Jialiang () is an ancient Chinese device for measuring several volume standards.
The term jialiang is mentioned in the ''
Rites of Zhou''. The passage describes the construction of one that includes three measures, ''fu'' (釜), ''dou'' (豆), and ''sheng'' (升); furthermore, the instrument weighs one ''jun'' (鈞) and its sound is the ''gong'' of ''huangzhong'' (黃鐘之宮). Known jialiang give standards for the five measures yue (龠), ge (合, equal to two yue), sheng (升, equal to ten he), dou (斗, equal to ten sheng), and hu (斛, equal to ten dou).
The earliest known jialiang was made in the first year of
Wang Mang
Wang Mang () (c. 45 – 6 October 23 CE), courtesy name Jujun (), was the founder and the only emperor of the short-lived Chinese Xin dynasty. He was originally an official and consort kin of the Han dynasty and later seized the thron ...
's short-lived
Xin Dynasty
The Xin dynasty (; ), also known as Xin Mang () in Chinese historiography, was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty which lasted from 9 to 23 AD, established by the Han dynasty consort kin Wang Mang, who usurped the throne of the Emperor Pin ...
(9-23 CE), in order to standardize the measurements across the empire. Wang chose bronze to emphasize that it would last and remain as a reference. A 216-character inscription records the process of the casting and shows where each of the five measurements can be found. Wang Mang's jialiang is now in the
National Palace Museum, Taipei.
The continuing availability of Wang Mang's device has ensured it an important place in researching historical Chinese metrology for millennia. Investigations on the jialiang were undertaken by such scholars as
Liu Hui
Liu Hui () was a Chinese mathematician who published a commentary in 263 CE on ''Jiu Zhang Suan Shu (The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art).'' He was a descendant of the Marquis of Zixiang of the Eastern Han dynasty and lived in the state ...
of the Three Kingdoms period and
Zu Chongzhi
Zu Chongzhi (; 429–500 AD), courtesy name Wenyuan (), was a Chinese astronomer, mathematician, politician, inventor, and writer during the Liu Song and Southern Qi dynasties. He was most notable for calculating pi as between 3.1415926 and 3 ...
and
Li Chunfeng of the Tang dynasty. According to the research of modern scholar Liu Fu 劉復, at the time of its creation, following its measurements, the standard units correspond to the modern metric system in this way: 1 chi (尺) was 23.1 cm; 1 sheng (升) was 200 mL; and 1 jin (斤) was 226.7 g.
In
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
's
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City () is a palace complex in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, at the center of the Imperial City of Beijing. It is surrounded by numerous opulent imperial gardens and temples including the Zhongshan Park, the sacrifi ...
, before the
Hall of Supreme Harmony
The Hall of Supreme Harmony (; Manchu: ; Möllendorff: ''amba hūwaliyambure deyen'') is the largest hall within the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It is located at its central axis, behind the Gate of Supreme Harmony. Built above three level ...
and the
Palace of Heavenly Purity
The Palace of Heavenly Purity, or Qianqing Palace (; Manchu:; Möllendorff: ''kiyan cing gung'') is a palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It is the largest of the three halls of the Inner Court (the other two being the Hall of Union ...
, there are two jialiangs cast during the reign of the
Qianlong Emperor, a square one in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and a round one in front of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. These were cast in 1745 based on an examination of the Wang Mang's round jialiang and the square jialiang made during the time of
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang (28January 59810July 649), previously Prince of Qin, personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is traditionally regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty ...
.
The jialiang and the adjacent
sundial (''rigui'' 日晷) have been described as symbolizing the sovereignty and unity of the imperial reign or emphasizing that the emperor is just and fair.
Hall of Supreme Harmony
at TravelChinaGuide
Notes
{{reflist
Chinese inventions
Volumetric instruments