数学史家梅荣照传略

A Brief Biography of Historian of Mathematics Mei Rongzhao

梅荣照（1935-2015）是我国著名数学史家。1957年,从中山大学数学系毕业后分配到中国科学院中国自然科学史研究室,学习和研究中国数学史。1958年至＂文革＂前,参与钱宝琮主编的《中国数学史》的撰著工作和宋元数学史专题研究,翻译李约瑟的《中国科学技术史》第3卷的数学部分。＂文革＂后,率先提出研究刘徽。20世纪80年代组织进行了明清数学史专题研究,与李兆华合作校释了《算法统宗》。其研究工作涉及汉代、南北朝、宋元、明清等中国古代数学史的各个重要历史时期;关于刘徽、中国古代数学理论的研究成绩显著,影响较大;关于李冶、梅文鼎、珠算史与《墨经》中的数理等的研究,有重要建树。

Mei Rongzhao （1935-2015） was a well-known Chinese historian of mathematics. In 1957, after graduating from the Department of Mathematics of Sun Yat-sen University, Mei was assigned to the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences in China of the Chinese Academy of Sci- ences, to study and research the history of mathematics in China. From 1958 to 1966, he was in-volved in the writing of A History of Mathematics in China, mainly edited by Qian Baocong, as well as a monographie study of history of mathematics in the Song and Yuan dynasties. Mei Rongzhao also translated the mathematics section in Volume 3 of Science and Civilisation in China, written by Joseph Needham. After the Cultural Revolution, he was the first to propose the study of Liu Hui. In the 1980s, he organized a monographic study of the history of mathematics of the Ming and Qing dy- nasties, and collated and annotated Suan Fa Tong Zong with Li Zhaohua. Mei Rongzhao＇s research work covered every important period of history of mathematics in pre-modern China, including the Han dynasty, Northern and Southern dynasties, Song and Yuan dynasties, and Ming and Qing dynas- ties. In addition, Mei Rongzhao＇s research on Liu Hui and mathematical theories in ancient China are especially remarkable, and have had a great influence on the research of history of mathematics in China. Mei Rongzhao made important achievements in the study of many areas, including Li Ye, Mei Wending, the history of the abacus, and the mathematics of the Mohist Canons.