Why did Chinese scholars begin searching for ancient mathematical books after European missionaries arrived?

By the 17th century, knowledge of traditional Chinese mathematical achievements—such as the method of the celestial unknown—had largely fallen into oblivion, as the counting rods upon which these algebraic notations were based had fallen out of use. When European missionaries arrived, they introduced Western scientific knowledge, which prompted Chinese scholars to engage in a process of translation and comparative study.12

As these scholars became aware of European mathematical achievements, they sought to situate this new knowledge within the historical framework of their own tradition. This effort motivated them to search for and recover ancient Chinese mathematical texts throughout the country. By studying these rediscovered works, scholars like Mei Juecheng were able to use Western algebra to decipher and understand long-forgotten traditional methods. This movement ultimately aimed to synthesize Western and Chinese traditions and revive mathematical research using indigenous methods.2134