Template tables and computational practices in early modern Chinese calendric astronomy (Q6604543)

Based on a document in the National Library of France (shelf mark Chinois 5015), the article describes the format and functions of so-called ``calculation forms'' (\textit{suanshi}), translated by the author as ``template tables'' in early modern China. In order to facilitate astronomical calculations without having to understand astronomical theories, it was possible to use these templates together with observational data from numerical tables and another kind of text, General Rules (\textit{tonggui}), a handbook generally named `detailed procedures' (\textit{xicao}) in the Qing dynasty (1644--1911). Widespread from the Ming period (1368--1644) onwards, the templates were transmitted to the astronomers of the Joseon court of Korea (1392--1897) who sent officers secretly to China to learn to operate with ``template tables''.