Ming Dynasty, Jiajing period. When Zhu Zaiyu was fifteen years old, his father, Zhu Houlan, the Prince of Zhengfan, was framed and imprisoned in Fengyang. Zhu Zaiyu, the former young master of the royal palace, built an earthen room outside the palace to live after his father was arrested. At that time, this move puzzled many people. Even if his father is arrested, he can still live in the gorgeous royal palace and enjoy the glory and wealth, but he has a hard life here, and everyone can only think that he is crazy.
Under these harsh conditions, Zhu Zaiyu lived for nineteen years. During these years, Zhu Zaiyu took a rough tea and a light meal, immersed himself in learning to do research, and never married a wife and had children. It was not until his father was rehabilitated by the Longqing Emperor that he married and had children. After the death of his father, according to the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Zaiyu should inherit the throne. But what the world did not expect was that he wrote to the emperor many times and was willing to give up. No matter how much the court officials dissuaded him, he repeatedly resigned. Finally, the Wanli Emperor agreed to his request and sent him a good praise: let the country be high and windy, and see you through the ages.
What made Zhu Zaiyu give up his glory, wealth, fame and fortune? The main reason is that Zhu Zaiyu loves to engage in scientific research. During the time when his father was arrested, Zhu Zaiyu painstakingly studied science, creatively used abacus to square in the field of mathematics, and his first number series equation solved the decimal conversion of different entry systems. In the field of astronomy, the formula for calculating the length of the regression year has been reset. An even more astonishing invention is the law of twelve averages
The twelve-average law, also known as the twelfth equation law, is a rhythm in which a set of octaves is divided into twelve semitones in music. This novel law system was painstakingly obtained by Zhu Zaiyu with an oversized abacus of 81 gears, using a formula calculation method that was ahead of the world at that time. In the history of world music, there is a more cross-era significance: the problem of the five degrees of law and pure law in music for thousands of years cannot return to the palace, which is beautifully solved. The creation of musicians and the development of modern music have since had a broader platform.
The Twelve Laws of Averages, which condensed Zhu Zaiyu's lifelong wisdom, was brought into Europe by missionaries. This new music system has caused a sensation in the entire European music industry, and it has made music creation more free and open. The world's first piano was based on the "Twelve Averages", and the great musician Bach edited the "Bach Twelve Averages".
Zhu Zaiyu's research not only influenced the development of Western music, but also promoted many achievements such as modern European astrophysics, and was evaluated by the Western media as "Chinese scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the world".