A Study In The Characters Of The ZhongShan State In The Warring States Period

The ZhongShan state, in the Period of Warring States (475-221 B.C.)is a medium-sized state in the crack of the great power Yan ,Zhao and Qi. There are very little historical records about it. In the year 1979, a grave has been excavated in Pingshan county, Hebei Province. In the basis of the inscription engraved at the object unearthed, we can confirme it was belong to the kings of ZhongShan state .More then 10,000 bronze, iron ,pottery, gold, silver and jade wares were unearthed. The inscriptions on the bronzes are very important material for the study of the characters in the Period of Warring States. From this characters material be published, many paleography scholars study about it and every kind of articles have been published. But none of them is about the all-round assessment of the ZhongShan characters.The ZhongShan characters belong to the characters of the Period of Warring States,so our study about the ZhongShan characters must take notice of the whole characters system of the Period of Warring States. And as one of the states in the Period of Warring States, ZhongShan state had special strategic position. The study of the ZhongShan characters is indispensable in the range of the Warring States Period's characters research.Paleography scholars generally separate the characters of the Period of Warring States into several departments. Though there are some discounts, but consider of the complicated circumstances of the characters of the Period of Warring States, this method of classify have necessity. Ordinary the ZhongShan characters are considered as a part of the characters system of the Jin State. But this view need discuss.After the deep investigation and study, we discover the historical origins between the characters of the ZhongShan State and Jin State. At the same time ,the characters of the ZhongShan State and the characters of the Chu State were interrelated. There are steal some characters of the ZhongShan State stems from Shang Dynasty. So we hold that the characters system of the ZhongShan State is independence.There are five chapters in this thesis. The chapter one is a summary of the present situation about the the characters' study of the Warring States Periodand the study of the ZhongShan State characters.The chapter two is the analysis about the configuration of the characters of the ZhongShan State. We summing up several trait such as increase pictograph, increase initial consonant, increase grace strokes and so on.The chapter three deals with the calligraphy style of the inscription. We discuss the different between the inscription by coin and the inscription by cut .And defferent writers made different calligraphy style too.The chapter four deals with the historical position of the ZhongShan State's inscription, it's obtained from comparing the ZhongShan State's characters with the characters of Jin State, Chu State and Shang Dynasty. And the comparison between the ZhongShan State's characters and the ancient writing kept in the books.The chapter five is about the investigation and explain of the important inscription, We synthesize various opinions and study the history of the ZhongShan State ,the make the conclusion.The appendix department is the study in the history , nation and the culture as to the XianYu and ZhongShan State. This can halp us know the characters of th ZhongShan State more clearly.Through the characters of the ZhongShan State, understand the whole characters system of the Period of Warring States, this is the final destination of this thesis...