A Study on the Origin of Double Entry Book－keeping, Accounting

Abstract

[Purpose] There are several discourses on the origin of accounting for profit. Since the purpose of this study is to be conducted as an attempt to study accounting history, it will be summarized of the records related to accounting books, research papers, academic papers and dissertations from ancient time to the Middle Ages. These records ranged from simple memorandum forms to perfect double－entry forms. It is unfortunate that if continuous research is carried out on the method of double－entry book－keeping(Sagae－Ch’ibu－bup, four joint dovetail accounting or four－element book－keeping), which is unique to Korea, it will be possible to have a significant impact on the origin of double－entry book－keeping. [Methodology] It is based on a bibliographic method that refers to previous studies such as books, academic theses, dissertations, and research papers from ancient time to the Middle Ages. These records ranged from simple memorandum forms to perfect double－entry forms. [Findings] This study will look at the translation of ‘the Treatise De Computis et Scripturis’ from Luca Pacioli’s book, ‘Summa de Arithmetica, Geometrica, Proportioni et Proportionalita’ which is said to be the origin of double book－keeping. In his book, it is thought that examining the origin of accounting through the calculations and records of book－keeping of the merchants of Venice will be of great help in understanding the origin of double book－ keeping. [Implications] The limitation of the scope of literature research is inevitable. The reason is that it is a comprehensive summary of documents that record historical facts.