One of the most obvious features of the abacus system of mental calculation is the combination of the traditional methods in abacus calculation and image memory. Through the brain projection, the results of arithmetic can be reached in a short period. The so-called brain projection refers to the maintenance of clear and complete images in the brain for a time regarding the things seen, felt or sensed in reality. Normally, children are good at brain projection. The reason why Japanese are so clever mostly is closely related to their emphasis on the development and exploration of brain projection in children at an early age. To put it in a simple way, the brain projection used in abacus mental education is to project the abacus operation in the brain. It can be regarded as a type of enhancement of abacus arithmetic or the higher stage of abacus skills development. Being intelligent skills formed on the foundation of abacus operation, the speed of calculation through brain projection is unparalleled fast, which can almost match that of the computer. We can safely maintain that abacus arithmetic serves as the basis and prerequisite of the abacus system of mental calculation, while the abacus system of mental calculation is the development and changed form of abacus arithmetic, constituting the ultimate target for students’ learning. The popularization of the abacus system of mental calculation makes the calculating function of brain well developed. Therefore, it becomes the powerful and educational method to explore intelligence. The training of the abacus system of mental calculation is suitable for children within the age group between four and twelve. The most preferred age for learning the abacus system of mental calculation is between four and ten.
Human brain has enormous potential for development. According to relevant studies, although human brain only weighs more than 1000 grams, it contains more than 10 billion brain cells. Albert Einstein, the great scientist, only brought less than 10 percent potential of his brain into full play. 
　Normally, ordinary people even do not have 5 percent of their brains’ potential developed. Most people utilize functions of the left hemisphere. The right hemisphere of brain, on the other side, is in idleness or state of sleep. All the outstanding people in the world share one common feature sound development and utilization of the right hemisphere of the brain. Meanwhile, the abacus system of mental calculation can greatly facilitate the development of right  hemisphere, enhance the balanced development of both hemispheres of brain. As a result, it can improve the intelligence of children. Besides this, the abacus system of mental calculation has other benefits, including the coordination of eyes, ears, hands, mouth and brain, making children more focused in thinking and doing while improving their abilities of memory, imagination, observation and independent thinking. Through the abacus system of mental calculation training, children can be active in both playing and studying. With the developed skills in calculation, they can form good habits of concentration and commitment. So it follows that the abacus system of mental calculation education can develop children’s ingenuity and intellectual potential, motivate their activeness and initiatives in study, and can cultivate their curiosity and perseverance, rendering sound effect of morality education to them in an accumulative manner.
Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher and educator, said that those who have the talents in arithmetic could learn, naturally and rapidly, almost any other disciplines. He also argued that, for those who are slow-minded, the training of arithmetic could still stimulate their responsiveness, even in the absence of any other benefits. Professor Yuan Yumin, the authoritative person in education of the abacus system of mental calculation held to the view that education of the abacus system of mental calculation for children is an effective shortcut to develop human brain at an early stage. It is not only in that it serves as the fundamental intellectual cultivation for people in their childhood, but also that it works well to explore the potential of the right hemisphere of brain, and further utilize the overall functions of brain. According to the practices in the abacus system of mental calculation training all across China, it is obvious that the training is very helpful to develop children’s  intelligence. Based on the experimental studies, students who have training in the abacus system of mental calculation demonstrate far more advantages than those who do not in development of brain functions, concentration, flexibility, capacity of information processing, and location of figures. Those who do well in the abacus system of mental calculation have high academic achievements in such courses as mathematics and so on.

It is due to its so many benefits that the abacus system of mental calculation learning now becomes more popular in the mainland china , Taiwan, and Hong Kong. At the same time, the concept of education in the abacus system of mental calculation is disseminated all across the world. Many countries and regions take it as a “new culture” to introduce and learn. They pay close attention to the development of the abacus system of mental calculation and the establishment of the schools in order to enlarge its nation’s exposure to the education of the abacus system of mental calculation. In particular, in such countries as Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and the Oceania where there are more Chinese communities, the abacus system of mental calculation training has become a vogue. In October 2002, initiated by China Association of Abacus Arithmetic, the World Association of the abacus system of mental calculation was founded with the participation of more than twenty countries and regions.