The grandfather of Zu Chongzhi (42
The grandfather of Zu Chongzhi (429-500) was named Zuchang, and he served as an official in charge of court buildings in the Song Dynasty. Zu Chongzhi grew up in such a family and read many books since he was a child. People praised him as a learned young man. He was particularly fond of studying mathematics and astronomy and calendars. He often observed the movements of the sun and planets and kept detailed records.
Emperor Xiaowu of the Song Dynasty heard about his reputation and sent him to work in the "Hualin Academic Province", an official agency specializing in academic research. He was not interested in being an official, but there he could concentrate more on studying mathematics and astronomy.
There have been officials who studied astronomy in all dynasties of our country, and calendars were formulated based on the results of astronomical research. By the time of the Song Dynasty, the calendar had made great progress, but Zu Chongzhi thought it was not accurate enough. Based on the results of his long-term observations, he created a new calendar called the "Daming Calendar" ("Daming" is the reign name of Emperor Xiaowu of the Song Dynasty). The number of days measured in each tropical year (that is, the time between the two winter solstice points) measured by this calendar is only fifty seconds different from that measured by modern science; the number of days it takes for the moon to circle around is not different from that measured by modern science. For a second, you can see how accurate it is. In 462 AD, Zu Chongzhi asked Emperor Xiaowu of the Song Dynasty to promulgate a new calendar, and Emperor Xiaowu convened ministers for discussion. At that time, Dai Faxing, a favored minister of the emperor, came out to object, believing that Zu Chongzhi's unauthorized change of the ancient calendar was an act of treason. Zu Chongzhi used the data he studied to refute Dai Faxing on the spot. Dai Faxing relied on the emperor's favor and said arrogantly: "The calendar was established by the ancients and should not be changed by future generations." Zu Chongzhi was not afraid at all. He said solemnly: "If you have factual basis, just use it to argue. Don't scare people with empty words." Emperor Xiaowu of Song Dynasty wanted to help Dai Faxing, so he found some people who knew the calendar to argue with Zu Chongzhi, but they were all refuted by Zu Chongzhi. . However, Emperor Xiaowu of Song Dynasty still refused to promulgate the new calendar. It was not until ten years after Zu Chongzhi's death that the Daming Calendar created by him was implemented.
Although the society was very turbulent at that time, Zu Chongzhi still studied science tirelessly. His greater achievement was in mathematics. He once commented on the ancient mathematical work "Nine Chapters on Arithmetic" and compiled a book "Zhu Shu". His most outstanding contribution was the fairly accurate calculation of pi. After long-term and painstaking research, he calculated that pi was between 3.1415926 and 3.1415927, becoming the first scientist in the world to calculate pi to more than seven digits.
Zu Chongzhi was a versatile man in scientific inventions. He built a compass. No matter how the car turned, the bronze figure on the car always pointed to the south; he also built the "Thousand-mile Ship", which is located in Xinting After trial navigation on the Yangtze River (southwest of today's Nanjing City), it could sail more than a hundred miles a day. He also used water power to turn stone mills and pound rice to grind millet, which was called "water mill".
In Zu Chongzhi's later years, Xiao Daocheng, who controlled the imperial guards of the Song Dynasty, destroyed the Song Dynasty.
In the Northern Song Dynasty of my country, there was a scientist who was erudite and accomplished. He was Shen Kuo (1031-1095).
Shen Kuo, courtesy name Cunzhong, was born in a bureaucratic family in Qiantang, Zhejiang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang) in the ninth year of Tiansheng's reign (1031 AD). His father Shen Zhou (also known as Wangzhi) once served as a local official in Quanzhou, Kaifeng, and Jiangning. Mother Xu is a well-educated woman.
Shen Kuo has been diligent in reading since he was a child. Under the guidance of his mother, he finished reading the family's book collection at the age of fourteen. Later, he followed his father to places such as Quanzhou in Fujian, Runzhou in Jiangsu (now Zhenjiang), Jianzhou in Sichuan (now Jianyang), and Kaifeng in the capital. He had the opportunity to get in touch with the society and understand the people's life and production conditions at that time, which increased his knowledge a lot. It is rare and shows superhuman intelligence.
Shen Kuo was proficient in astronomy, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, agriculture and medicine; he was also an outstanding engineer, an outstanding military strategist, diplomat and politician; at the same time, he was erudite and good at writing. , he is proficient in all aspects of history, music, medicine, divination, etc.
"Mengxi Bi Tan" written in his later years records in detail the outstanding contributions of the working people in science and technology and his own research results, reflecting the brilliant achievements of natural science in ancient my country, especially in the Northern Song Dynasty. "Mengxi Bi Tan" is not only an academic treasure house in ancient my country, but also has an important position in the history of world culture.
Japanese mathematician Yoshio Mikami once said: People like Shen Kuo cannot be found in the history of mathematics in the world. Only China has such a person. Dr. Joseph Needham, a famous British expert on the history of science, said Shen Kuo's "Mengxi Bi Tan" is the coordinate of the history of Chinese science.
Gauss is a German mathematician, astronomer and physicist. He is known as one of the great mathematicians in history, sharing the same reputation with Archimedes and Newton.
Gauss was born in a craftsman family in Brunswick on April 30, 1777, and died in G?ttingen on February 23, 1855. His family was poor when he was young, but he was extremely intelligent. He received financial support from a nobleman before he went to school for education. He studied at the University of G?ttingen from 1795 to 1798 and transferred to the University of Helmstedt in 1798. The following year he received a doctorate for proving the fundamental theorem of algebra. From 1807 he served as professor at the University of G?ttingen and director of the G?ttingen Observatory until his death.
Gauss’s achievements span all fields of mathematics, and he has made pioneering contributions in number theory, non-Euclidean geometry, differential geometry, hypergeometric series, complex variable function theory, and elliptic function theory. He paid great attention to the application of mathematics, and also focused on the use of mathematical methods in his research on astronomy, geodesy and magnetism.
Chen Jingrun became an internationally renowned mathematician and was deeply respected by people. But he did not feel proud and complacent, but gave all the credit to the motherland and the people. In order to safeguard the interests of the motherland, he did not hesitate to sacrifice his personal fame and fortune.
One day in 1977, Chen Jingrun received a letter from abroad, written to him by the president of the International Union of Mathematicians, inviting him to attend the International Congress of Mathematicians. This conference was attended by 3,000 people, all of whom were famous mathematicians in the world. The conference designated 10 mathematicians to give academic reports, and Chen Jingrun was one of them. This is a great honor for a mathematician and will greatly help improve Chen Jingrun’s international reputation.
Chen Jingrun did not make any opinions, but immediately reported to the party branch of the institute and requested the party's instructions. The party branch reported the situation to the Academy of Sciences. The party organization of the Academy of Sciences was relatively cautious about this issue, because at that time, China's seat in the International Union of Mathematicians had always been occupied by Taiwan.
The leader of the institute replied: "You are a mathematician, and the party organization respects your personal opinions. You can reply to him yourself."
After careful consideration, Chen Jingrun finally decided to give up this A rare opportunity. In his reply to the letter from the President of the International Union of Mathematicians, he wrote: “First, our country has always attached great importance to developing academic exchanges and friendly relations with other countries around the world. I am personally very grateful to the President of the International Union of Mathematicians for the invitation. Secondly, There is only one China in the world, and the only one that can represent the interests of the Chinese people is the People's Republic of China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China, because Taiwan currently occupies the International Federation of Mathematicians' territory. seat, so I cannot attend. Third, if China has only one representative, I can consider participating in this meeting. "In order to safeguard the dignity of the motherland, Chen Jingrun sacrificed his personal interests.
In 1979, Chen Jingrun was invited by the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton to go to the United States for a short-term research visit. The conditions at the Princeton Institute are very good. In order to make full use of such good conditions, Chen Jingrun squeezed out all the time he could save and worked hard, not even going back to his residence for lunch. Sometimes when he goes out to attend a meeting and the hotel is noisy, he hides in the bathroom and continues his research. Because of his hard work, in just five months in the United States, in addition to meetings and lectures, he completed the paper "The Minimum Prime Number in Arithmetic Series", which suddenly pushed the minimum prime number from the original 80 to 16 . This research result was also the most advanced in the world at that time.
In a materially developed country like the United States, Chen Jingrun still maintains the frugal style he had at home. He can receive a monthly salary of 2,000 US dollars from the institute, which can be said to be relatively generous. Every day at noon, he never went to the institute's restaurant to eat. It was more sophisticated and he could definitely enjoy it, but he always ate the dry food and fruits he brought with him. He was so frugal that after five months of living in the United States, he only spent $700 on food, excluding $1,800 on rent, water and electricity. When he returned, *** had saved $7,500.
The money was not a small sum at the time. He could buy some high-end home appliances from abroad like others. But he turned over all the money to the state. What did he think? In his own words: "Our country is not rich yet, and I can't just think about my own enjoyment."
Chen Jingrun is such a very humble and upright person, although he Although he has achieved success and fame, he is not complacent. He said: "On the road to science, I have only climbed a small hill. I have not yet climbed to the real peak. I have to continue to work hard."
Mathematics Family Story - Su Buqing
Su Buqing was born in September 1902 in a mountain village in Pingyang County, Zhejiang Province. Although his family was poor, his parents lived frugally and worked hard to support his education. When he was in junior high school, he was not interested in mathematics. He felt that mathematics was too simple and he could understand it as soon as he learned it. It can be estimated that a later mathematics class affected the path of his life.
That was when Su Buqing was in the third grade of junior high school. He was studying at the No. 60 Middle School of Zhejiang Province and there came a teacher Yang who had just returned from studying in Tokyo and taught mathematics. In the first class, Teacher Yang did not teach mathematics, but told stories. He said: "In today's world, the weak prey on the strong, and the world's major powers rely on their ships and cannons to carve up China. The danger of China's national subjugation and annihilation is imminent. Revitalize science, develop industry, and save the nation in one fell swoop. 'Every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the world.' , every student here has a responsibility.” He quoted from many sources and talked about the huge role of mathematics in the development of modern science and technology. The last sentence of this class is: "In order to save the nation and survive, we must revitalize science. Mathematics is the pioneer of science. In order to develop science, we must learn mathematics well." Su Buqing heard many classes in his life, but this class made him unforgettable. .
Teacher Yang’s class deeply moved him and injected new stimulants into his mind. Reading is not only to get rid of personal difficulties, but to save the vast number of suffering people in China; reading is not only to find a way out for individuals, but to seek new life for the Chinese nation. That night, Su Buqing tossed and turned and couldn't sleep all night. Under the influence of Teacher Yang, Su Buqing's interest shifted from literature to mathematics, and from then on he established the motto of "Reading without forgetting to save the country, and saving the country without forgetting reading". Once he fell in love with mathematics, Su Buqing only knew how to read, think, solve problems, and calculate, whether it was scorching summer or winter, frosty morning or snowy night. In 4 years, he calculated tens of thousands of mathematical problems. Now Wenzhou No. 1 Middle School (i.e. the Provincial No. 10 Middle School at that time) still treasures Su Buqing's geometry exercise book, written with a brush, and his workmanship is neat. When he graduated from middle school, Su Buqing scored above 90 points in all subjects.
At the age of 17, Su Buqing went to Japan to study and was admitted to the Tokyo Advanced Technical School with first place, where he studied eagerly. The belief of winning glory for the country drove Su Buqing to enter the field of mathematics research early. While completing his studies, he wrote more than 30 papers, achieved remarkable results in differential geometry, and received a doctorate in science in 1931. Before receiving his Ph.D., Su Buqing had been a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the Imperial University of Japan. Just when a Japanese university was preparing to hire him as an associate professor with a well-paid salary, Su Buqing decided to return to his country and teach in his ancestors who raised him. Su Buqing, who returned to Zhejiang University as a professor, lived a very difficult life.
Faced with the dilemma, Su Buqing's answer was, "It doesn't matter if I endure hardship. I am willing to do so because I have chosen the right path. This is a patriotic and bright path!"
This is the mathematics of the older generation. The patriotic heart of the family
Hu Hesheng, the first female academician in mathematics
Hu Hesheng was born in Nanjing in 1928 into an artistic family. His grandfather and father were both painters. She has been influenced by her since she was a child. She is smart and studious, and has a strong sense of painting and music. Her grandfather and father particularly like her. When she was in elementary school and middle school, she was not partial to subjects and excelled in arts and sciences, which greatly helped her later in her career in mathematics.
Although Hu Hesheng has many hobbies, her ideal is not to become a painter, but to go to university to continue her studies. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Hu Hesheng was admitted to the mathematics department of the university. He graduated in 1950 and applied for a master's degree from Professor Su Buqing, a famous mathematician at Zhejiang University and the founder of Chinese differential geometry. In 1952, the department was restructured, and Professor Su and she transferred to Fudan University in Shanghai. Fudan University is the birthplace of my country's differential geometry school headed by Su Buqing. It is home to a wealth of talents, coupled with the encouragement and guidance of the older generation of mathematicians and the mutual encouragement and competition of peers, this new star is rising.
Hu He has been engaged in differential geometry research during his growth period and has made systematic, in-depth and creative achievements in the field of differential geometry. For example, on the deformation theory of hypersurfaces and the characterization of constant curvature spaces, she developed and improved the work of French differential geometry master Cartan and others. From 1960 to 1965, she studied problems related to the homogeneous Riemannian space motion group, gave a general and effective method to determine the voidness of Riemannian space motion, and solved the problem proposed by the Italian mathematician Faubini sixty years ago. question. She compiled this result in the book "Differential Geometry of Homogeneous Spaces" co-authored with her husband Gu Chaohao, which was praised by her peers. In her early days, she published "Expansion of the Affine Connection of *** Yoke" (1953), "On a Characteristic of Projective Flat Space" (1958), "About Li "Motion Groups and Puzzling Groups in Mann Spaces" (1964) and other important papers. So far, she has published more than 70 papers and books. She has made great achievements in the research of projective differential geometry, Riemannian space complete motion groups, gauge fields, etc., and has become a female mathematician with considerable influence and popularity in the world. Some of her achievements are at the internationally leading or internationally advanced level. For example, in the study of harmonic mapping, she wrote the monograph "Soliton Theory and Application" and developed the results of "Soliton Theory and Geometric Theory", which is a world leader.
In 1982, Hu Hesheng and his collaborators won the third prize of the National Natural Science Award; since 1984, he has served as deputy editor-in-chief of "Journal of Mathematics" and vice-chairman of the Chinese Mathematical Society; in 1989, he was hired as a member of the Chinese Mathematical Society A judge of the Chen Shengshen Mathematics Award; in 1992, he was elected as a member of the Department of Mathematical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (renamed an academician in 1994). Among the mathematicians and academicians elected so far, only Hu Hesheng is a female.