Etymology of Tujia Language Place Names in China

Author: Ye Deshu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-11-01
Features: This book examines and corrects over 1,640 Tujia place names from 36 counties in the border areas of Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, and Guizhou. In terms of organization, it adopts a geographical sequence, arranging them by location, with provinces as the primary units, regions as secondary units, and counties as individual chapters. Below the county level, they are generally organized by townships, although township names are not listed, only the order of Tujia place names appearing or being examined in the original data is used for categorization. The book avoids rigid chapter and section divisions, maintaining a clear structure for easy reading. The book has the following features: , Overall, the 1,640+ Tujia place names examined cover eight regions across Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, and Guizhou provinces/municipalities. Therefore, before each regional examination, there is a brief introduction to the region, providing readers with an overview. Second, the book primarily examines the origins of some Tujia place names that lack explanation, have uncertain origins, or have been misinterpreted. It traces the changes in their language, phonetics, and vocabulary, explores the reasons for their names, their actual meanings, the reasons behind their evolution, and their complex interdependencies with related natural and social environments. Third, these 36 counties are geographically shared by the Tujia ethnic group. From the perspective of Chinese dialects, they are mostly part of the Southwestern Mandarin dialect. The Tujia people also speak Southwestern Mandarin when using Chinese.