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How did Li Chunfeng help establish the Ten Classics of Mathematics?

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East Asian mathematics Counting boards and markers, or counting rods, were used in China to solve systems of linear equations. This is an example from the 1st century ce.

In the 7th century, the mathematician and astronomer Li Chunfeng played a pivotal role in organizing and preserving foundational mathematical knowledge in China. Leading a group of scholars that included Liang Shu and Wang Zhenru, Li edited a collection of mathematical treatises that had been used as manuals in the Mathematical College of the State University.12

This collection, known as the Shibu suanjing or "Ten Classics of Mathematics," gathered together The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, the astronomical treatise Zhoubi ("The Gnomon of the Zhou"), and several other significant mathematical works. In 656, Li submitted this finalized collection to the emperor for formal approval. By establishing this official canon, Li ensured that these texts served as the primary instructional manuals for officials trained in the imperial office of mathematics, thereby preserving these essential works for future generations.21