The Ethnomathematics of Chinese Tulou Building Architecture As Geometry Teaching Material in Elementary School
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Journal of Teaching and Learning in Elementary Education (JTLEE) ISSN (Print) : 2615-4528 Vol. 4 No. 2, August 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2622-3023 ©All rights reserved DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33578/jtlee.v4i2.7881 Printed in Indonesia The Ethnomathematics of Chinese Tulou Building Architecture as Geometry Teaching Material in Elementary School Yuxian Huang1*, Jinyu Nong2, PeiPei Lai3 1Department Mathematics and Statistics, Guangxi Normal University, China. 2Nanning Yucai Experimental Middle School, Nanning, China 3Lingshan Middle School, Qinzhou, China *[email protected] Received: May 04th, 2021 Revised: June 22nd, 2021 Accepted: August 02nd, 2021 Abstract The purpose of this study is to study ethnomathematics aspects contained in Chinese Tulou architecture. The study uses the qualitative research method to describe the ethnomathematics value of Tulou building in China, and then connect Chinese Tulou building with mathematics. The method of data collection is document's content analysis. The study found that Chinese Tulou contains a wealth of mathematical knowledge, including mathematical knowledge of geometric figures in mathematics, such as circle, triangle, rectangle, square, octagon, cylinder, octaprism, as well as the area and volume of geometric figures. Therefore, in daily teaching life, teachers can use Tulou as teaching materials, which was not only help students understand mathematics knowledge but also improve the enthusiasm of students. Keywords: Chinese Tulou buildings; elementary school; ethnomathematics 1. INTRODUCTION Therefore, mathematics is closely related Many researchers said that to national culture. China has many mathematics is influenced by various building which are closely related to environments (Evans, 2004; Kubiatko et mathematics to study. China has a wall al., 2010; Lei & Zhao, 2007), including of china that was built by more than 6 language (Cai et al., 2014; Duval, 2006), different kingdoms and is more than religion (Suryanti et al., 2019), 2300 years old. In previous research, technology (Aixia et al., 2020; Chotimah Dwidayati et al explored China's great et al., 2020; Wijaya, Jianlan, et al., 2020; wall in the perspective of Zhang et al., 2020) and society (Moffat & ethnomathematics and found many Shabalina, 2017; Pramudita & Rosnawati, things that can be learned from old 2019; Saul, 2011). National Council of buildings in China (Dwidayati et al., Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) refers 2019). In this study, researchers to the relationship between mathematics continued previous research to explore education and social-cultural reality. Y. Huang, J. Nong, & P. Lai, The Ethnomathematics of Chinese Tulou Building Architecture Page | 148 Journal of Teaching and Learning in Elementary Education (JTLEE) ISSN (Print) : 2615-4528 Vol. 4 No. 2, August 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2622-3023 ©All rights reserved DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33578/jtlee.v4i2.7881 Printed in Indonesia other buildings in China with an confidence of ethnic minority ethnomathematics perspective. students This time elementary school students make students more interested in still think that mathematics has no mathematics (Pramudita & relationship with everyday life (Alim et Rosnawati, 2019). al., 2020; Tamur et al., 2020). Teachers Ethnomathematics is a kind of must have Pedagogical Knowledge to mathematical knowledge related to bring objects in real life into the world of students' cultural background, helping mathematics (Fitriani et al., 2018; Putra, students better understand mathematical 2019; Putri & Zulkardi, 2018; van den knowledge (Andy Rudhito et al., 2020; Heuvel-Panhuizen & Drijvers, 2014). Lin Putra et al., 2020; Witri et al., 2019). and colleagues make mathematics an From the results of previous research, it interesting subject and change students' can be seen that ethnomathematics has perspective who say that mathematics is a good effect and can continue to be a difficult and boring subject (Lin et al., developed as a good and interesting 2020; Wijaya, Hidayat, et al., 2020; learning approach. Wijaya, Ying, et al., 2020). Chinese Tulou architecture is a kind Ethnomathematics is one way to improve of special architecture for resisting wild students' mathematical abilities animals and robbers in the mountains (Dwidayati et al., 2019; Rosa & and forests and embodying Gavarrete, 2017). Confucianism, which is the ideal for a big There are advantages when ethnic family to live together (Li et al., 2012). It mathematics is used mathematics is round, semicircular, square, curriculum: quadrangular and pentagonal (figure 1). can make students understand the The formation of Tulou dates back to the role of mathematics in all kinds of time when the Hakka people system was society, and then understand that formed in Fujian, Guangdong and mathematics comes from people's Jiangxi's border area in the late Tang actual needs (Lubis et al., 2021). Dynasty and early Song Dynasty in 1960s Learn to appreciate the and 1970s matured in the late Ming achievements of different cultures Dynasty, Qing Dynasty and the Republic and be proud of their cultural of China. Earth building is the product of heritage (Achor et al., 2009). Hakka ancestors in inheriting and make learning more meaningful by carrying forward Chinese traditional linking mathematics with history, culture, and the crystallization of Hakka language, art and other topics ancestors' wisdom from generation to (Umbara & Prabawanto, 2021). generation (Luo et al., 2019). The large- Integrating the cultural heritage of scale hakka earth building is the "Big ethnic minorities into the Mac" in the type of mountain residential curriculum can build the self- buildings. hakka earth building can be Y. Huang, J. Nong, & P. Lai, The Ethnomathematics of Chinese Tulou Building Architecture Page | 149 Journal of Teaching and Learning in Elementary Education (JTLEE) ISSN (Print) : 2615-4528 Vol. 4 No. 2, August 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2622-3023 ©All rights reserved DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33578/jtlee.v4i2.7881 Printed in Indonesia called the "aircraft carrier" in ancient hakka in Fujian china and succeeded in residential buildings, and known as the becoming a UNESCO world heritage "oriental ancient castle". in july 2008, (Huang, 2020; Sun et al., 2014). tulou builing (figure 2) and yongding Figure 1. Structure of Tulou Building (From Google) Y. Huang, J. Nong, & P. Lai, The Ethnomathematics of Chinese Tulou Building Architecture Page | 150 Journal of Teaching and Learning in Elementary Education (JTLEE) ISSN (Print) : 2615-4528 Vol. 4 No. 2, August 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2622-3023 ©All rights reserved DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33578/jtlee.v4i2.7881 Printed in Indonesia Figure 2. Tulou Building, Fujian, China (From: Google) The shape of Tulou reflects the building in China, and then connect knowledge of geometric figures in Chinese Tulou building with mathematics. mathematics. The area and volume of The method of data collection is these geometric figures show that documents' content analysis. The data is Chinese Tulou architecture contains obtained by consulting the library's paper interesting mathematical knowledge, and literature and the official authoritative Tulou itself is a cultural product with information on the Internet, which focus national characteristics, reflecting the on research about the geometric value of ancient Chinese people's emotion and the Tulou building. wisdom. The main aim of this study is to 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION explore the mathematical knowledge of Through the literature survey of Tulou, Tulou culture and to provide reference we knew that Tulou contains interesting for etnomathematics values. mathematical geometry knowledge. In the following, a detailed explanation 2. METHOD about this is provided. This study was conducted from December 20, 2020 to March 23, 2021. a. Ethnomathematics of Chengqi This study mainly studied the National building Mathematical Culture of two Tulou Chengqi building, also known as "king buildings in China, namely, Chengqi of earth buildings", was built in the first building in Fujian Province, Daoyun year of Chongzhen in Ming Dynasty. It building in Guangdong Province. This took 81 years to complete. This earth study used the qualitative research building has the largest number of rings method to describe the and scale among Hakka round earth ethnomathematics value of Tulou buildings. Y. Huang, J. Nong, & P. Lai, The Ethnomathematics of Chinese Tulou Building Architecture Page | 151 Journal of Teaching and Learning in Elementary Education (JTLEE) ISSN (Print) : 2615-4528 Vol. 4 No. 2, August 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2622-3023 ©All rights reserved DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33578/jtlee.v4i2.7881 Printed in Indonesia Table 1. Explore geometry aspects of Hakka round earth buildings The Figure of Tulou Buildings Geometry Values Chengqi building vertical view of Chengqi building Close up view of Qiyun building From table 1 it can be found that the We can see that the Chengqi building is Chengqi building is related to the circle of related to the cylinder in the solid a mathematical geometric figure and the mathematical geometry. We can find that transformation of a mathematical figure. the building is related to the triangle and Y. Huang, J. Nong, & P. Lai, The Ethnomathematics of Chinese Tulou Building Architecture Page | 152 Journal of Teaching and Learning in Elementary Education (JTLEE) ISSN (Print) : 2615-4528 Vol. 4 No. 2, August 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2622-3023 ©All rights reserved DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33578/jtlee.v4i2.7881 Printed in Indonesia