Jump to content

Cangjiepian

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cangjiepian
Chinese name
Traditional ChineseThương hiệt thiên
Simplified ChineseThương hiệt thiên
Literal meaningCangjie's Chapters
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinCāngjiépiān
Wade–GilesTsʻang¹-chieh²-pʻien¹
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationCōng Kit Pīn
JyutpingCong1kit3pin1
Southern Min
HokkienPOJChhongkhiatphiⁿ
Middle Chinese
Middle ChineseTshanghangphjien 
Old Chinese
Baxter–Sagart (2014)ˤaŋ[g]ˤaŋspʰen
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese Alpha betThương Hiệt thiên
Hán-NômThương hiệt thiên
Korean name
Hangul창힐편
HanjaThương hiệt thiên
Transcriptions
Revised RomanizationChanghilpyeon
McCune–ReischauerCh'anghilp'yŏn
Japanese name
KanjiThương hiệt thiên
Hiraganaそうけつへん
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnSōketsuhen

TheCangjiepian,also known as theThree Chapters(TamThương,sāncāng), was ac. 220BCE Chineseprimerand a prototype forChinese dictionaries.Li Si,Chancellorof theQin dynasty(221–206 BCE), compiled it for the purpose ofreformingwritten Chineseinto the neworthographicstandardSmall Seal Script.Beginning in theHan dynasty(206 BCE – 221 CE), many scholars and lexicographers expanded and annotated theCangjiepian.By the end of theTang dynasty(618–907), it had become alost work,but in 1977, archeologists discovered a cache of (c. 165 BCE) texts written onbamboo strips,including fragments of theCangjiepian.

Title

[edit]

The eponymousCangjiepiantitle derives from the culture heroCangjie,the legendaryYellow Emperor's historian and inventor ofChinese writing.According toChinese mythology,Cangjie, who had four eyes and remarkable cognizance, created Chinese characters after observing natural phenomena such as the footprints of birds and animals.[1]

InModern Standard Chineseusage, the name "Cangjie" is most commonly known and used in theCangjie methodofinputting Chinese characters into a computer,rather than for the ancientCangjiepianproto-dictionary.

In the name Cāngjié or Cāng Jié,cāngThương / thương means "storehouse; warehouse" and is sometimes written thương / thương "dark green; blue; gray; ashy", which is a commonChinese surname.The character hiệt / hiệt is only pronouncedjiéin this name, and is usually pronouncedxié"stretch the neck; fly up (of birds)".

ThepiānThiên inCangjiepianoriginally meant "bamboo stripsused for writing (before the invention of paper) ", which was semantically extended to" sheet (of paper/etc.); piece of writing; article; chapter; section; book ". The sinologistsLi Fengand David Branner describepianas "separate textual unit".[2]The originalCangjiepian,like most Qin and Han era books, was written on bamboo and wood strips.

History

[edit]

In the traditional history of Chinese lexicography, the first proto-dictionary primers were theEastern Zhou dynastyShizhoupian"Historian Zhou's Chapters", theQin dynastyCangjiepian,and theHan dynastyJijiupian.The Chinese lexicographers Heming Yong and Jing Peng say these texts that arranged characters into categories "acted as the catalyst for the birth of ancient Chinese dictionaries".[3]

During theWarring States period(475–221 BCE), there was a wide and confusing variety of unstandardizedLarge Seal Scriptcharacters, with the same word being written in several different ways. After EmperorQin Shi Huanghad conquered all other Warring States andunified Chinain 221 BCE, he adopted a language-reform proposal made by theLegalistLi Si and promulgated a decree ofShutongwenThư cùng văn "Writing the Same Character". It mandated using a consistent writing system based on theSmall Seal Script,which was comparatively simpler and easier to write than Large Seal Script.[4]In a logographic language like Chinese, correct character writing is fundamental for efficiency of information transfer.

The emperor ordered his chancellor and two other ministers to compile a standard Small Seal character wordbook in three parts. The 7-chapterCangjiepiancompilation was overseen by Li Si, the 6-chapterYuanlipianViên lịch thiên "Explanation of Difficult Words" byZhao Gao,and the 7-chapterBoxuepianBác học thiên "Extensive Knowledge of Words" by Humu Jing hồ vô kính.[5]They simplified, standardized, and disseminated a national standard script for the first time in China.[6]These three textbooks were officially issued and circulated during the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE).[7][8]

Scholars in the earlyHan dynasty(206 BCE – 220 CE) combined these three Qin texts into one book, and transcribed the original Small Seal script into the standard HanClerical script.Ban Gu'sBook of Hanrecords,

the teachers and learned people in the towns and villages combinedThe Cangjie Primer,The Yuanli Primer,andThe Scholarly Primer[i.e.,Boxuepian] under one cover and segmented the book into fifty-five chapters, each chapter containing sixty characters. This new textbook retained the original titleThe Cangjie Primer.[9]

This 3,300-characterCangjiepian,commonly called theSancangTam thương "Three Cangs", became popular and was widely recognized as the standard textbook for character learning.[10]Scribes at the beginning of the Han were expected to be able to recite 5,000 characters, which is more than the originalCangjiepian.[11]

TheBook of the Han[12]further says that about 60 BCE, during the reign ofEmperor Xuan of Han(r. 74–49 BCE), theCangjiepianwas "filled with obsolete characters that are difficult for ordinary teachers to read". The emperor called for scholars who could pronounce them correctly, andZhang Changwas chosen. After he died in 48 BCE, his grandson-in-law Du Lin đỗ lâm completed theCollections of Cangjie Exegesis,[13]which was lost by theSui dynasty(518–618).[6]

TheCangjiepianhad a serious pedagogical shortcoming: some Chinese characters could only be understood with the help of specialized annotations, and many came forth.[14]The Han philosopher and philologistYang Xiong(53 BCE – 18 CE) first revised theCangjiepianand wrote theCangjiexunzuanThương hiệt huấn toảnCollections of Cangjie Exegesissupplement, which had 5,340 characters.[15]In the reign ofEmperor He of Han(88–105 CE), Jia Fang giả phường compiled another supplement named thePangxipianBàng hỉ thiên.

During theJin dynasty (266–420)period, theCangjiepian,Xunzuanpian,andPangxipianwere combined into one 3-chapter book with the titleCangjiepian,also called theSancang.According to theRecords of the Three Kingdoms(biography of Jiang Shi),[16]in the earlyCao Weidynasty,Zhang Yi(fl. 227–232) wrote thePicangBì thươngThe Augmented Cangjie Glossary,GuangyaThe Broad Ready Guide[sic], andGujin ziguCổ kim tự cổThe Exegesis of Ancient and Contemporary Characters.Guo Pu(276–324) wrote a commentary to theSancang,which is lost.[3]

Fan Ye'sBook of the Later Han[17]says that whenXu Shenstarted compiling theShuowen jiezi,he used ten dictionaries and primers, including theCangjiepian(inclusiveSancangversion)The Cangjie Primer,CangjiezhuanThương hiệt truyềnThe Biography of Cangjie,both Yang Xiong's and Du Lin'sCangjiexunzuanThương hiệt huấn toảnCollections of Cangjie Exegesis,and theCangjieguThương hiệt cốThe Exegesis of the Cangjie Primer.

TheCangjiepianwas continuously used until the end of the Tang dynasty, when the last remaining copies were destroyed during theHuang Chao Rebellion(874–884). VariousQing dynasty(1644–1912) scholars partially reconstructed the text by collecting fragments quotations of theCangjiepianin works such as theWenxuanandTaiping Imperial Reader.[18]

Archeologists have discoveredCangjiepianfragments in several locations, including theDunhuang manuscriptsfrom theMogao CavesinGansuprovince, atJuyan Lake Basinin westernmostInner Mongolia,and most notably at theShuangguduiarcheological site, located nearFuyanginAnhuiprovince.[19]In 1977, archeologists excavated a (165 BCE)Han dynastytomb at Shuanggudui and discovered a cache of texts written on bamboo strips, including theYijingandChuci.TheCangjiepianversion has 541 characters, nearly 20 percent of the complete work, and is longer and more legible than the other fragments; Theobald provides pictures of these strips.[20]TheCangjiepianfragments excavated from Northwest China during 1930s and 1970s repeatedly state that "Cang Jie invented writing" in order to instruct the later generations.[21]The presence of theCangjiepianin several early Han tombs shows that it was, "if not a common manual for elementary instruction, at least not a rare work."[22]

While some academics conclude that theCangjiepian"demonstrated the prototype of a modern Chinese dictionary",[23]believe this character-learning textbook's format was "not particularly standardized and consistent to the eye of a modern lexicographer". Nevertheless, they admit it is undeniable that theCangjiepian"laid a solid foundation and initiated an enlightening start in character standardization, corpus construction, and source material accumulation".

Text

[edit]

The excavated Han dynasty bamboo-slipCangjiepianedition has two outstanding features in layout: rhymed 4-character phrases that are easy to recite and remember, and charactercollationthat is semantically grouped and graphicradical-oriented.[24]

First, theCangjiepianformat has rhymed (in Qin periodOld Chinese), 4-character phrases/sentences that are easy for children to recite and memorize. Take the Preface for example,

Cangjie creates characters [*s-taThư ] for educating the young [*sə.lə-sTự ]. The youth are summoned [*taw-sChiếu ] and they should learn to be serious, cautious, respectful, and self-disciplined [*kˤrək-sGiới ]. They should make up their mind and study hard [*sə-loŋ-sTụng ] and show perseverance [sic] in reading and reciting day and night [*trək-sTrí ]. If selected to serve as officials in the government [*s-rəʔSử ], they should be qualified in calculating, accounting, discriminating good from evil, and ruling [*C.lrəTrị ]. They should be trained to be the elites [*[ɡ]urĐàn ] and the exceptional but not the deviants [*ɢək-sDị ].[25]

TheCangjiepianadapted the prevalent style of writing Chinese poetry in 4-character lines, which dates back to the (11th–7th centuries BCE)Classic of Poetry.Later poetry was composed in 5- and 7-character lines.

SomeCangjiepianpassages seem incongruous for a children's primer, for instance (quoted byYan Zhitui[26]), "The Han Dynasty annexes the whole world and all the kingdoms observe its decrees. Its ruling will be like slaughtering the pigs and pulling down the fences. For those kingdoms that disobey, they will be denounced, suppressed, and destroyed".

Second, theCangjiepiancollated characters on the basis ofsemantic fields(already used in the 3rd-century BCEEryadictionary) and graphic radicals (later used in the 121 CEShuowen Jiezi).

Some sections give characters for words that aresynonyms,antonyms,or otherwise semantically related. An example of words meaning "length" is:[27]cùnTấc "inch",báoMỏng "thin",hòuHậu "thick",guǎngQuảng "wide",xiáHiệp "narrow",hǎoHảo "good",chǒuXấu "ugly",chángTrường "long", andduǎnĐoản "short".

Other sections give characters that share a common radical, and furthermore, the sequence of radicals generally resembles the sequence of the 540 radicals in theShuowenjiezi.For one example,[23]the "door radical"Môn (which is generally used to write words semantically related to" doors ") is seen in the sequencekāiKhai "open",bìBế "close",ménMôn "door", andlǘLư "town" all fall under the heading of, for their meanings are all related to the concept of "door". For another, "sickness radical"Nạch (seen in many characters denoting" illness; sickness ") is seen in all but one of the seriesbìngBệnh "illness",kuángCuồng (with the "dog radical"Khuyển )" madness ",cīTỳ "blemish",gāngBỉ "head sores",chènSấn "fever", andyángDương "sore". In addition, someCangjiepianpassages explain semantic extensions andpolysemy,such as "Thố means trí" to handle ", also an" arrange ", and also thi" implement ".[28]

The originalCangjiepiandid not have explanatory notes for difficult characters and words, but some received editions have interpretations and glosses added to characters, which are obviously accretions from scholars of later periods.[23]The Tang dynasty dictionary by Xuan Ying ( huyền ứng ), theYiqie jing yinyi"Pronunciation and Meaning in theTripitaka"quotes theCangjiepian[29]to say, vị sang cũng âm như cá vị chi vị, "WěiVị [also pronouncedyángoryòu] meanschuàngSang "wound", and is pronounced like the fishwěiVị "sturgeon". "

References

[edit]
  1. ^Yang, Lihui, Deming An, and Jessica Anderson Turner (2008),Handbook of Chinese Mythology,Oxford University Press. pp. 84-6.
  2. ^Feng & Branner 2011,p. 217.
  3. ^abYong & Peng 2008,p. 34.
  4. ^Yong & Peng 2008,p. 18.
  5. ^Needham, Lu & Huang 1986,p. 197.
  6. ^abNeedham, Lu & Huang 1986,p. 199.
  7. ^Hayhoe, Ruth (1992),Education and Modernization: The Chinese Experience,Pergamon Press.
  8. ^Greatrex 1994,p. 101.
  9. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 52.
  10. ^Yong & Peng 2008,pp. 34–5.
  11. ^Feng & Branner 2011,p. 351.
  12. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 28.
  13. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 101.
  14. ^Yong & Peng 2008,p. 35.
  15. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,pp. 47, 81.
  16. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 215.
  17. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 101.
  18. ^Yong & Peng 2008,p. 27.
  19. ^Wilkinson, Endymion (2000),Chinese History: A Manual,revised and enlarged, Harvard University Asia Center. p. 49.
  20. ^Theobald, Ulrich (2011),Cangjiepian thương hiệt thiên,Chinaknowledge
  21. ^Bottéro 2006,pp. 138–39.
  22. ^Greatrex 1994,p. 104.
  23. ^abcYong & Peng 2008,p. 28.
  24. ^Yong & Peng 2008,p. 52.
  25. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 53, OC reconstructions fromBaxter-Sagart 2014.
  26. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 53.
  27. ^Yong & Peng 2008,p. 55.
  28. ^Tr.Yong & Peng 2008,p. 149.
  29. ^Yong & Peng 2008,p. 54.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Bottéro, Francoise (2006). "Cang Jie and the Invention of Writing: Reflections on the Elaboration of a Legend". In Christorph Anderl and Halver Boyesen (ed.).Studies in Chinese Language and Culture.Oslo: Hermes Academic Publishing. pp. 135–55.
  • Feng, Li;Branner, David Prager (2011).Writing & Literacy in Early China.University of Washington Press.
  • Greatrex, Roger (1994). "An Early Western Han Synonymicon: The Fuyang Copy of theCang Jie pian".In Joakim Enwall (ed.).Outstretched Leaves on his Bamboo Staff: Essays in Honour of Göran Malmqvist on his 70th Birthday.Association of Oriental Studies. pp. 97–113.
  • Needham, Joseph;et al. (1986).Science and Civilisation in China,Volume 6 Biology and Biological Technology, Part 1: Botany.Cambridge University Press.ISBN9780521087315.
  • Yong, Heming; Peng, Jing (2008).Chinese Lexicography: A History from 1046 BC to AD 1911.Oxford University Press.ISBN9780191561672.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cangjiepian&oldid=1225630415"