On YAO Wen-tian's Classical Phonology

YAO Wen-tian(1756-1827), who once styled himself Qiu-nong, was born in Gui'an, Zhejiang. YAO was a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during Jiaqing period of Qing dynasty and later became the Minister of Ministry of Rites in feudal China and finished lots of works. This dissertation, a study of Gu Yin Xie and Shuo Wen Sheng Xi, aims to contribute to research into classical phonology of Qing dynasty.The classical phonology works like Gu Yin Xie., which were finished as classical phonology were greatly developed during the middle of Qing dynasty, should not be ignored. But people pay little attention to them today, which entails a comprehensive and systematic investigation.YAO divided the classical rhyme into 26 parts grouped into 8 categories (17 parts of Ping Shang Qu belong to 6 categories and 9 parts of Rusheng belong to one category only). YAO's conclusion about the parts of classical rhyme was largely identical but with minor difference with that of DUAN Yu-cai, DAI Zhen and JIANG You-gao. After making a contrast of their conclusions, this dissertation discusses several questions in great detail. The first concerns YAO's parts and categories of classical rhyme. The second is the conclusion about education of Tang Yun. And third, we discuss on YAO's opinion that there exists Qusheng rhyme in ancient time belonging to 9 parts of Rusheng rhyme into one category only.The theory about Tongzhuan and harmonious Character components is the most important question that should be studied. YAO was opposed to DUAN Yu-cai's opinion on Heyun and KONG Guang-sen's opinion on Duizhuan. He claimed that the limits of Tongzhuan should be held strictly. His theory was quite characteristic and was consistent with JIANG You-gao's. And Gu Yin Xie, which summarized YAO's research on the relation between the parts of classical rhyme, was YAO's practice of his opinion about Tongzhuan.YAO was good at studying Shuo Wen Jie Zi and held scientific theory about harmonious Character components. He argued in favor of harmonious Character components of Shuo Wen and claimed that the character having the same component must belong to the same part, then applied this theory to his practice of departing classical rhyme parts. On the other hand, YAO didn't obviate the exception about the theory of harmonious Character components and summarized many particular characters to carry forward the research into harmonious Character components.