Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c6.s1.t2.2

v1.c6.s1.t2.2

Zero is a numerical code denoting “nil”. Although the decimal system was adopted in ancient China quite early, there was still no special symbol to denote zero and in case of zero in number writing, the position of zero was replaced with a blank. When translating Jiuzhi Calendar in the sixth year of Emperor Kaiyuan (718 CE), Gautama Siddhartha introduced the Indian numerical symbol of zero to China at the beginning of the Jiuzhi Calendar in “Number Accounting Method”. He said that when counting up to 10 place one dot in the blank as a mark in order to make the blanks have marks and thus prevent mistakes. According to the opinion of Joseph Needham, the earliest dot or zero symbols, appeared in two inscriptions in Cambodia and Sumatra. This year was taken to be the starting point of Sakha calendar and the inscription belonged to Sakha 605th year. Therefore, if the Sakha Calendar started from 78 CE then the inscription belonged to 683 CE. According to another view, if the Sakha Calendar started from 128 CE then the inscription belonged to 733 CE, which is a little later than the compilation time of Jiuzhi Calendar. In nine chapters of Mathematical Book written by Qin Jiushao of Song Dynasty (1247 CE), zero was changed into a hollow circle which is the same as its modern form. At present, there is still no clear evidence to indicate that using the hollow circle as the zero symbol in the ancient Chinese mathematics books originated from India.