A Exotic Toponomy Study On "Quci"

Abstract:During a period of two thousand years until now, scholars have been continuously exploring a satisfactory explanation of Qu Ci. However, the difference of periods, limitation of theories and individual opinions have yielded various interpretations of Qu Ci. That is especially obvious in the researches upon ancient geographical words in the early Qin dynasty in Qu Ci. It is cruical for us to meticulously examine every geographic word in order to understand the discourses in Qu Ci deeply and know more about Qu Yuan's personality and work. Thus the thesis is written to study the ancient geographic words to contribute to the research of Qu Yuan, Qu Ci and the panorama of the geography and culture in the period of early Qin dynasty.Qu Ci in the thesis involves Li Sao, Jiu Ge, Tian Wen, Jiu Zhang, Yuan You, Bu Ju, Yu fu, Zhao Hun and Da Zhao. I have taken into account all materials from Qu Ci regarding geography and conducted a profound research about Kunlun, Liusha, Chishui, Buzhou, Xihai, Yanzi, Xiji, Dongnuarizhisuo, Xiahanzhisuo, Heishui, and Sanwei.The thesis initially classifies the interpretations of many types of words in the research field of Chu Ci proposed throughout two thousand years. Then it places Chu Ci under the macro-context of early Qin period, attempting to systematically analyze the literatures concerning the targeted words at that time. Yet consequently, it is discovered that the meanings of the ancient geographical words in Qu Ci are mostly in a mess. Take Xihai as an example. There are also names of Qinghai, Juyanze, Puchanghai, Bositenghu, Xianhai, the Caspian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea that can be substituted for it and the opinions are greatly divided. After Qin and Han dynasties, the writers usually consider all the classics in early Qin dynasty within the specified political area called Nine States, so plenty of ancient geographical names associated with Qu Ci are employed within the limit of Chu Kingdom or Chinese Four Religons. Those studies are not clear enough and sometimes self-contradictory so they cannot reflect the accurate geography that corroborates the forming of the word meaning in Qu Ci, and cannot exhibit the coherence in the language of Qu Ci as well. Moreover, I looked for the origin of the mess and captured a large number of cultural and geographic characteristics of China.Since setting Qu Ci into the map of China cannot show us a clear picture of the discourse structure, it might be feasible to view abroad and look into Qu Ci through the macro-perspective of Sino-European plate to obtain enlightening rewards. Hence, the thesis starts with a series of hypotheses:Kunlun is Mount Ararat, Liusha is Arabian Desert, Chishui is Red Sea, Buzhou is East African Great Rift Valley, and Xihai is Indian Ocean or Atlantic Ocean. Yanzi was originally the ocean's god and finally evolved to be Xizhishan, which symbolizes west pole or the extreme western part of the earth pole. Warmness in winter can suggest the areas around the Equator while the places with coldness in summer might be located near the Arctic ocean. Heishui may be Kigillramak and Sanwei might be the mountain in the west pole. With the help of the above assumptions, the contradictions among geographic words in Qu ci in the early Qin dynasty can be resolved and the overall coherence of the texts can be attained in the end.Based on the claims above, the thesis has further discussed the chronological possibility of the world map presented in Qu Ci. Then it demonstrates and investigates a series of supporting evidences. The study in Jixiaxuegong and the travelling experiences of Qu Yuan are very likely to create a global geographic perspective. Besides, the inspection of east and west transportation of early Qin dynasty and the investigation of the immigration of east and west nationalities have also offered a strong evidence for the hypotheses. Particularly when the south and north Silk Roads are developed, it is feasible to study Qu Ci under the wider context of east and west cultural communication. It can be seen that the global geographic awareness buried within Qu Ci is worth researching. Hopefully, the scene of east and west transportation in early times can also be revealed.