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How did Yang Hui’s books spread mathematical knowledge to Korea and Japan?

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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.

The mathematical works of Yang Hui, a prominent 13th-century Chinese mathematician, were transmitted to Korea and Japan through the circulation of scholarly texts written in Chinese characters, which served as a common medium for scientific exchange in East Asia.12

A collected edition of Yang Hui’s treatises, compiled in 1378, was instrumental in this dissemination. The spread occurred through the following channels:1

Korea: The influence of these works was significant enough that they were reprinted in Korea in 1433 during the reign of King Sejong.1
Japan: These texts were subsequently brought to Japan, likely via Korea. Once in Japan, they were studied and copied by prominent mathematicians, including Seki Takakazu.31

These imported books provided Japanese scholars with access to advanced 13th-century Chinese algorithms, such as methods for solving systems of simultaneous linear equations and finding roots of equations. This infusion of knowledge played a crucial role in shaping the algebraic orientation of the Japanese mathematical tradition, known as wasan, and established the foundation upon which later Japanese mathematicians built their own original advancements.34