Archaic Sounds Textual Collation

Author: Zhou Zumo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-06-01
Features: The Guoyun (A New Sound Classification of Chinese Characters) has two types of annotations: the detailed annotated edition and the concise annotated edition. The detailed annotated edition was originally compiled by Chen Pengnian and others during the Song Dynasty, while the concise annotated edition was edited by Yuan Dynasty scholars based on the Song Dynasty version by cutting and abridging it. Most of the Guoyun seen by Ming Dynasty scholars were the concise annotated editions, while the detailed annotated edition was rarely circulated. In the early Qing Dynasty, Zhang Shijun revised and re-carved the Guoyun based on the Song Dynasty copies preserved by Mao Shi in the Jigu Ge and those by Xu Yuwen, making the original appearance of the Guoyun known to the world. Later, Cao Yin also carved plates based on the Song Dynasty version, but the layout differed from the original. Cao’s edition had a smaller print run, so it was less widely circulated than Zhang’s.
Zhou Zumo was a Chinese linguist. His courtesy name was Yansun, and he was from Beijing. In 1932, he entered the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University. After graduating in 1936, he joined the Institute of History and Philology of the Central Academy of Sciences as an assistant in the linguistics division. From 1938, he taught at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Fu Ren University. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he became a professor at Peking University and served as the vice president of the Chinese Linguistics Society, the vice president of the Beijing Linguistics Society, the president of the Beijing Qin Literature Society, and the honorary president of the Chinese Phonology Society.
Zhou Zumo was a scholar with broad knowledge, dedicating himself to the study of Chinese language and characters from a young age. Phonology and etymology were his most fruitful academic fields. His collected essays Wenxue Ji include more than 40 papers, compiling his original insights on the phonological and tonal categories of ancient Chinese, the nature of the Qieyun, and its phonological foundation. He also critically reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of numerous ancient Chinese linguistic works using modern linguistic theories, maintaining a rigorous and cautious attitude, avoiding unfounded claims. His other major work is Yuyan Wenhu Liujie, a collection of over 50 essays on language, literature, and history. Another significant work is The Evolution of Rhyme Classes from the Han to the Southern and Northern Dynasties (co-authored with Luo Changpei), which discusses the evolution of rhyme classes from the Zhou to the Chen and Sui dynasties (800 years), earning high regard from linguists both in China and abroad.
Published in 1984, A Collection of Rhyme Books from the Tang and Five Dynasties is a comprehensive compilation and annotation of rhyme books from the Tang and Five Dynasties, summarizing the author’s decades of collection, organization, and research. It is a pioneering specialized work in the field of Dunhuang and Turpan ancient manuscripts, providing crucial materials for the study of Chinese phonology, vocabulary, and etymology.
Zhou Zumo was skilled in ancient manuscript collation and textual criticism, authoring works such as A Collated Edition of Guoyun, Annotations on Fangyan, Annotations on Erya, Annotations on Shi Ming, and Annotations and Explanations of Luoyang Qielan Ji. To popularize linguistic knowledge, he also wrote numerous articles on Chinese standardization, Putonghua pronunciation, and dictionary compilation. For example, his book A Talk on Chinese Vocabulary was highly popular among readers.
Zhou Zumo spent many years teaching in higher education, dedicating his efforts to nurturing the next generation of linguistic scholars.