Official curriculum in traditional Chinese mathematics: How did candidates pass the examinations? (Q2713758)

Like the late Yushkevish in his \textit{Geschichte der Mathematik im Mittelalter,} the authors favour the view of the importance and unusual development of mathematical studies during the Sui and Tang dynasties. Their analysis of official mathematical examinations during this period, however, is not convincing since it shows no concern with the various and contradictory numerical data given in the primary sources and fail to note that mathematics were then considered as a minor field of study \textit{xiao xue} for subaltern officials. But in the second part of the paper, the authors analyse once more the often cryptic and terse primary sources mentioning what was expected during the examinations and correctly note that candidates were asked to create new algorithms \textit{xin shu} for old problems.