| The history of Mandarin Chinese, especially the early stage, has not yet been fully explored. Many puzzling phenomena remain and require more reliable source materials and more detailed research to explain satisfactorily. This research work investigates Hongwu zhengyun (1375 A.D., HWZY), an influential dictionary of the early Mandarin period, to show how it is related to the speech norm of its time as well as of the later periods.; A brief introduction to the protoforms of Mandarin Chinese--i.e., of the rhyme tables--as well as an introduction to the sound system of Mandarin Chinese in different stages, serves as the background of the discussion. HWZY is analyzed and reconstructed on phonemic principle. The result is a phonemic system with four contrasting vowels, five endings (i.e., /m, n, {dollar}eta{dollar}, y, w/), and twenty initial consonants, with ten additional initials in the last phase of disappearance or merger--i.e., /q-, {dollar}eta{dollar}-/ and eight voiced initials. The phonology of HWZY thus meets the criteria for the early stage of Mandarin.; The dialect of Nanjing (the Ming capital city where HWZY was compiled) is investigated, and it is proved that the Nanjing dialect in the early Ming period played an influential role in establishing the speech norm of the Ming dynasty.; Zhongyuan yinyun (1324, ZYYY), compiled 50 years earlier than HWZY, has been widely recognized as the representative of the early stage of Mandarin and the direct source of Modern Pekinese, while the significance of HWZY has been overlooked. Our research proves that HWZY and ZYYY came from the same origin (Middle Chinese, represented by the rhyme-tables). Though they illustrate some discrepant phonological phenomena, Type A (for ZYYY) and Type B (for HWZY), both reflect the early stage of Mandarin speech. HWZY still keeps entering tone category and partially retains voiced initials; however, these retentions do not disqualify HWZY as a representative of the early stage of Mandarin and a continuation of the speech norm in the previous periods. The early Ming speech norm, represented by HWZY, takes shape on the base of the Type B pronunciation represented by the dialect of the capital city of that time--Nanjing. The influence of the Type B pronunciation has a great impact on the development of Standard Mandarin, and that impact can be seen even in the present speech norm--Modern Pekinese. |
