“Methods for measuring a rectangular field in four excavated mathematical books from ancient China”
by 周 序林 (School of Chinese Language and Literature, Southwest Minzu University)
Download this session's posterEach session of the Reading Ancient Mathematical Texts Seminar opens with the short presentation of a primary source and the mathematical problems it raises, followed by the reading of this source, provided with an edition and a translation. One reading typically lasts 3 hours, mostly filled with constant exchanges where any naive question is welcomed. This allows us to think about the linguistic composition of the text, its philology, etc.
Programme 2026–2027
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Oct 29, 2026“Methods for measuring a rectangular field in four excavated mathematical books from ancient China”
Beijing, Peking University, 北京大學藏秦簡牘《算書甲種》(Beijing daxue cang Qin jiandu Suanshu jiazhong), slips 93, 94 and 95r
Observatoire de Paris, salle du conseil
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Nov 10, 2026“Reworking Euclid’s Irrationals at the Turn of the Seventeenth Century”
Angers, Museum Plantin-Moretus, B 1829 (Christophus Clavius, Algebra, p. 138
Observatoire de Paris, Chandon
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Dec 16, 2026“Oresme's Questions on Sacrobosco's De Spera”
Paris, BnF, Français 565, f. 69r
Observatoire de Paris, Chandon
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Jan 28, 2027“Iterated positions in squaring and cubing, based on the Līlāvatīvivaraṇam”
Prayagraj, Sanskrit College library, Jyotiṣa 9208, f. 3
Observatoire de Paris, salle du conseil
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Feb 25, 2027“Degrees and Their Subdivisions in Pachymeres' Astronomy (Syntagma.4)”
Rome, Biblioteca Angellica, Ang. gr. 38
Observatoire de Paris, salle du conseil
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Mar 17, 2027“Reading Śrīdhara’s Collection of Three Hundred (Triśatī): Multiple Manuscripts towards a New Critical Edition”
Jodhpur, Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, 32552, f. 1r
Observatoire de Paris, salle du conseil
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Apr 22, 2027“Verse and prose in the computation of square roots: a reading of John of Murs Quadripartitum numerorum (France, c. 1343)”
Paris, BnF, Latin 7190, f. 18v
Observatoire de Paris, salle du conseil
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
May 13, 2027
Paris, BnF, Latin 7432, f. 160r
Observatoire de Paris, salle du conseil
(14:00-17:00)
Reading Mathematical and Astronomical Texts
Jun 24, 2027“Discussing next year's program”
Paris, BnF, Latin 7432, f. 160r
Observatoire de Paris, salle du conseil
(14:00-17:00)