On Ethnic Language Investigation and Research

Author: Fu Maoqi wrote
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-03-01
Features: On the eve of the Xinhai Revolution, China began the cultural enlightenment movement. At different stages, it had different focuses and names. Initially called the Qieyinzi Movement, it was then followed by the National Language Movement, the Vernacular Movement, the Zhuyin Alphabet Movement, the National Romanization Movement, the Latinization Movement, the Handwritten Character Movement, and the Mass Language Movement, collectively known as the Language Modernization Movement. During the May Fourth period, the Vernacular Movement surged, becoming the climax of the Language Modernization Movement. In the 1950s, the second climax of the Language Modernization Movement was launched, focusing on three major tasks: promoting Mandarin, simplifying Chinese characters, and formulating and implementing the Hanyu Pinyin Scheme. Meanwhile, from the central government to local authorities, ethnic colleges and ethnic research institutes were established, concentrating numerous linguists and training a large number of professionals. Large-scale and in-depth research was conducted on the social history and languages of ethnic minorities, and their traditional scripts were organized and improved. Scripts were created for ethnic groups without their own writing systems. This was the cultural enlightenment movement of ethnic minorities. After the Xinhai Revolution, China adopted the five-color flag (red, yellow, blue, white, and black), representing the "five nationalities" (Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, and Tibetan) in a "five nationalities' republic," marking the beginning of the idea of ethnic equality. However, ethnic minorities remained in a position of neglect and suppression for a long time. Only after the founding of the People's Republic of China, with the constitution stipulating ethnic equality and the right of each ethnic group to use and develop its own language and script, did the country take the first step toward implementing ethnic equality policies. Since the 1950s, many language experts have dedicated themselves to the cultural development of ethnic minorities, a noble cause. In this historic cultural construction, the contributions of Mr. Fu Maoqi are undeniable—he was the leading figure in the cultural enlightenment movement of ethnic minorities. The research and study of ethnic languages is not a short-term task but a long-term one, requiring the continuous cultivation of high-level professional talents. As the saying goes, "A workman must first sharpen his tools if he wishes to do his work well." To do the job well, one must equip the workers with the best tools. In addition to basic linguistic knowledge, they must also possess specialized knowledge and skills in field research and investigation. Mr. Fu's book, On the Research and Study of Ethnic Languages, is a rare and invaluable tool. Anyone who studies this work cannot help but be amazed at Mr. Fu's profound knowledge, extensive experience, diligent work ethic, and meticulous thinking. It is the crystallization of his long-term efforts and a model of combining theory with practice. Learning Mr. Fu's works not only involves acquiring the knowledge and techniques in the book but also learning his scientific approach to scholarship and his noble character.