Liu Hui Anniversary Commemorations Held in Azerbaijan and Italy

Baku and Rome, December 8-10 -- The series Liu Hui Anniversary Commemorations convened at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the Italian National Academy of the Lincei.

Organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and implemented by its National Communication Center for Science & Technology (NCCST), the China Scientists Museum (CSM) and the Intercontinental communication center (CICC), the events were underpinned academically by the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Each venue combined a touring exhibition with a high-level scholarly dialogue. Opening remarks were delivered by leaders from CAST’s communication centre, the host academies, Azerbaijan’s UNESCO National Commission and Italy’s Ministry of Education.

The twin dialogues -- mathematical convergence along the Silk Road and eastern algorithmic wisdom and the scientific spirit of the Renaissance -- brought together researchers from China, Azerbaijan and Italy.

Participants concluded that Liu Hui’s algorithmic thinking, the deductive tradition of ancient Greece and the experimental ethos of the Renaissance together form a pluralistic panorama of human rationality. In today’s globalized world, they agreed, such historical insight should inspire more equitable, open and inclusive scientific exchange.

More than 400 scholars, policy-makers and students attended the two-day program.

Liu Hui (c. 3rd century CE) elucidated the ancient Chinese classic Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art and authored the Sea Island Mathematical Canon, laying the theoretical foundations of classical Chinese mathematics.

In November 2023 the 42nd UNESCO General Assembly endorsed CAST’s proposal to designate 2024-2025 as the “Liu Hui Year”. Earlier this year the commemorations were staged in Seoul; the current legs in Baku and Rome continue to deepen international appreciation of China’s scientific heritage and to foster respect for the diverse origins of science worldwide.

Tag: National Communication Center for Science and Technology affiliated with CAST