Famous Chinese Mathematicians

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 1 
Sun Tzu
(Chinese Military Strategist, Writer and Philosopher)
Sun Tzu
28
Birthdate: 0544 AD
Birthplace: Qi, China
Died: 0496 AD
Sun Tzu was a Chinese general from the Eastern Zhou period. He is known to have written The Art of War, which propagated various alternatives to battles, such as alliances and use of spies, to win wars. He is said to be the same as Sun Wu and Sun Bin.
 2 
Shiing-Shen Chern
(One of the 20th Century's Greatest Mathematicians)
Shiing-Shen Chern
10
Birthdate: October 26, 1911
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Jiaxing
Died: December 3, 2004

Shiing-Shen Chern was a Chinese-American poet and mathematician. He is best remembered for making significant contributions to topology and differential geometry. Referred to as the father of modern differential geometry, Shiing-Shen Chern is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest mathematicians. He won several prestigious awards, such as the National Medal of Science, Wolf Prize, and Lobachevsky Medal.

 3 
Zhang Heng
(Chinese Polymath Who Invented the World's First Seismoscope)
Zhang Heng
8
Birthdate: 0078 AD
Birthplace: Nanyang, China
Died: 0139 AD

Chinese polymath Zhang Heng, or Chang Heng, was, at the same time, a mathematician, an astronomer, a geographer, a poet, a seismologist, an artist, and much more. His countless inventions include the world's first seismoscope. He documented over 2,000 stars and modified the Chinese calculations for pi.

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 4 
Xu Guangqi
(Ming Dynasty Official and One of the Most Prominent Chinese Converts to Christianity)
Xu Guangqi
4
Birthdate: April 24, 1562
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Shanghai, Songjiang, Southern Zhili, China
Died: November 8, 1633

Xu Guangqi, or Paul, was a Chinese official of the Ming dynasty and one of the most prominent Chinese converts before the 20th century. An agronomist, a mathematician, an astronomer, a politician, and an author, he translated many Western works. He was also known as one of the Three Pillars of Chinese Catholicism.

 5 
Zu Chongzhi
(Chinese Astronomer, Mathematician, Politician, Inventor and Writer)
Zu Chongzhi
4
Birthdate: 0429 AD
Birthplace: China
Died: 0500 AD

Chinese astronomer, engineer, and mathematician Zu Chongzhi is best remembered for calculating near-accurate approximations for π. He rejected the then-prevalent Yuanjia calendar and introduced the Daming calendar instead. He had also worked on the mathematical theory of music, though his writings haven’t survived the test of time.

 6 
Liu Hui
(Chinese Mathematician Who Wrote The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art)
Liu Hui
4
Birthdate: 0225 AD
Birthplace: Zibo, China
Died: 0295 AD

Chinese mathematician of the 3rd century, Liu Hui lived in the Cao Wei region during the Three Kingdoms period. He is remembered for his commentary Jiuzhang suanshu, or The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, which included his scientific writings on topics such as the Pythagorean theorem and solid geometry.

 7 
Yang Hui
(Mathematician)
Yang Hui
3
Birthdate: 1238 AD
Birthplace: Qiantang, China
Died: 1298 AD
 8 
Qin Jiushao
(Mathematician)
Qin Jiushao
3
Birthdate: 1202 AD
Birthplace: Puzhou, China
Died: 1261 AD

Chinese mathematician, meteorologist, and writer Qin Jiushao is remembered for developing a method to solve simultaneous linear equations and polynomial equations, mentioned in detail in his only book, Shushu jiuzhang. Though he became the Qiongzhou governor, he was later dismissed for corruption. He had also initially served the army.

 9 
Zhu Shijie
(Mathematician)
Zhu Shijie
2
Birthdate: 1249 AD
Birthplace: Beijing, China
Died: 1314 AD
 10 
Jia Xian
(Mathematician)
Jia Xian
2
Birthdate: 1010 AD
Birthplace: Unknown
Died: 1070 AD
 11 
Li Chunfeng
(Mathematician)
Li Chunfeng
2
Birthdate: 0602 AD
Birthplace: China
Died: 0670 AD

Chinese mathematician and astronomer Li Chunfeng rejected the existing Wuyin calendar and redesigned it later, creating the Linde calendar, using a new armillary sphere, as part of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. He also wrote several mathematical and historical treatises, apart from contributing to music, metrology, and astrology.

 12 
Minggantu
(Astronomer)
Minggantu
1
Birthdate: 1692 AD
Birthplace: Inner Mongolia, China
Died: 1763 AD
 13 
Li Ye
(Mathematician)
Li Ye
1
Birthdate: 1192 AD
Birthplace: China
Died: 1279 AD
 14 
Zu Gengzhi
(Mathematician)
Zu Gengzhi
1
Birthdate: 0480 AD
Birthplace: Jiankang, China
Died: 0525 AD
 15 
Li Shanlan
(Mathematician)
Li Shanlan
2
Birthdate: 1810 AD
Birthplace: Haining, China
Died: 1882 AD
 16 
Wang Xiaotong
(Mathematician)
Wang Xiaotong
1
Birthdate: 0580 AD
Birthplace: China
Died: 0640 AD
 17 
Xu Yue
(Mathematician)
Xu Yue
1
Birthdate: 0160 AD
Birthplace: Donglai, China
Died: 0227 AD
 18 
Mei Juecheng
(Politician)
Mei Juecheng
1
Birthdate: May 19, 1681
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Xuancheng, China
Died: November 20, 1763
 19 
Li Rui
(Mathematician)
Li Rui
1
Birthdate: December 8, 1768
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Suzhou, China
Died: June 30, 1817
 20 
Zhao Youqin
(Mathematician)
Zhao Youqin
1
Birthdate: July 26, 1271
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Poyang, China
Died: 1335 AD
 21 
Hua Hengfang
(Mathematician)
Hua Hengfang
1
Birthdate: 1833 AD
Birthplace: Wuxi, China
Died: 1902 AD
 22 
Mei Wending
(Writer)
Mei Wending
2
Birthdate: 1633 AD
Birthplace: Xuancheng, China
Died: 1721 AD
 23 
Zhi zao Li
(Mathematician)
Zhi zao Li
4
Birthdate: 1565 AD
Birthplace: Hangzhou, China
Died: December 1, 1630