Xia Studies (Volume 1)

Author: Li Fanwen, Han Xiaomang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: Xixia studies are both a "lost art" and a "prominent field." They are not only a shining pearl of Chinese culture but also an important window into traditional Chinese and historical culture. In the early 20th century, a collection of Xixia documents was discovered successively in the Khara-Khoto in Inner Mongolia and Lingwu in Ningxia, forming a grand spectacle. Scholars from both the East and the West painstakingly explored and eventually deciphered this ancient minority script that appeared similar to Chinese characters at first glance but was completely unreadable upon closer inspection. Chinese scholar Wang Jingru published "Xixia Studies" (Volumes 1-3) based on his in-depth research of the unearthed documents in Lingwu in the 1930s, sparking a second surge in domestic Xixia studies. Over seventy years later, this series of "Xixia Studies" edited by Li Fanwen will further advance the field of Xixia studies.
Volume 1 of "Xixia Studies" is the co-authored work "Synonym Studies" by Li Fanwen and Professor Han Xiaomang. The authors conducted meticulous research on "Synonym" and made many important observations and discoveries, enhancing our understanding of Xixia. The appendix includes an "Index for Xixia Characters," allowing readers to search for characters using the Four-Corner Number System. In fact, this book can be considered a concise Xixia dictionary.