A telefilm especially produced for the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) was screened on Wednesday.
The producer said it was China's first telefilm aiming to promote mathematical education.
The telefilm, titled "Transcendence", had been made possible due to the support of the ICM organizing committee, said Zhao Liping, chairwoman of the ZLY Star Culture Center that produced the film.
Chinese Central Television (CCTV) screened the film on its English language channel on Wednesday.
"I can't figure out how many similar films there are in the world. But it is absolutely the first film in China produced for mathematical education," she said.
Beijing is hosting the ICM from Tuesday this week till next Monday. The local media is keen to cover topics linked with mathematics.
The ICM organizing committee confirmed it had funded the film's production and recommended some top mathematicians as professional advisors.
Shiing-shen Chern and Wu Wenjun, both world-recognized Chinese mathematicians, appeared in the film to introduce the history of mathematics, major trends in mathematical research, and mathematical ways of thinking, according to Wang Xiaobin, ICM spokeswoman.
"We hope the film can help ordinary Chinese understand some mathematics," Wang said. The organizers also used the film as educational material at the Mathematical Summer Camp, a satellite ICM program aimed at Chinese youngsters.
(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2002)
