Chinese units of measurement
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Chinese units of measurement, known in Chinese as the shìzhì, are the traditional units of measurement of the Han Chinese. Although Chinese numerals have been decimal since the Shang, several Chinese
A traditional Chinese scale
Bronze ruler from the Han dynasty (206 BCE to CE 220); excavated in Zichang County; Shaanxi History Museum, Xi'an
Chinese measuring tape
Chinese measurement law in 1915
Chi (unit)
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The chi is a traditional Chinese unit of length. Although it is often translated as the "Chinese foot", its length was originally derived from the distance measured by a human hand, from the tip of th
Chinese units of measurement
…for three more years thereafter, Chinese, Imperial, and US units would be permissible as secondary to the SI. Traditional units of length include the chi (尺), bu (步), and li (里). The precise length of these units, and the ratios between these units, has varied over time. 1 bu has consisted of either 5…
Wooden ruler of the western Han dynasty, unearthed at Jinguan Pass Site in Jinta County
a section of an old Hong Kong ruler, showing the last (10th) cun of a chi. One can see that the chi in that jurisdiction was exactly equal to 14+5/8 of an inch. A metric ruler is shown next to it for comparison