A symbol of wealth
Asked about prospects, China’s abacus association in Beijing declined comment.
The abacus used to be everywhere and it was the primary calculator for every Chinese family.
As a symbol of wealth and prosperity, it was often included in dowries. Today one Shanghai family still treasures its 2-meter-long abacus and the great-grandmother says she still can do quick mental calculations by visualizing the abacus.
The expression “little abacus” is still used to refer to someone who is very shrewd. An excellent, reliable fortune teller is sometimes called an “iron abacus.”
In the famous long scroll “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” painted by Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145) during the Song Dynasty (960-1297), an abacus is depicted on an apothecary’s counter along with prescriptions and an account ledger. Traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions can contain many ingredients and an abacus was necessary for addition.
In 1946, a competition was staged in Tokyo between an abacus expert and the most advanced electric adding machine of the time. The expert won — the abacus was fastest in all cases, except for multiplication of large numbers.
When China was developing its first nuclear device in the 1960s, the abacus was used in calculations.
“Before the 1970s, the calculator was not used in China, so each family had an abacus,” says Feng Qi, a 68-yuear-old former shop assistant. “We used the abacus in work and daily arithmetic. It was very convenient.”
Her company used to hold abacus competitions, and Feng say she was always the fastest with the right answer.
“But young people today have already forgotten it,” she says.
Liu Qian, a 35-year-old accountant, remembers the sounds of clicking beads in zhu suan class which she calls “a happy hour when we loved to compete. It was a sweet childhood memory.”
She doesn’t use one at work now, however, saying, “It’s a pity that I totally forgot. But if I learned the basic technique, then it would be easy for me to pick up again.”
Still, some banks and shops use the abacus as a supplement to computers.
“Every new staff member will be trained in zhu suan,” says Wen Li, senior manager at the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Bank. “Especially for those working at the cash counter, ‘grasp’ of zhu suan is a must. What if the computer breaks down? There should also be a backup.”
Many young tellers able to use the abacus still prefer using a calculator in daily work, Wen says. “The reason is simple: You don’t need to work your brain.”
Some older people still prefer the abacus and for some, it’s a hobby.
Retired middle school teacher Zhang Fang says she is accustomed to using the abacus. “For me, it’s better than a calculator. My eyesight isn’t good and the calculator numbers are too small. I often press the wrong buttons, but that doesn’t happen with the abacus.”
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