer with a fulcrum is chosen.By discussing the achievements,characteristics and the context of the various stages of Chinese mathematics in the Pre-Qin period,the book has carried the study of Chinese mathematics in Pre-Qin period to a new stage .