This paper discusses the ancient Chinese tradition of whole number arithmetic (WNA) and its influence on current curriculum practices. The ancient Chinese tradition is reviewed from both linguistic and historic-epistemological perspectives. Based on the Chinese linguistic habit, the early Chinese invented the most advanced number name and the most advanced calculation tools (counting rod and Suanpan or Chinese abacus), in which place value is the most overarching principle as the spirit of WNA. Traces of this influence can be found in contemporary curriculum practices. These include: i) number, addition and subtraction are closely connected; ii) place value is the dominant principle; and iii) composition and decomposition of numbers and problem variation are central idea. Their implications are discussed.