Based on systematically-collected data related to the character “yan 盐” in the writing of the Warring States period, the present paper makes the paleographic argument that the character“ ”in the inscriptions of C...Based on systematically-collected data related to the character “yan 盐” in the writing of the Warring States period, the present paper makes the paleographic argument that the character“ ”in the inscriptions of Chu State slips from Baoshan is just “盐”. This is a character with associative compounds. It is made up of “lu卤” and “min 皿”, meaning making salt by boiling salty water. The exact identification of this character will much contribute to the understanding of the characters for “salt” in other writings of ancient China. The seal “ Xi (Xi) Yan Zhi Xi (徙)盐之玺”, i.e. “Seal of Salt Circulation”, was an official seal used in the course of salt circulation for the purpose to ensure regular salt trade and effective taxation and to avoid the repetition of tax levy.展开更多
Among the Chu State bamboo slips from Baoshan, there are those recording activitiesof divination and magic prayer and, in many cases, mentioning the names of divinities and spirits, whichconstitute greatly significant...Among the Chu State bamboo slips from Baoshan, there are those recording activitiesof divination and magic prayer and, in many cases, mentioning the names of divinities and spirits, whichconstitute greatly significant material to the study of the Chu people's folklore and religious belief. Of these names the most important are “Jia 夹” i.e. “Ming命 ” in textual records ; “Zhifu 至福 ” and“Zhiming 至命”,i. e. “Xiuming 休命”；“Yongzhong?D3乐铡? the divinity for both y/n and yang ; “Ren Yu人禹”； the honorific title of Yu, one of the greatest human beings in a position higher than that of di-vinities in ancient people's mind; “Mingzu 明祖”, the source of light, i. e. the essence of the sun and“Jianmuwei 渐木位”, i.e. “Mingshu 命树” mentioned in the Taiping Scripture 《太平经》 .The rest in-eludes “Zu 祖 ”, “Bingsi 兵死”, “Zhiniu直牛”, “Shuishang水上”and “Moren没人”, which are also stud-ied to a certain extent in the present paper.展开更多
文摘Based on systematically-collected data related to the character “yan 盐” in the writing of the Warring States period, the present paper makes the paleographic argument that the character“ ”in the inscriptions of Chu State slips from Baoshan is just “盐”. This is a character with associative compounds. It is made up of “lu卤” and “min 皿”, meaning making salt by boiling salty water. The exact identification of this character will much contribute to the understanding of the characters for “salt” in other writings of ancient China. The seal “ Xi (Xi) Yan Zhi Xi (徙)盐之玺”, i.e. “Seal of Salt Circulation”, was an official seal used in the course of salt circulation for the purpose to ensure regular salt trade and effective taxation and to avoid the repetition of tax levy.
文摘Among the Chu State bamboo slips from Baoshan, there are those recording activitiesof divination and magic prayer and, in many cases, mentioning the names of divinities and spirits, whichconstitute greatly significant material to the study of the Chu people's folklore and religious belief. Of these names the most important are “Jia 夹” i.e. “Ming命 ” in textual records ; “Zhifu 至福 ” and“Zhiming 至命”,i. e. “Xiuming 休命”；“Yongzhong?D3乐铡? the divinity for both y/n and yang ; “Ren Yu人禹”； the honorific title of Yu, one of the greatest human beings in a position higher than that of di-vinities in ancient people's mind; “Mingzu 明祖”, the source of light, i. e. the essence of the sun and“Jianmuwei 渐木位”, i.e. “Mingshu 命树” mentioned in the Taiping Scripture 《太平经》 .The rest in-eludes “Zu 祖 ”, “Bingsi 兵死”, “Zhiniu直牛”, “Shuishang水上”and “Moren没人”, which are also stud-ied to a certain extent in the present paper.
