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shēng [Chinese 升]

Also romanized as shêng¹, cheng.

In China since 1959, a unit of capacity in both the standard metric system (gong zhì) and the market system (shì zhì), = 1 liter in both. Click on the symbol for a chart showing the sheng’s relation to the other units of liquid capacity in the gong zhi or shì zhì system.

Previously a dry measure approximately 0.52 liters.

Ideograms for common units are often simple, as is that of the sheng. Like many other such units, the sheng has an alternative form (勝) which is much more difficult to alter and can be used in documents like receipts and invoices.

United Nations 1966.

History

A government survey in 1936 found 32 different values in use for the sheng, ranging from 0.5 to 8 liters.

Dynasty	Dates	Value of sheng in milliliters
Huang-ti	After 2697 bce	—
Yü	2254 – 2204 bce	—
Hsia	2204 – 1765 bce	—
Shang	1765 – 1121 bce	—
Chou	1121 – 220 bce	193.7
Ch'in	349 – 205 bce	342.5
Former Han	205 bce – 8 ce	342.5
Hsin Mang	9 – 24 ce	198.1
Later Han	25 – 220 ce	198.1
Wei	220 – 265 ce	202.3
Western Tsin	265 – 316 ce	202.3
Eastern Tsin	317 – 430	202.3
Former Chao	318 – 319	—
Liu-Sung	420 – 478	—
South Ch'i	479 – 501	297.2
Liang	502 – 557	198.1
Chen	557 – 588	198.1
Later Wei & West Wei	386-557	—
Later Wei & East Wei	495 – 550	396.3
North Ch'i	550 – 557	396.3
North Chou	557 – 566	157.2
North Chou	566 – 581	210.5
Sui	581 – 606	594.4
Sui	607 – 618	198.1
Tang	618 – 906	594.4
Five Dynasties	907 – 960	594.4
Song	960 – 1279	664.1
Yuan	1279 – 1368	948.8
Ming	1368 – 1644	1073.7
Qing	1644 – 1911	1035.5
Republic		1000