Zu Chongzhi (425-500) was a great mathematician and astronomer during the North and South Dynasty (220-581) and was born in Fanyang (now Laiyuan County in Hebei Province). . His main contribution to the development of science and technology includes the computation of pi（圆周率）, the calculation of the volume of sphere, the compilation of the Daming Calendar (462) and the invention of the south-pointing carriage.

As mentioned above, Zu Chongzhi's main contribution to math is the computation of pi. Records show that Zu worked out the numerical value of pi to be in between 3.1415926 and 3.1415927. It was one the most advanced achievements in the world at that time. Such precision was not surpassed until the 15th century when Al'Kashi, a native of Samarkand (now Uzbekistan), calculated pi using a similar method. To honor Zu's great contribution to math, a foreign math historian suggested calling pi, “Zu Lv (the rate of Zu)”.

Zu Chongzhi and his son, Zu Geng, also put forward the formula for computation of the volume of a sphere. Zhui Shu by Zu Chongzhi, one of the ten books on Suan Jing, was adopted as the textbook for mathematics in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

In astronomy, Zu created the Daming Calendar taking into consideration the precession of the equinoxes for the first time in China. This was a major breakthrough in the history of Chinese calendar.

Zu was also good at machine making. He invented the south-pointing bronze carriage and 1000-li Boat which could travel 100 li (1 li = 1/2 kilometers) in a day.

Zu was one of the few Chinese mathematicians to have a lunar feature named after him. People named a lunar crater at the back of the moon Zu Chongzhi in commemoration of him. Planet 1888 was named Planet Zu Chongzhi after him. Crater Zu Chongzhi (listed in the International Astronomical Union's handbook as Crater Tsu Chung Chi) is 28 km wide and located about 20 degrees north of the moon's equator.