Textual Research On Words In Epigraphs Of Tang Dynasty

The excavated epigraphs of Tang Dynasty are known for the enormous quantity, clear-cut dynastic articles, and thorough and separated narrations of a large quantity of people in that dynasty. In spite of their similar formats, the epigraphs display the features of mature style, vast diction and abundant corpus. Therefore, a comprehensive explanation on the words is not only a prerequisite for the comprehension and various relevant researches but also a significant part of the middle-ancient-period vocabulary study.The age of wide concern/interest in the study of epigraphs from the circle of Chinese philology has just begun. Research achievements covering Chinese characters, vocabulary and rhyme and rhythm, though not very fruitful, present themselves a promising start. It is unfeasible to conduct a completely thorough research on the dynastic excavated corpus of epigraphs of Tang Dynasty. However, it is workable to give a rather comprehensive explanation on the words of the epigraphs in a relatively closed manner, because, if covered in a wide scope, the words explained may be representative, relative to all epigraphs of the dynasty in question. Such a research has not been dealt with, though of great value. That is why the present study comes into being.The whole dissertation is put into 3 parts with a brief introduction as follows:Chapter I of Part I gives an introduction, mainly concerning name differentiation and literature review of present studies. Section I discusses the definitions, origin, names, the characteristics of their style with review of all the above issues. This section also touches studies of epigraphs abroad. Section II introduces the excavation of the epigraphs and the research achievements in terms of history archaeology, language philology and literature. Section III concerns the significance and research aims of the present project. Section IV concerns methodology, identification, punctuation, and marks.Part II makes a contrast between the articles of 1172 rubbings and those of Zhou Shaoliang's Compilation of Epigraphs of Tang Dynasty, and finds that, apart from differences. In total, the paper lists 80 rectified items.Part III, in alphabetical order, explains all words, with reference to Chinese Dictionary. Under each item of words, items of meanings come first, then follow the examined explanation with quotations from classics and written examples, and finally come epigraphs where the words are used. Explanations and their written examples are provided in the cases that the meaning deciphered differ from that, or is missing in Chinese dictionary, or even, they cannot be found in literature and reference books. This study, without deliberate repetition in the words explained with preceding researches, finishes approximately 600 entries of single-syllable and poly-syllable words and expressions, in which 132 entries of epigraphic words and 54 items of meanings are not covered in Chinese Dictionary. Five items of meaning are put to further discussion and the years of written examples of 53 words can be move forward.