Periodic table (detailed cells)
Although precursors to this table exist, its invention is generally credited to Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. Mendeleev invented the table to illustrate recurring ("periodic") trends in the properties of the elements. The layout of the table has been refined and extended over time, as new elements have been discovered, and new theoretical models have been developed to explain chemical behavior.
Rime table
The oldest known rhyme tables are a version of the "Yunjing" published with prefaces dated 1161 and 1203, and the "Qiyin lüe", which was included in the 1161 encyclopedia "Tongzhi". The two are very similar, and are believed to be derived from a single version pre-dating the Song dynasty. The tables were accompanied by a body of teachings known as "mēnfǎ" (), including rules for placing fanqie spellings that did not conform to the system within the tables.