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The Human Figure in Archaic Chinese Writing. Part II

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Extract

In the Journal for 1923, pp. 386–90, in the Series of “Pictographic Reconnaissances”, Part V, a small set of ancient forms was discussed and illustrated which I gave reasons for considering the original scription of the word hsün, now written and meaning to question, examine with authority, and, in the phrase, chih hsün, standing for “bound captives”. It was there maintained that the archaic form represented a kneeling human figure having the arms pinioned behind with cords. Fig. 21 on p. 389 of that Paper, reproduced as Fig. 1 on Plate II of the present Number, shows best the conception of the early design.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1930

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References

page 95 note 1 See e.g. Figs. 12, 13, and 14 in Plate VIII, JRAS. for October, 1927. Also Figs. 37 and 38 in this Number.

page 95 note 2 Wang Hsiang has ingeniously conjectured that two closely similar archaic characters cited by him from the Honan Finds (but without further reference to chapter and page of Lo's Works), may be mien, face.

page 96 note 1 It is pertinent here to observe that no example of this last character as thus composed can be produced from archaic texts. It is true that Takada in his Ku Chau P'ien appears to give one, but it is only, as he states, a reconstruction from archaic versions of mi and shao. For myself I rather regret that the Japanese scholar should have so often followed this practice, as being likely to mislead readers who may not notice what he always makes plain, that such and such a character is reconstructed, and is not therefore authenticated from an actual example.

page 97 note 1 See also the transformations undergone by this same figure of a bound captive in “Pictographio Reconnaissances” in JRAS. for July, 1923, pp. 386–90, s.v. hsün.

page 100 note 1 “Pictographio Reconnaissances,” Part VII, under Fang in JRAS. for July, 1926, pp. 479–83, and Plate VIII. Fig. 20 is from Y.H.S.K. Hou Pien p. 22.

page 102 note 1 See JRAS. for July, 1929, p. 560 and Plate IX.

page 102 note 2 In “Pictographic Reconnaissances”, Part VIII, pp. 771–7, and Plate VII, Figs. 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, showing a considerable range of variational detail.

page 103 note 1 See his Ku Chou P'ien, chap. 26, p. 30.