From The YIN-SHANG Period To The Warring States Text Near The Signifier General Research

Though the phenomenon of universal use of associative symbol with similar meaning has been discovered and studied for long time, its diachronic study is imperfect. This thesis is divided into three chapters, the conditions of universal use, the classification of universal associative symbol and diachronic evolution.Universal use of associative symbol with similar meaning can’t be applied into all Chinese characters. First of all, we study the conditions of universal use, it can be divided into the status of them, the distribution of the schematic function, changing other ideograms can’t affect the words’ meaning, and the time period of universal use of associative symbol. Then we collect associative symbol with similar meaning from oracle bone inscription, Zhou Dynasty bronze inscription and Warring-States Characters, and classify them from diachronic angel. Through the classification, we summarize the regular of diachronic evolution, and the reason of evolution. In the diachronic evolution, some of universal use of associative symbols with similar meaning is steady, it can be used in different periods, but some of them only can be used in short time. The reasons of this are types of them. Associative symbols with similar meaning which are in closed relation is being stable, but those which are impacted by human factors, social development and regional distribution can only be used in short time.