Bing (measuring unit)

Short description: Unit of volume used in ancient China

A Bing (秉) was a measuring unit used in ancient China for volume.

One bing was equal to 16 hu (斛), which themselves were equal to 10 dou (斗).[1] A dou is near equivalent to 10 litres in modern units.[2] Therefore, a bing would have been near equivalent to 1600 litres.

## Usage

The bing unit was used in ancient times to measure volumes of grain.

It is mentioned in book six of the Analects when Ran Qiu requests Confucius, while he is presumably serving in the government of the State of Lu to give a dole of grain to Zihua's mother. Confucius offers to give only a fu (釜) and a yu (庾), together equaling about 88 litres of grain. Ran Qiu, who seems to feel this is too little, then provides her with 5 bing (8000 litres). Confucius then gives an indirect criticism saying that Zihua was a wealthy man and that it was not virtuous to give charity to the wealthy: "I have heard that a superior man helps the distressed, but does not add to the wealth of the rich."[3][4]

## References

1. ↑ https://lunyu.5000yan.com/6-4.html, 子华使于齐，冉子为其母请粟，子曰：“与之釜。”请益，曰：“与之庾。”冉子与之粟五秉。子曰：“赤之适齐也，乘肥马，衣轻裘。吾闻之也，君子周急不继富。”, retrieved January 8th 2022
2. ↑ "一斗等于多少斤,一担等于多少斗?_数学解答 - 作业小助手". http://www.79432.com/zuoye/5f3ma5.html.
3. ↑ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Chinese_Classics/Volume_1/Confucian_Analects/VI, Analects translated by James Legge
4. ↑ http://www.guoxuemeng.com/guoxue/14958.html, 子华使于齐，冉子为其母请粟。子曰：“与之釜。”请益。曰：“与之庾。”冉子与之粟五秉。子曰：“赤之适齐也，乘肥马，衣轻裘。, retrieved January 8th 2022

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