The calculus founded by Xiao Shixuan was initially extremely loose and had loopholes in logic and derivation.
He said that he could use calculus to calculate the twelve average laws, which was somewhat bragging. Because using this method requires not only calculus and analytic geometry, but also in-depth study of mechanical waves.
In recent years, Chinese mathematicians have been working together to improve calculus.
Some scholars start from dynamics, and some explore from pure geometry. The definition of infinitesimal also troubles them. Even if Zhao Han personally went out and said that infinitesimal is a function with a limit of 0, some mathematicians are still unconvinced.
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The naming of various terms also made Zhao Han's head hurt.
Derivatives have not been correctly defined. Continuous variables are called "transitions", and derivatives of a derivative are called "transitions." There are so many similar terms, plus a variety of symbols, that Zhao Han has no time to study. Today's
He can no longer understand "Acta Mathematica".
"Hello, Xiao Zhangyuan." Pascal greeted with cupped fists.
Xiao Shixuan is the head of Qintianyuan, but he rarely participates in administrative work, and the daily management is left to the vice president. He has never even met Pascal, and asked in confusion: "Who is your Excellency?"
Pascal replied: "My Chinese name is Bosco, and I don't speak Chinese very well. Others speak too fast and can't understand."
"Please sit down, what do you want?" Xiao Shixuan didn't like to waste time.
Pascal took out the eunuch's manuscript: "This is the work of a gentleman. Please take a look at it, Mr. Xiao."
Xiao Shixuan nodded: "I will take a look."
"I'm leaving." Pascal stood up and left.
Xiao Shixuan didn't think this person was rude, but he liked him very much. He didn't like politeness and nonsense.
Xiao Shixuan continued to do his research, and it was not until lunch that he picked up these manuscripts and looked through them. There was nothing much at first, but as he looked at them, he put down his chopsticks completely and read them in one breath for half an afternoon.
In today's Chinese mathematics community, many people are working on improving calculus, and the same is true for Wang Zhong's manuscript.
Wang Zhong has two main achievements: giving the appropriate definitions of continuity and derivatives, and proposing the correct concepts of sequences and series.
"Jingle bell!"
Xiao Shixuan shook the bell on the table, and his assistant and student immediately came in: "Sir, what are your orders?"
"Is there a new person named Bao in our hospital?" Xiao Shixuan asked.
The assistant said: "Yes, his name is Bosco."
Xiao Shixuan asked again: "Is there anyone named Wang Zhong?"
The assistant thought carefully and finally shook his head: "It seems not."
"Call Bosco...forget it, I'll go there myself." Xiao Shixuan picked up the manuscript and went out.
The next day.
Wang Zhong was taken to Qintianyuan by Pascal. Although he had worked here for more than ten years, he seemed extremely nervous today.
Entering the inner courtyard, he saw a group of doctors, masters, bachelors and graduate students, all standing in the courtyard without talking. Wang Zhong was so frightened that his neck shrank and his waist bent involuntarily.
"Snap, snap, snap!"
Xiao Shixuan took the lead in applauding, and the others also applauded in welcome.
The Chinese character "把" means to applaud. In the pre-Qin period, there was a habit of applauding when listening to music.
Wang Zhong had never experienced this kind of treatment. He worked as a eunuch in Nanjing when he was twelve years old, and continued to work as a handyman after he was seventeen years old. No one had ever looked at him seriously. The few times he asked for advice, he was greeted with
He was sarcastic. If Pascal hadn't been easy to talk to, he wouldn't have even dared to ask Pascal for advice.
The moment the applause started, Wang Zhong felt light and airy all over, and he seemed to be stepping on clouds when he walked.
Although the people around him were applauding, there were some who despised him and others who were jealous. Asking them to applaud a former eunuch was more of a way to save Xiao Shi's face.
Of course, there are people who applaud sincerely, but the number is not very large.
Xiao Shixuan stepped forward and took Wang Zhong's hand: "I have been in charge of Qintian Yuan so far, but unexpectedly there are dragons and crouching tigers in the courtyard. I didn't discover it until yesterday. When your article is published, I will ask Your Majesty to give you a bachelor's title."
"Many... thank you so much for your support." Wang Zhong was so excited that his whole body trembled.
Xiao Shixuan added: "Calculate all your results in public. Colleagues in the Mathematics Museum must listen, and colleagues in other libraries can also listen."
Pascal followed in, sat among the crowd, and watched Wang Zhong calculate the academic results.
He likes it here and likes this atmosphere.
In France, there is currently only one French Academy. The academicians there are mainly writers. The original intention of establishing the Academy was just to study, improve and promote French.
As for French scientists, they are all busy doing research at home. If they want to communicate, they can only rely on correspondence or reading papers published by each other.
It's great here in China. Many scientists gather together and can communicate and discuss anytime and anywhere.
In fact, they are also found in various provinces in China, not all in Nanjing. They also rely on communication to communicate.
Some teachers in schools from various places hold positions in both academies. Although Zhao Zhenfang, the eldest princess of the current dynasty, was far away in Tianjin and no longer worked as a teacher, she had always been a master of Qintian Academy and published academic papers every year.
Half a month later, a new issue of "Datong Monthly" was released.
Wang Zhong's deeds appeared on the second page of the news and quickly became a hot topic in Nanjing.
How could a former eunuch become an official and a bachelor?
Simply unheard of!
The focus of the common people's attention is this eunuch from the former dynasty. Because of his great academic contributions, he was awarded a small courtyard by Xuanwu Lake.
So there are these words to encourage children to learn: "My dear, you should study hard and work hard to learn that arithmetic. The eunuch did a good job in calculating the accounts. Long live the Lord has given me a small house. You will definitely be able to get a big house in the future.
!”
At the same time, matchmakers also began to visit.
A serious boudoir girl would definitely not want to marry an eunuch, but a widow with children would.
Wang Zhong had an official status and had no children. After the widow married, not only would her life be secure, but her children would not be abused.
After receiving several matchmakers, Wang Zhong was moved by the words. He also wanted to have a woman as a companion at home, and he also wanted to leave incense for his family.
Finally, Wang Zhong asked the matchmaker in front of him: "This Yuan family you are talking about, would you like to let the child change his surname?"
"Change it, definitely change it!" the matchmaker said with a smile.
"My surname is Feng..." Wang Zhong suddenly stopped, feeling that there was no need to tell the matchmaker, and continued to ask, "This Yuan family has brought two sons and one daughter, will her parents-in-law be willing?"
The matchmaker said: "She was originally from Jiangsu. Her parents-in-law had already died of the epidemic, and her husband also died of the plague. Later, she remarried a widower and came to Nanjing to live with relatives. A few years later, her husband died again. The old woman did not hide anything from the king.
Your Excellency, the neighbors all say that she is a naughty woman who can’t get married even if she remarries. But people have checked with her husband. It’s not that she is lucky, but that her two husbands are unlucky. This Yuan family is very good at housework, and her children are also very good.
If you are taught to be filial, you will definitely have a harmonious and beautiful family when you marry someone."
"Just be diligent and filial, haha." Wang Zhong became more and more satisfied as he listened.
Not only will he have a wife, but he will also have three children. With a good wife and children, this is something he never dared to think about before.
A tough guy?
I am a eunuch who defeated the Ming Dynasty. If I don't live well, who can be tougher than me?
He took out dozens of reward money and sent the matchmaker out in person. Wang Zhong was in a happy mood. He couldn't help but straighten his waist. He had been groveling all the time, which caused him to be a little hunched over. At this moment, his shoulders seemed to have straightened, and he said to himself with a smile.
Said: "This new dynasty is really good. Long live the Lord is also a good emperor. We can live upright and upright."
Pascal's house was not far from him. Wang Zhong had already regarded this foreign devil as a friend, and he happily ran there to share his joy.
"Master Wang is here, please come in!" The servant who opened the door was another eunuch.
There were many eunuchs left behind in the previous Ming Dynasty, and many of them worked as odd jobs in various yamen. It was considered that the new dynasty left a mouthful of food for them.
Wang Zhong recognized this person, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zhang."
"I don't dare, I don't dare." The eunuch named Zhang bent his waist even more, his eyes filled with envy and admiration.
This person specially bought a newspaper and wanted to know why Wang Zhong became an official. As a result, except for the written reports, the other contents were like a bible, and he couldn't understand a bit, and he couldn't even feel jealousy.
Pascal invited Wang Zhong to come in and sit down. There was no longer "Chinese Philosophy and Ethics" on the table, but a copy of "The Three Character Classic" and a set of "Datong Dictionary".
"Brother Bao, I want to find a wife." Wang Zhong said happily.
Pascal asked: "What is a wife?"
Wang Zhong explained: "The husband is the husband and the wife is the wife."
"Oh," Pascal suddenly realized and said with a smile, "Congratulations."
Wang Zhong asked: "Don't you want a wife?"
Pascal replied: "Women are troublesome and will waste my time."
Wang Zhong was speechless for a moment.
Pascal suddenly said: "Wang, I don't have many friends in China. Can I ask you some questions?"
"You tell me." Wang Zhong said.
"In Europe, the world was created by God, and men were made by God from dust. Is there such a legend in China?" Pascal asked.
Wang Zhong said with a smile: "Two years ago, His Majesty ordered the Hanlin Academy to compile and print a "Collection of Chinese Myths". Brother Bao can buy it and have a look. In our place, the world was initially chaotic and looked like an egg.
Same. The great god Pangu was born in the chaos. He was born with an ax and split the chaos..."
Wang Zhong told several mythological stories in succession. Pascal listened with rapt attention and compared them with Western myths.
Dayu controlled the floods? Noah's Ark?
Why do both Eastern and Western myths have a great flood?
Pascal keenly felt that there was an essential difference between Europe and China. When Westerners encountered a flood, they would just survive by running away in boats. But when the Chinese encountered a flood, they worked together to subdue it.
People here have no original sin and no need for atonement.
"Do you really believe in the sky and your ancestors?" Pascal expressed doubts.
In "Chinese Philosophy and Ethics", Aiulius said that the Chinese people's beliefs in Buddhism and Taoism are false. The only things the Chinese people truly believe in are the sky and their ancestors. And the sky is not the sky that can be seen when looking up, it is the place where all things are nurtured.
, a concept similar to gods that control all things. It is just similar to gods, but not gods. It is more like a universe with consciousness.
Wang Zhong smiled and said: "God and ancestors, you must believe this."
Pascal was thoughtful.
This guy is a mathematician and physicist. After coming to China, he seemed to want to devote himself to studying philosophy. Zhao Han was afraid that he would vomit blood if he found out.
