The Relation Of Xiéshēng Characters In Shuowenjiezi And The Discussion On Old Chinese Phonology

The Old Chinese phonology plays an important role in the study of the history of Chinese language, also in that of Sino-tibetan phylum. Although it started early, the study of the old Chinese phonology reached its prosperous period during Qing dynasty. However, most Qing scholars concentrated only on the rhyme categories, the achievement of initial consonants was far behind the study of the former one. The great progress had not been made until the introduction of the language theory of historical comparison in the 20^th century. Scholars began to reconstruct the system of old Chinese phonology with scientific phonetic symbol. Some scholars, e.g., Wang Li, Li Xinkui, He Jiuying, Zhengzhang Shangfang etc., consider that the rhyme category should be sorted as y(?)nsh(?)ng words, y(?)ngsh(?)ng words and r(?)sh(?)ng words, and there is no final consonant at the end of y(?)nsh(?)ng words. Others like Prof. Li Fangkui, Prof. Chou Fagao and Prof. Yu Naiyong etc., argue that there are final consonants or glide consonants in the end of y(?) nsh(?)ng words.On the basis of the previous research, the materials on the old Chinese phonology become more and more enriched, such as the verses in Qin dynasty, the xi(?)sh(?)ng characters in shuowenjiezi, etc.. Correspondingly, we have accumulated much more research methodologies, e.g., summarizing the rhyme in shijing, summarizing the relations of xi(?)sh(?)ng characters in Shuowenjiezi, the historical comparison, and the comparison of two relative languages, etc.. Based on the Phonogram characters in Shuowenjiezi, in the present dissertation, we use statistical method to discuss the relations among xi(?)sh(?)ng characters, and further explore the initial consonant system, the rhyme categories and the tone system in the old Chinese phonology.We discuss the above mentioned materials in this thesis in seven parts. In Part 1 we briefly introduce the essence of xi(?)sh(?)ng characters and the principles of xi(?)sh(?)ng characters. In Part 2 we mainly study how to recense the xi(?)sh(?)ng characters in shuowenjiezi. In Part 3, the cognizance of the basic phonology symbol of xi(?)sh(?)ng characters is introduced. Part 4 introduces the mathematical statistics and uses it to deal with the xi(?)sh(?)ng characters via computer technique. Finally, the last three parts explore the system of initial consonant system, the rhyme categories system, and the tone system according to the statistics from the xi(?)sh(?)ng characters in shuowenjiezi.In summary, the high relations in xi(?)sh(?)ng characters, we get a regular consonants system from the nomal xi(?)sh(?)ng relation. It includes five groups:(1) labial initials phonology group: [p], [ph] ,[b],[m].(2) dentals phonology group: [t],[th],[d],[n],[l],(3) dentals sibilants phonology group: [ts],[tsh],[dz],[s],[z].(4) velars phonology group: [k],[kh],[g],[η].(5) laryngeals phonology group: [?],[x],[γ].We can explain the abnormal xi(?)sh(?)ng relations by a theory of comparability in phonology and some complex consonants. We can also have a kind of rhyme categories like traditional 30 groups from xi(?)sh(?)ng characters.The difference between four tones does not stand out in xi(?)sh(?)ng system, just p(?)ng and r(?) stand facing each other in xi(?)sh(?)ng system. It is possible that the form of the tone includes other complex reasons, and the final form of p(?)ng sh(?)ng q(?) r(?) experiences a long process in phonology development.