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Since the discovery of Oracle in 1899, there are countless oracle essays unearthed for more than 100 years. It spans Henan and Shaanxi in the region, and it runs through Yin Shang to the Spring and Autumn Period.In the face of such a long text, how do we recognize what words it is?
In fact, the identification of ancient texts has some unique methods as early as the Western Han Dynasty.The first thing we must understand is what is ancient text?Can the previous text be called ancient text?
The picture above_ Yin Shang Oracle
1. When can the text be called ancient text?
Generally speaking, the Chinese text system is mainly four types of Kai Xingcao, which can be traced back to the Qin and Han dynasties.The calligraphy will vary with the differences between the times and the style of personal writing.Before these four books, the text of the oracle and golden texts by people was forced by the restrictions of writing materials during the pre -Qin period, and peoples text showed a very different characteristic of the later text.Because the difference in text before and after the Qin Dynasty was too large, we defined Qins previous text as a narrow "ancient text".
These ancient texts are generally unique, the most famous of which is Oracle.In addition, the texts of various countries during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period are different. Among them, the text characteristics of Chu Kingdom south are far from the text of the Central Plains countries, but the distinctive characteristics of ancient text can still be seen.Although these rich ancient text forms are different, the laws they follow are the same, which is also an important reason why we can distinguish many ancient characters.
The picture above_ "Said the Word", referred to as "Said".The author is Xu Shen, the first systematic analysis of Chinese characters and sources of the character.The interrogation of characters and ancient characters
The concept of "Six Books" was first seen in "Zhou Li", and the Eastern Han Dynasty Xu Shen"Six Books" are summarized into pictographs, fingers, consequences, metaphysics, bets, and fake borrowings.This so -called "six books" is actually the constructive method of Chinese characters, which is the method of creating words in the popular sense.
We say that although the ancient text is long, it can still be distinguished, because its structural method is consistent with the "six books", we can go through these six methods, starting from the text itself, and we can start from the text itself.Analyze and judge the text, the simplest is some numbers and the most commonly used words."One, two, and three" need not be said. The simplest horizontal counting is quite easy to judge, and "Japan" and "Month" are the most representative pictographs. The pictographs of their text have been used today.
above_ "Shang Shu", the earliest book is "Book", about the first five centuries
These easy -to -judgment characters take advantage of a few, there are many complicated text, how do we judge?Regarding this issue, a scholar in the Western Han Dynasty inspired us.
However, before that, it was confusing that why did the text change after the Qin Dynasty, and the scholars in the Western Han Dynasty could contribute in ancient Chinese characters?This will start from "Shangshu". Due to the turbulence of the situation in the communication of the Qin and Han dynasties, coupled with the unity of text and the burning of many books, many books are lost, and "Shangshu" is stored in the wall of the hole. However, this "Shangshu"But it is written in ancient texts. How can future generations inherit this classic?This is to mention Kong Anguo, a scientist of the Western Han Dynasty. His teachers "Shang Shu" was self -made. With his memory and understanding of Shang Shu, he wrote the "Shang Shu" in the wall of Kongbi. This method is called "Li Ding".
The origin of Lishu-Qin Li
Three, "Lishin" and trace ancient
This "Lishi" method is based on the ancient and modern text in the same veinOn the basis of close connection, through this line of Kong Anguo, later ancient literary scholars used regular script and strokes to write ancient words. After a long period of development, todays "Lishi" has become the most direct method of "deciphering" ancient Chinese characters.There is no exact standard for the "Li Ding" method. Mr. Li Shoukui is roughly divided into five types of: strokes, side -by -side method, glyph transformation method, comprehensive litigation method, and sound conversion method.
Through these setting methods, our understanding of ancient text is becoming more and more deeper, not just some simple characters, but those clear -shaped characters are identified.
However, the complexity of the ancient text is not only complicated in the glyph, but it will differentiate, such"In the long development process, many words have changed the original meaning, and many words appear to express different meanings.The discrimination of these texts is no longer the ancient text researchers can be researched when they closed their doors. With the entry of scholars, knowledge and research methods in other disciplines, the study of ancient texts has entered a new stage. At this stage, ancient text researchers have passed the comprehensive comprehensive comprehensive comprehensive comprehensive comprehensiveness.Knowledge of each discipline to help judge.
above _ Hanli
Fourth, the help of many disciplines
In peoples opinion, the discipline of ancient text is closely related to history. Of courseStudies can help historians deepen their understanding of the history of Shang and Zhou Dynasty, and history can also help the identification of ancient words.The recovery of Kong Anguos "Shang Shu" mentioned earlier provided us with inspiration. In some late ancient text characters, there are many classics, which have been passed down.Materials are compared one by one.However, this method also has its limitations. After all, the classics in ancient times have been circulating. No one knows what it has happened. It is inevitable that it is inevitable that there is a different time in ancient and modern.
So the development of archeology is helpful for the development of ancient Chinese characters. With the unearthed from many Han Jane, the time span of ancient book materials we control has increased significantly. This is helpful.Today, to complete the classics and complete the classics, on the other hand, it helps to identify ancient characters. After all, compared with todays classics, the bamboo slips of the Han Dynasty are closer to that era, and their changes are much less and the reliability is much higher.
The above picture_Qin characters
Whether it is archaeological or historical help, most of them come from literature. The contrast of literature is indeed an effective method, and the purpose of text is in the final analysis. In this regard, linguistic, linguistic, etc.Professional development is also helpful.In that era, writing was more difficult, so the writer needs to express as much meaning as possible by as much as possible. This requires the help of linguists. Through a large numberIn the mode, it can also be found that different partitions on a piece of armor have different functions, which reduces the difficulty of identifying the meaning of the text.
Through the study of ancient text, we realized that the text of three thousand years ago also had a unique and different charm. The structure of this text also continued for thousands of years. ThisIt reflects the long history of Chinese culture and Chinese characters, and it also reflects the endless historical heritage. This inheritance is reflected in all aspects, and naturally includes words, so that we can see the ancients today and we can see its appearance.
Reference Data:
[1] "Ancient Chinese Character Learning" Li Xueqin Chinese Book