A calculus textbook translated in 1859.
Source: highscope.ch.ntu.edu.tw/wordpress/?p=25200
so what’s written:
Original function
u=x3
translated function
戊＝天三
u => 戊
x => 天
u=x3 => 戊＝天三
the differential symbol d is standslated into 彳, basically taking the radical from 微 (Chinese for taking a derivative)
Original Equation:
dx/du = 1/3x2
Translated Equation:
彳天 / 彳戊 = 一 / 三天二」
as if calculus wasn’t difficult enough 
Yours is one of the most rewarded online friendships I’ve ever had, and I don’t even know your name!
Thanks for the wonderfully thought-provoking links, even if this one is well beyond my mathematical abilities.
[quote=“Hokwongwei”]Yours is one of the most rewarded online friendships I’ve ever had, and I don’t even know your name!
Thanks for the wonderfully thought-provoking links, even if this one is well beyond my mathematical abilities.[/quote]
thanks, glad to find people who also enjoy obscure facts like these
I honestly probably only know four or five people (I’m talking native speakers here!) whose Chinese and math are good enough to understand this without a massive amount of effort.
What, you never took Math related courses in Chinese here before?
My only consolation when taking them in English was that as snarled I was in numbers, the locals were equally snarled in language. I used calculator for the exams, they brought electronic dictionaries.
Regarding Hansioux’s post: fascinating, interesting, looks gorgeous…