A Study of Chinese Character Writing Paradigm:Examples of Sima Qian and Han Yu
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Huang, Shin-Pei
Abstract
This dissertation studies the essence of character writing in Chinese ancient essay writing and its course of development and evolution. In addition, it also discusses the unique spiritual connotation and literary characteristics in Chinese character writing by building a character writing system that uses two main typical character writing methods “lyric” and “zai-dao” (wen-yi-zai-dao: expressing the truth in writings) as main framework. Records of the Grand Historian, written by Sima Qian, is the best representative of character writing before Qin dynasty (pre-Qin). It set up the example of using character writing as main vehicle in the writing of historical biography. On the one hand, it inherited the “zai-dow” tradition from pre-Qin historiography, setting the example of “zai-dow” paradigm by writing character; on the other hand, it absorbed the spirit of “yan-zhi-yong-huai” from ancient poetry and Songs of Chu (or “Chi Ci”), and thus created a tradition of character writing lyric, setting up the “lyric” paradigm. Since then, “zaidao” and “lyric” has become the most important paradiam and essence in character writing in China. After Sima Qian, Han Yu was the one who could inherit such a tradition and further convert it for innovation. Han Yu created a new perspective for character writing by integrating the best of Six Dynasties. The essence of his “zai-dow” featured by “zai-ru-dao” (expressing the Confucian moral truth in writings) is different from that of Records of the Grand Historian, which promoted “ming-yi-li, zai-zhi-dao” (understand integrity and personal interests, expressing the truth of ruling a nation) with political implications. Such lyric implications not only inherited the lyric spirit from Sima Qian which used character writing to express emotions, but also extended lyric to a new arena that were closer to the common feelings of human beings and family relationships, presenting a new perspective. It has been a trend in China to approach the general public in an easier way in character writing. The main reason that “zai-dao” and “lyric” become the main two essences in the character writing tradition is the special cultural ambitions of Chinese “authors.” As a result, “zai-dao” and “lyric” have become the core of character writing in China and one of the most classical traditions in character writing.
Subjects
Character Writing
Sima Qian
Records of the Grand Historian
Han Yu
ancient article
zai-dow
lyric
Type
thesis
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