"Selected Writings. Studies on the Continuous and Detailed Words"

Author: Guo Long
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The study of Lianjinzi is an important yet challenging topic in both glossology and Chinese lexical studies. The significant difficulty of this subject stems primarily from the fact that it is not a purely lexical issue but involves two crucial research angles: one is the phonetic features of ancient Chinese, and the other is the written forms of ancient words. It is a classic interdisciplinary topic in the study of literature, language, and script, and without a solid grasp of "Xiaoxue" (the foundational study of Chinese characters and phonetics), it is difficult to delve into this field.
Secondly, both key characteristics of Lianjinzi are shrouded in mysteries. First, the two Chinese characters used to write Lianjinzi often exhibit a phonetic combination pattern of disyllabic and reduplicated rhymes. However, the issue of Lianjinzi is not purely a phonetic one, just as the essence of phonetic etymology lies not only in phonetics but also in etymology. Second, while the two characters of Lianjinzi appear inseparable on the surface, the era in which they emerged was not one of Chinese bisyllabification, making it unsuitable for inclusion in the historical study of Chinese vocabulary.
Furthermore, for general words, the superficial meaning differs greatly from the underlying morphological motivation, and the two cannot be substituted for each other. In the case of Lianjinzi, however, the meaning and origin often coincide, making it clear that theoretical discussions on Lianjinzi cannot rely on existing lexical theories. Organizing Lianjinzi requires resolving the issues of meaning and origin, which is far from easy.
The Study of Lianjinzi in the "Fu" is divided into three chapters. The first chapter, "Lianjinzi Theory," explores the theoretical foundations of Lianjinzi, extensively compiling research findings on the topic, demonstrating the author's meticulous effort. The second and third chapters focus on the collation and analysis of Lianjinzi in the Wenxuan (Selected Works), with this practical work complementing and advancing the theoretical clarification and elaboration.