尊重原始文献避免以讹传讹

尊重并认真研读原始文献，是对数学史工作者的起码要求。但是，有意无意对原始文献曲解的现象，在数学史研究中并不鲜见，甚至某些颇负盛名的学术著作也不能幸免。以《九章算术》的编纂、对刘徽割圆术的认识、对秦九韶的大衍总数术的认识、李冶的《测圆海镜》为何而作、天元术中开方式的表示等为例，说明自清中叶起，在中国数学史的这些重大问题上就存在许多误解。只有尊重原始文献，才能准确地认识中国数学史。

Respecting Primary Literature, Preventing the Spread of False Information

It is a rudimentary requirement for a scholar studying the history of mathematics that he or she should respect and seriously do research on original literature. However, the phenomena of misinterpreting the original literature or not are frequently seen. Even some very famous academic books can not escape from doing so by sheer luck. This paper shows that many misunderstandings exist in some very important subjects on the history of mathematics in China. Some classical examples are taken in order to illustrate the opinion. They include the compilation of Nine Chapters on Mathematical Procedures, the recognition of Liu Hui's cyclotomic algorithm and Qin Jiu-shao's general method of Chinese remainder theorem, the purpose of Li Ye's Sea Mirror of Circular Measurement, and the expressions of equation with one unknown of tian yuan method. Only through respecting primary literature can one have a correct understanding of the history of mathematics in China.