Lecture Notes: The Invention of Writing in China

Introduction

• Discussion on Chinese traditions related to the invention of writing.
• Earliest records suggest bronze vessels with animal mask ornamentation used for teaching about threats in wild areas.
• Connection between pictographs and communication.

Legends & Origins of Writing

• Yi Jing (The Classic of Changes):

  • Contains 64 hexagrams, symbols supposedly invented by sage king Fuxi.
  • Fuxi observed natural patterns (stars, topography, human body) to create writing.

• First Chinese Dictionary (100 AD, Eastern Han Dynasty):

  • Included 9,600 characters sorted under 540 radicals.
  • Postface discusses the invention of writing, attributing it to Cangjie, the Yellow Emperor's secretary.
  • Cangjie observed bird and beast tracks to invent characters, leading to the modern Cangjie input system for computers.

Types of Chinese Characters

• Six Types of Characters:
  1. Pictographs: Direct depiction of things.
  2. Ideographs: Characters representing ideas.
  3. Phonetic Compounds: Characters combining sounds and meanings.
  4. Complex Characters: Combination of elements for new meanings.
  5. Borrowed Characters: Rebus-like, using symbols for sounds.
  6. Turning and Commenting Characters: Less understood, involves modifying basic characters.

Examples and Evolution

• Early Characters:

  • Examples include characters for body parts, tools, and nature.
  • Discussion on how pictographs evolve yet remain recognizable (e.g., sheep, elephant).

• Phonetic Compounds:

  • Combination of basic elements with phonetic sounds (e.g., tree + sound for specific trees like oak).

Ideography Debate

• 1930s Ideography Debate:
  • Hurley Creel argued for idiographic nature of Chinese characters.
  • Peter Boodberg refuted, arguing language is primarily spoken, and writing must represent speech.
• William G. Boltz's Standpoint:
  • No provision for ideographic combinations in natural writing systems.
  • Chinese writing system primarily uses phonetic compounds.

Modern Implications & Computerization

• Modern Input Methods:

  • Cangjie system used for typing Chinese characters.
  • Simplified characters introduced in the 1950s to promote literacy.

• Advantages of Chinese Script:

  • Allows expression distinct from alphabetic languages.
  • Despite challenges, Chinese script supports vast literature and culture.

Conclusion

• Discussion on how writing systems evolve and influence language.
• Acknowledgment of Chinese script's resilience and adaptability over millennia.
• Importance of understanding historical and cultural contexts when studying any language.