Research On Variant Characters Of Inscriptions On Bronze Objects During The Dynasty Of Western Zhou

The phenomenon of characters with different graphic forms is vital in Chinese ancient character. The study of variant character is basically concentrated on the scripts during the Warring-States period. However, there are plenty of variant characters in the inscriptions on bronze objects during the dynasty of Western Zhou, and the scripts evolution is complex, which deserves comprehensive inventory and research.In this research,it is comprehensively collected the inscriptions already published on bronze objects, sheared inscriptions on bronze objects from rubbings, and compared them with dictionary and a variety of ancient text codes. Then it is compiled a list of variant character during the Dynasty of Western Zhou, which forms873 prefixes. The list is arranged according to the time of the graphic forms of variant characters, there are three periods as follows: the early, the middle and the later period. And it briefly illustrates the relationship between the form and the meaning of the script.It is divided the variant charactersduring the Dynasty of Western Zhou into heterogeneous characters and different writing characters based on whether the font change influences the script structure, and then carried out the further categorization, classification and description. Heterogeneous character refers to the character which the component part has changed, it contains those scripts as the character with the component part which signifies meanings has changed in number and shape, the character with the component part which determines pronunciation has changed in number and shape,the character with the component part which signifies meanings has changed in number and shape and so on. Different writing character includes those writing changes. Some are divided into small categories when needed.In order to make a thorough inquiry on the evolution, characteristic and formation of variant character during the Dynasty of Western Zhou, it is carried out case studies on those variant characters with plentiful types, or those that lead to more concern in ancient writing research.The research shows that the mainstream of variant character during the Dynasty of Western Zhouconforms to the graphic form of Chinese character, and its evolution conforms to Chinese character’s regular pattern. Its prominent characteristic is the strokization of filled symbols, with distinctive features of periods. The root cause of Variant Character is the ideographic of Chinese character. Factors as the time, region, writing instruments and user also influence the Variant Character. We infer that the simplification tendency, Analogy psychology, need of differentiation of characters, and visual aesthetic pursuit on symmetrical balance influence the Western Zhou Dynasty’s Variant Character.