Chinese units of measurement

(Redirected from Mu (unit of area))

Chinese units of measurement, known in Chinese as the shìzhì ("market system"), are the traditional units of measurement of the Han Chinese. Although Chinese numerals have been decimal (base-10) since the Shang, several Chinese measures use hexadecimal (base-16).[citation needed] Local applications have varied, but the Chinese dynasties usually proclaimed standard measurements and recorded their predecessor's systems in their histories.

Chinese units of measurement
A traditional Chinese scale
Chinese市制
Literal meaningmarket system
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese市用制
Literal meaningmarket-use system

In the present day, the People's Republic of China maintains some customary units based upon the market units but standardized to round values in the metric system, for example the common jin or catty of exactly 500 g. The Chinese name for most metric units is based on that of the closest traditional unit; when confusion might arise, the word "market" (, shì) is used to specify the traditional unit and "common" or "public" (, gōng) is used for the metric value. Taiwan, like Korea, saw its traditional units standardized to Japanese values and their conversion to a metric basis, such as the Taiwanese ping of about 3.306 m2 based on the square ken. The Hong Kong SAR continues to use its traditional units, now legally defined based on a local equation with metric units. For instance, the Hong Kong catty is precisely 604.78982 g.

Note: The names ( or ) and fēn () for small units are the same for length, area, and mass; however, they refer to different kinds of measurements.

History edit

Bronze ruler from the Han dynasty (206 BCE to CE 220); excavated in Zichang County; Shaanxi History Museum, Xi'an

According to the Liji, the legendary Yellow Emperor created the first measurement units. The Xiao Erya and the Kongzi Jiayu state that length units were derived from the human body. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, these human body units caused inconsistency, and Yu the Great, another legendary figure, unified the length measurements. Rulers with decimal units have been unearthed from Shang dynasty tombs.

In the Zhou dynasty, the king conferred nobles with powers of the state and the measurement units began to be inconsistent from state to state. After the Warring States period, Qin Shi Huang unified China, and later standardized measurement units. In the Han dynasty, these measurements were still being used, and were documented systematically in the Book of Han.

Astronomical instruments show little change of the length of chi in the following centuries, since the calendar needed to be consistent. It was not until the introduction of decimal units in the Ming dynasty that the traditional system was revised.

Republican Era edit

On 7 January 1915, the Beiyang government promulgated a measurement law to use not only metric system as the standard but also a set of Chinese-style measurement based directly on the Qing dynasty definitions (营造尺库平制).[1]

On 16 February 1929, the Nationalist government adopted and promulgated The Weights and Measures Act[2] to adopt the metric system as the official standard and to limit the newer Chinese units of measurement (Chinese: 市用制; pinyin: shìyòngzhì; lit. 'market-use system') to private sales and trade in Article 11, effective on 1 January 1930. These newer "market" units are based on rounded metric numbers.[3]

People's Republic of China edit

The Government of the People's Republic of China continued using the market system along with metric system, as decreed by the State Council of the People's Republic of China on 25 June 1959, but 1 catty being 500 grams, would become divided into 10 (new) taels, instead of 16 (old) taels, to be converted from province to province, while exempting Chinese prescription drugs from the conversion to prevent errors.[4]

On 27 February 1984, the State Council of the People's Republic of China decreed the market system to remain acceptable until the end of 1990 and ordered the transition to the national legal measures by that time, but farmland measures would be exempt from this mandatory metrication until further investigation and study.[5]

Hong Kong edit

In 1976 the Hong Kong Metrication Ordinance allowed a gradual replacement of the system in favor of the International System of Units (SI) metric system.[6] The Weights and Measures Ordinance defines the metric, Imperial, and Chinese units.[7] As of 2012, all three systems are legal for trade and are in widespread use.

Macau edit

On 24 August 1992, Macau published Law No. 14/92/M to order that Chinese units of measurement similar to those used in Hong Kong, Imperial units, and United States customary units would be permissible for five years since the effective date of the Law, 1 January 1993, on the condition of indicating the corresponding SI values, then for three more years thereafter, Chinese, Imperial, and US units would be permissible as secondary to the SI.[8]

Ancient Chinese units edit

Length edit

Gilded Bronze Ruler - 1 chi = 231 mm. Western Han (206 BCE–8 CE). Hanzhong City

Traditional units of length include the chi (), bu (), and li (). The precise length of these units, and the ratios between these units, has varied over time. 1 bu has consisted of either 5 or 6 chi, while 1 li has consisted of 300 or 360 bu.

Length in metres[9]
dynastychibuli
= 5 chi= 6 chi= 300 bu= 360 bu
Shang (c. 1600 – c. 1045 BC)0.16751.0050301.50
0.16901.0140304.20
Western Zhou (c. 1045–771 BC)0.19901.1940358.20
Eastern Zhou (c. 771–256 BC)0.22001.3200396.00
0.22701.3620408.60
0.23101.3860415.80
Qin (c. 221–206 BC)0.22601.3560406.80[10] 415.80[11][12]
Han (c. 202 BC–9 AD; 25–220 AD)0.23001.3800414.00
0.23811.4286415.80[13] 415.80[11][12] 428.58 [10]
Wei - Sui (c. 220–266 AD; 581 to 618 AD)0.25501.5300459.00
Tang (c. 618–690 AD; 705–907 AD)0.24651.2325369.75443.70
0.29551.4775443.25531.90
Song (c. 960–1279 AD)0.27001.3500405.00486.00
Northern Song (c. 960–1127 AD)0.30801.5400462.00554.40
Ming (c. 1368–1644 AD)0.3008–0.31901.5040–1.5950451.20–478.50541.44–574.20
Qing (c. 1636–1912 AD)0.3080–0.33521.5400–1.6760462.00–503.89554.40–603.46

Modern Chinese units edit

All "metric values" given in the tables are exact unless otherwise specified by the approximation sign '~'.

Certain units are also listed at List of Chinese classifiers → Measurement units.

Chinese measurement law in 1915

Length edit

Chinese length units promulgated in 1915 edit

Table of Chinese length units promulgated in 1915[1]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
háo 11000032 μm0.00126 in
(T) or (S)110000.32 mm0.0126 in
fēn11003.2 mm0.126 in
cùn11032 mm1.26 inChinese inch
chǐ10.32 m12.6 inChinese foot
51.6 m5.2 ftChinese pace
zhàng103.2 m3.50 ydChinese yard
yǐn10032 m35.0 yd
1800576 m630 ydChinese mile, this li is not the small li above,
which has a different character and tone

Chinese length units effective in 1930 edit

Chinese measurement law in 1929, effective 1 January 1930
Chinese measuring tape
Table of Chinese length units effective in 1930[3]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
háo 110 00033+13 μm0.00131 inChinese mil
(T) or (S)1100013 mm0.0131 inChinese calibre
fēn市分11003+13 mm0.1312 inChinese line
cùn市寸1103+13 cm1.312 inChinese inch
chǐ市尺133+13 cm13.12 inChinese foot
zhàng市丈103+13 m3.645 ydChinese yard
yǐn10033+13 m36.45 ydChinese chain
市里1500500 m546.8 ydChinese mile, this li is not the small li above,
which has a different character and tone

Metric length units edit

The Chinese word for metre is ; this can take the Chinese standard SI prefixes (for "kilo-", "centi-", etc.). A kilometre, however, may also be called 公里 gōnglǐ, i.e. a metric .

In the engineering field, traditional units are rounded up to metric units. For example, the Chinese word (T) or (S) is used to express 0.01 mm.

Table of Chinese length units in engineering
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
110000001 μmAuthorized name: 微米
(T) or (S)110000010 μmAuthorized name: 忽米
háo110000100 μmAuthorized name: 絲米 (T) or 丝米 (S)
(T) or (S)110001 mmAuthorized name: 毫米
fēn公分110010 mmAuthorized name: 釐米(T) or 厘米(S)
cùn公寸110100 mmAuthorized name: 分米
chǐ公尺11 mAuthorized name:
Zhàng公丈1010 mAuthorized name: 十米
yǐn公引100100 mAuthorized name: 百米
公里10001000 mthis li is not the small li above,
which has a different character and tone

Hong Kong and Macau length units edit

Table of Chinese length units in Hong Kong[7] and Macau[8]
JyutpingCharacterEnglishPortugueseRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
fan1fancondorim11003.71475 mm0.1463 in
cyun3tsunponto11037.1475 mm1.463 inHong Kong and Macau inch
cek3chekcôvado1371.475 mm1.219 ftHong Kong and Macau foot

These correspond to the measures listed simply as "China" in The Measures, Weights, & Moneys of All Nations[14]

Area edit

Chinese area units promulgated in 1915 edit

Table of Chinese area units promulgated in 1915[1]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
háo110000.6144 m20.7348 sq yd
(T) or (S)11006.144 m27.348 sq yd
fēn11061.44 m273.48 sq yd
(T) or (S)1614.4 m2734.82 sq ydChinese acre, or 60 square zhang
qǐng (T) or (S)1006.144 ha15.18 acreChinese hide
Table of Chinese square units effective in 1915[1]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
fāng cùn方寸110010.24 cm21.587 sq insquare cun
fāng chǐ方尺10.1024 m21.102 sq ftsquare chi
fāng zhàng方丈10010.24 m2110.2 sq ftsquare zhang

Chinese area units effective in 1930 edit

Table of Chinese area units effective in 1930[3]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
háo1100023 m27.18 sq ft
(T) or (S)11006+23 m27.973 sq yd
fēn市分11066+23 m279.73 sq yd
(T) or (S)1666+23 m2797.3 sq yd
0.1647 acre
Chinese acre
6000 square chi per Article 5 of the 1930 Law (六千平方尺定為一畝)
60 square zhang
1/15 of a hectare
qǐng (T) or (S)1006+23 ha16.47 acreChinese hide
Table of Chinese square units effective in 1930[3]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
fāng cùn方寸110011+19 cm21.722 sq insquare cun
fāng chǐ方尺119 m2172.2 sq in
1.196 sq ft
square chi
fāng zhàng方丈10011+19 m2119.6 sq ft
13.29 sq yd
square zhang

Metric and other area units edit

Metric and other standard length units can be squared by the addition of the prefix 平方 píngfāng. For example, a square kilometre is 平方公里 píngfāng gōnglǐ.

Macau area units edit

Table of Chinese area units in Macau[8]
JyutpingPortugueseCharacterRelative valueRelation to the Traditional Chinese Units (Macau)Metric valueImperial value
cek3côvado160001250.1269 m21.366 sq ft
pou31240143.1725 m234.15 sq ft
3.794 sq yd
zoeng6braça1601612.69 m2136.6 sq ft
15.18 sq yd
fan1condorim11011076.14 m291.06 sq yd
mau5maz (T) or (S)1None761.4 m2910.6 sq yd

Volume edit

These units are used to measure cereal grains, among other things. In imperial times, the physical standard for these was the jialiang.

Chinese volume units promulgated in 1915 edit

Table of Chinese volume units effective in 1915[1]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueUS valueImperial valueNotes
sháo110010.354688 mL0.3501 fl oz0.3644 fl oz
110103.54688 mL3.501 fl oz3.644 fl oz
shēng11.0354688 L2.188 pt1.822 pt
dǒu1010.354688 L2.735 gal2.278 gal
5051.77344 L13.68 gal11.39 gal
dàn100103.54688 L27.35 gal22.78 gal

Chinese volume units effective in 1930 edit

Table of Chinese volume units effective in 1930[3]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueUS valueImperial valueNotes
cuō110001 mL0.0338 fl oz0.0352 fl ozmillilitre
sháo110010 mL0.3381 fl oz0.3520 fl ozcentilitre
110100 mL3.381 fl oz3.520 fl ozdecilitre
shēng市升11 L2.113 pt1.760 ptlitre
dǒu市斗1010 L21.13 pt
2.64 gal
17.60 pt
2.20 gal
decalitre
dàn市石100100 L26.41 gal22.0 galhectolitre

Metric volume units edit

In the case of volume, the market and metric shēng coincide, being equal to one litre as shown in the table. The Chinese standard SI prefixes (for "milli-", "centi-", etc.) may be added to this word shēng.

Units of volume can also be obtained from any standard unit of length using the prefix 立方 lìfāng ("cubic"), as in 立方米 lìfāng mǐ for one cubic metre.

Macau volume units edit

Table of Chinese volume units in Macau[8]
JyutpingCharacterRelation to the Traditional Chinese Units (Macau)Metric value
cyut3110甘特1.031 L
gam1 dak6甘特11010.31 L
sek6None103.1 L

Mass edit

These units are used to measure the mass of objects. They are also famous for measuring monetary objects such as gold and silver.

Chinese mass units promulgated in 1915 edit

Table of Chinese mass units promulgated in 1915[1]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
háo1100003.7301 mg0.0001316 oz
1100037.301 mg0.001316 ozcash
fēn1100373.01 mg0.01316 ozcandareen
qián1103.7301 g0.1316 ozmace or Chinese dram
liǎng137.301 g1.316 oztael or Chinese ounce
jīn16596.816 g1.316 lbcatty or Chinese pound

Mass units in the Republic of China since 1930 edit

Table of mass units in the Republic of China since 1930[3]
PinyinCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
11600000312.5 μg0.00001102 oz
háo11600003.125 mg0.0001102 oz
市釐11600031.25 mg0.001102 ozcash
fēn市分11600312.5 mg0.01102 ozcandareen
qián市錢11603.125 g0.1102 ozmace or Chinese dram
liǎng市兩11631.25 g1.102 oztael or Chinese ounce
jīn市斤1500 g1.102 lbcatty or Chinese pound
dàn10050 kg110.2 lbpicul or Chinese hundredweight

Mass units in the People's Republic of China since 1959 edit

Table of mass units in the People's Republic of China since 1959[4]
PinyinCharacter[15]Relative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
市厘11000050 mg0.001764 ozcash
fēn市分11000500 mg0.01764 ozcandareen
qián市錢11005 g0.1764 ozmace or Chinese dram
liǎng市兩11050 g1.764 oztael or Chinese ounce
jīn市斤1500 g1.102 lbcatty or Chinese pound
formerly 16 liang = 1 jin
dàn市擔10050 kg110.2 lbpicul or Chinese hundredweight

Metric mass units edit

The Chinese word for gram is ; this can take the Chinese standard SI prefixes (for "milli-", "deca-", and so on). A kilogram, however, is commonly called 公斤 gōngjīn, i.e. a metric jīn.

Hong Kong and Macau mass units edit

Table of Chinese mass units in Hong Kong[7] and Macau[8]
JyutpingCharacterEnglishPortugueseRelative valueRelation to the Traditional Chinese Units (Macau)Metric valueImperial valueNotes
lei4cashliz116000110 condorim37.79931 mg0.02133 drNot defined in Hong Kong. Macanese definition may not be correct when dividing catty.
fan1candareen (fan)condorim11600110 maz377.9936375 mg0.2133 drMacanese definition of 377.9931 mg may not be correct when dividing catty.
cin4mace (tsin)maz1160110 tael3.779936375 g2.1333 drMacanese definition of 3.779931 g may not be correct when dividing catty.
loeng2tael (leung)tael116116 cate37.79936375 g1.3333 ozMacanese definition of 37.79931 g may not be correct when dividing catty.
gan1catty (kan)cate11100 pico604.78982 g1.3333 lbHong Kong and Macau share the definition.
daam3picul (tam)pico100None60.478982 kg133.3333 lbHong Kong and Macau share the definition.
Ding1000 kg

Hong Kong troy units edit

These are used for trading precious metals such as gold and silver.

Table of mass (Hong Kong troy) units[7]
EnglishCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes
candareen troy金衡分1100374.29 mg0.096 drt
mace troy金衡錢1103.7429 g0.96 drt
tael troy金衡兩137.429 g1.2 ozt

Time edit

Table of time units
PinyinCharacterRelative valueWestern valueNotes
Traditional valueModern valueTraditional valueModern value
miǎo144 milliseconds1 second
fēn100 miǎo60 miǎo14.4 seconds1 minute
1 minor kè = 10 fēn15 fēn2 minutes 24 seconds15 minuteskè was defined at 196, 1108, or 1120 day during the Liang dynasty, and established at 196 day after the Qing dynasty.
1 major kè = 60 fēn14 minutes 24 seconds
diǎn (T)
(S)
100 fēn60 fēn24 minutes1 hour
shí[16] (T)
(S)
8+134 kè2 hours1 hourthe xiǎoshí(小時, lit. minor shí) is currently a unit used to express "hour" in order to avoid ambiguity
(pre-Qin) 10 kè2 hours 24 minutes
shíchén時辰 (T)
时辰 (S)
8+13-2 hours-
(pre-Qin) 10 kè2 hours 24 minutes
xiǎoshí小時 (T)
小时 (S)
-60 fēn-1 hour
/ tiān日/天12 shíchén24 xiǎoshí24 hours1 day

Historiography edit

As there were hundreds of unofficial measures in use, the bibliography is quite vast. The editions of Wu Chenglou's 1937 History of Chinese Measurement[17] were the usual standard up to the 1980s or so, but rely mostly on surviving literary accounts. Newer research has put more emphasis on archeological discoveries.[18] Qiu Guangming & Zhang Yanming's 2005 bilingual Concise History of Ancient Chinese Measures and Weights summarizes these findings.[19] A relatively recent and comprehensive bibliography, organized by period studied, has been compiled in 2012 by Cao & al.;[20] for a shorter list, see Wilkinson's year 2000 Chinese History.[18]

See also edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "權度法 [Quándù Fǎ]", 政府公報 [Zhèngfǔ Gōngbào, Government Gazette], vol. 957, Beijing: Office of the President, 7 January 1915, pp. 85–94[permanent dead link]. (in Chinese)
  2. ^ "The Weights and Measures Act: Legislative History". Ministry of Justice (Republic of China).
  3. ^ a b c d e f "The Weights and Measures Act (1929)". Legislative Yuan. Archived from the original on 2014-04-25.
  4. ^ a b (in Chinese) 1959 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, No. 180, pages 311 to 312
  5. ^ Decree of the State Council Concerning the Use of Uniform Legal Measures in the Country Archived 2015-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Yearbook HK. "Yearbook." Metrication. Retrieved on 26 April 2007.
  7. ^ a b c d Cap. 68 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE
  8. ^ a b c d e Law No. 14/92/M ((in Chinese) 第14/92/M號法律; (in Portuguese) Lei n.o 14/92/M)
  9. ^ Schinz, 1996
  10. ^ a b Schinz, p. 476.
  11. ^ a b Dubs (1938), pp. 276-280; (1955), p. 160, n. 7.
  12. ^ a b Hulsewé (1961), pp. 206–207.
  13. ^ Hill (2015), "About the Measurements", pp. xxiii-xxiv.
  14. ^ W. S. B. Woolhouse (1859), The Measures, Weights, & Moneys of All Nations (And an Analysis of the Christian, Hebrew, and Mahometan Calendars), J. Weale
  15. ^ (in Chinese) 1959 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, No. 180, page 316
  16. ^ Nachum Dershowitz, Edward M. Reingold, "Calendrical calculations", page 207
  17. ^ 吳承洛 (1937), 《中國度量衡史》 [Zhōngguó Dùliànghéng Shǐ], 2nd ed. in 1957, 3rd ed. in 1993. (in Chinese)
  18. ^ a b Wilkinson, Endymion (2000), Chinese History: A Manual (2nd ed.), Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center, pp. 244–245, ISBN 978-0-674-00249-4.
  19. ^ 丘光明 (2005), 张延明 (ed.), 《中国古代计量史图鉴》 [Zhōngguó Gǔdài Jìliàng Shǐ Tújiàn], Hefei: Hefei University Press, ISBN 7-81093-284-5. (in Chinese) & (in English)
  20. ^ Cao Jin; et al. (2012), Chinese, Japanese and Western Research in Chinese Historical Metrology: A Classified Bibliography (1925-2012), Tübingen: Institute for Chinese and Korean Studies at the University of Tübingen.

Sources edit

  • Hill, John E. (2015) Through the Jade Gate - China to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. Vol. I. John E. Hill. CreateSpace, Charleston, South Carolina. ISBN 978-1-5006-9670-2.
  • Homer H. Dubs (1938): The History of the Former Han Dynasty by Pan Ku. Vol. One. Translator and editor: Homer H. Dubs. Baltimore. Waverly Press, Inc.
  • Homer H. Dubs (1955): The History of the Former Han Dynasty by Pan Ku. Vol. Three. Translator and editor: Homer H. Dubs. Ithaca, New York. Spoken Languages Services, Inc.
  • Hulsewé, (1961). "Han measures." A. F. P. Hulsewé, T'oung pao Archives, Vol. XLIX, Livre 3, pp. 206–207.
  • Chinese Measurement Converter - Online Chinese / Metric / Imperial Converter
  • Chinese/Metric/Imperial Measurement Converter
  • Schinz, Alfred (1996). The magic square: cities in ancient China. Edition Axel Menges. p. 428. ISBN 3-930698-02-1.