On The History Of The Pictophonetic Characters Of Chinese And Archaic Chinese Phonology Studies

The pictophonetic characters of Chinese is a linguistic phenomenon of great importance. And it is inseparale from the studies of Chinese phonology, especially archaic Chinese phonology. This dissertation, in the form of history of academic studies, presents the evolution of archaic Chinese phonology studies that based on the pictophonetic characters of Chinese, collecting works of archaic Chinese phonology by more than twenty scholars, such as Wu Yu in the Southern Song Dynasty, Yang Shen, Chen Di and Zhao Yiguang in the Ming Dynasty, Gu Yanwu, Pan Cheng, Wan Guangtai, Duan Yucai, Yan Keyun, Yao Wentian, Qi Xuebiao, An Ji, Jiang Yuan, Jiang Yougao, Zhang Huixin, Chen Li, Zhu Junsheng, Miao Kui, Chen Li, Shi Yongmai and Fu Shoutong in the Qing Dynasty, and cotemporary Zhang Binglin, Bernhard Karlgren, Wang Li, Dong Tonghe, Li Fanggui. Besides, this dissertation analyses and summarises the theories, materials and methods of archaic Chinese phonology studies through pictophonetic characters of Chinese; concludes and compares pictophonetic characters of Chinese components lists and archaic Chinese sound(both archaic finals and archaic initials) achievements by repective scholars; evaluates the contributions, influences and deficiencies of the studies on pictophonetic characters of Chinese and archaic Chinese phonology.By reviewing and arguing pictophonetic characters of Chinese and the nature of pictophonetic characters of Chinese system in Shuo Wen Jie Zi, this dissertation aims to demonstrate value of pictophonetic characters of Chinese in the archaic Chinese phonology angle; identify the historical origins and the developmental stages of pictophonetic characters of Chinese and archaic Chines phonology; and explore and forecast the historical tendency of pictophonetic characters of Chinese and archaic Chines phonology.