Chinese Secret Code Dictionary

Author: Qu Yanbin (Editor-in-Chief) / Qu Yanbin / Xu Suye (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1994-03-01
Features: Gargon and cant have both differences and connections. Both are special linguistic phenomena that attract attention from sociolinguistics and folklore studies. This "Dictionary of Chinese Gargon and Cant" is compiled based on rich materials from previous and contemporary dictionaries or survey reports. The collected terms span from the Tang and Song dynasties to the modern era, numbering approximately 12,000, making it a comprehensive collection. In recent years, systematic new reference books in this field have been lacking, so this book fills the gap and meets readers' urgent needs. This book will benefit researchers, enthusiasts, and a broad readership interested in related linguistic phenomena in the following ways:
(1) When reading various historical documents, especially those reflecting secret societies, urban life, or itinerant figures, one often encounters gargon and cant (including terms like dark language, hidden speech,, black talk, cant, etc.), requiring clarification of their true meanings. People often struggle with the lack of such entries in general dictionaries, but this book provides significant assistance.
(2) Social culture is influenced by historical conditions, evolving through both inheritance and variation. These developments are reflected to varying degrees in gargon and cant. To carry out the construction of socialist spiritual and material civilization and to perform various tasks under new conditions—such as ideological and political work or promoting social customs—we must gain an in-depth understanding of historical and contemporary connections. The evolution of gargon and cant and the patterns they reveal are also crucial and cannot be ignored. This book will help related workers in this regard.
(3) For researchers, enthusiasts, and scholars in related fields such as sociolinguistics, folklore, popular literature, aesthetics, and pedagogy, this book offers rich materials gathered from literature, providing invaluable support. Beyond these three aspects, this book can establish a meaningful connection with a broad readership and spark widespread interest.
Regarding the lexical materials recorded in the book, they carry marks shaped by specific historical conditions, with some still reflecting the linguistic traces of negative and corrupt phenomena from the old society and old era. Readers should exercise discernment when using the book, and it is believed that users will pay attention to this.