汉字--从甲骨文到计算机

Chinese Script --- From Oracle Bones to Computer Bytes

Introduction

The birth of a written language marks the dawn of human civilization.

The invention of Chinese characters represents the wisdom of the Chinese nation.

Welcome to the exhibition of Chinese characters. These intriguing characters, uniquely square in shape, have been used to denote objects and meanings for thousands of years around the globe. It is one of the oldest written languages in the world and the only ancient language still in use today -- the Chinese characters, the mother and the carrier of the Chinese civilization, bond among all Chinese, and the bridge between China and other nations.

The inscription of Chinese characters on oracle bones has left a precious legacy and propelled civilization. Today, the integration of Chinese characters with computer bytes will further promote this process and lead to new advances for humanity.

Chinese Characters: Awaiting Your Exploration.

Unit 1. Origins of Chinese Characters

It all started with a myth.

(Picture of Cangjie writing Chinese characters.) Legend has it that Cangjie, a historian-official who lived in the time of Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor), created Chinese characters at the inspiration of such natural objects as the sun, the moon, the stars, and footprints of animals and birds.

The story of Cangjie’s single-handed creation of Chinese characters may not be entirely accurate, yet historical records and archeological finds reveal that he might, in fact, have been the first person to study and index the Chinese characters. (A portrait of Cangjie.)

The legendary character-making Altar of Cangjie in Shaanxi.

Characters allegedly invented by Cangjie (in Chunhua Pavilion Model)

Secrets Discovered in Medicine

In 1899, Chinese scholar Wang Yirong discovered from ―dragon bones‖---an ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine---some peculiar symbols. The symbols were Jiaguwen, or script written on oracle bones, and these particular bones were found to date back 3,000 years.

Wang Yirong.

Jiaguwen, knife-carved inscriptions on tortoise shells and animal bones, are the oldest known Chinese language today.

The Yin ruins at Xiaotui Village of Anyang County, Henan Province (left), was once the capital of China’s Shang dynasty (16th-11th centuries B.C.). The world-renowned Jiaguwen were buried beneath this land for over 3,000 years (right).

Jiaguwen, oracle bone scripts (replica)

Inscribed oracle bones once used as medicine.

Back to the Roots

(Picture of ancient Chinese communicating in spoken language.)

Was there any other language before the oracle bone scripts? Actually, the Chinese communicated with several forms of oral language in the pre-script ages. Meanwhile, to overcome the communication problems inherent in oral language, many other systems of various symbols were invented to allow people to ―talk‖.

Bagua (Eight Diagrams): Eight patterns derived from different combinations of ―＿‖ and ―- -‖, referred to different objects. This ancient system was later used solely for divination.

Knot making: Like many other nations, the ancient Chinese once used different string-knots to indicate numbers or commonplace matters. The modern-day counterpart of the ―Chinese knot‖ evolved from these ancient creations.

Carved symbols: Cracks or symbols carved on bamboo or wood pieces, denoting numbers or important events.

Readable Pictures

Before written language came into being, primitive man often used pictures to record events and share information. (A Neolithic cave painting in Yunnan.)

Neolithic cave painting of the Jiangjun Cliff in Jiangsu.

Heishan cave painting.

Picture on a Neolithic ceramic jug.

As these pictures grew simpler in form, and took on certain meaning and pronunciation, they

became pictographs. This is a living pictograph of China -- Dongba Scripts in Naxi language

Cuneiform, (Egyptian) hieroglyphics, inscriptions of ancient Indian, and oracle bone scripts

Pictograph is the common origin of all human language. Look at these ancient written languages, and you’ll find they are all pictographic.

Primitive Chinese Characters?

Are these symbols the primitive Chinese script?

Carved symbol of ―日‖ (sun), discovered at the Neolithic remains of Jiahu (c. 7,000-8,000 years ago)

Carved symbols on pottery, from the Neolithic remains of Banpo (c. 5,000-7,000 years ago)

Carved symbols on pottery, from the Neolithic remains of Majiayao (c. 4,000-5,000 years ago)

Carved characters on pottery, from the Dawenkou remains of Shandong (c. 4,500 years ago). These characters are both hieroglyphic and pictophonetic.

Carved symbols on pottery, from the remains of the Xia dynasty (c. 21st -16th century B.C.)

Where is the oldest Chinese script? It’s a mystery waiting to be solved -- possibly by you.

Carved symbols on pottery (replica of Dawenkou objects)

Unit 2. Structure of Chinese Characters

How is Chinese Characters formed?

―字‖ (character): The upper part ―宀‖ means house (roof), the lower part ―子‖ means children. ―Children in house‖ originally meant giving birth to children, and evolved to mean reproduction in general. The character ―字‖ now refers to word derivation.

How is Chinese script formed? There are six areas of morphology, according to Shuo Wen Jie Zi (Analytical Dictionary of Script) written by scholar Xu Shen of the Eastern Han D …… 此处隐藏：24358字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……