An Interview with Historian of Chinese Mathematics Guo Shuchun on Issues of Inter-lingual Translation of Jiuzhang Suanshu

Since 1919 Chinese historians of science and technology have actively promoted the inheritance of Chinese pre-modern science and technology, and attached great importance to its role in national image building in the international arena. To fully unearth their contributions in the field of translation, this paper takes the historian of mathematics Guo Shuchun as an example, conducting an interview with him. The interview surveys his translation aims and the Chinese editions he used when translating Jiuzhang suanshu (九章筭术, Nine Chapters on Mathematical Procedures) into French. Next, it investigates his multiple motivations in advocating the production of the two English versions and the choice of English translators for them, namely the Jiuzhang Suanshu of the Library of Chinese Classics (Chinese-English) and another new English version that includes the annotations of Liu Hui, Li Chunfeng, Jia Xian and Yang Hui. To conclude, Prof. Guo argues for the further selection of Chinese mathematical classics for translation to better spread traditional Chinese mathematics and scientific culture.