Figuring with abacus beads was not an invention solely Chinese. The ancient Romans and Arabs both had abacuses of simple form and function, but these were quickly replaced by written figuring.
算盤古稱珠算盤，其實以珠子來計算數目並非中國人獨創，古羅馬人、阿拉伯人都有型制、功能簡單的算盤，但很快便為筆算取代。