简介:ChineseabacushasbeenhailedasthefifthgreatinventionofancientChinaafterthecompass,papermaking,printingandgunpowder.Dr.Tsung-DaoLee,afamousphysicist,oncesaid,Ourforefathershaveinvented,ataveryearlytime,thebestcalculatingmachine-theabacus,whichisstillwidelyusedinthenation.TheZhusuan(AbacusCalculation)MuseumofShanxiMerchantsislocatedinQixianCounty,oneofthehistoricallyculturalcitiesofChina.Astheexhibitsonviewinthemuseumarerichinvarietyandgreatinage,themuseumbecametheonlyoneinChinathatfeaturestheabacusmethodologyofShanximerchants.DuringtheMingandQingperiods(13681911),Shanximerchants,whoinventedafinancialaccounttransferralsystemtoreducethedeliveryofcashfromoneplacetoanother,wererichandinfluentialacrossChina.AndsuanpanorChineseabacusisoneofthenecessitiesintheirpiaohaosorbankingfirms.Hencethesaying“Withtheclackofaabacus,10,000taelsrollin.”So,mostchildrenofthesewealthymerchantslearnedtodobusinessbylearningfirsthowtocalculateonanabacusframe.