Research On The Evolution Of Oracle Radical System

There are two types of partial methods of oracle bone inscriptions(�Oracle�):one is to part radicals according to Shuo Wen Jie Zi??????,the other is to part radicals according to nature classification,the latter of which is the mainstream at present.Based on nature classification,this paper studies the evolution of Oracle radical systems.The paper is divided into three parts: introduction,body and conclusion.The introduction makes a brief introduction to the significance of the topic,the research status,the research object and the basic ideas.The body part includes four chapters:The first chapter summarizes the two methods of oracle bone inscriptions division,analyzes the development process of natural classification theory,and then introduces the basic situation of the branches of natural classification,including the radical systems of Shimakunio,Yao Xiaosui,Zhu Qixiang,Shen Jianhua,Ji Xusheng,Li Zongkun,Chen Nianfu and Xu Liqun.Natural classification theory was founded by Tang Lan,but Shimakunio first adopted the natural classification method to compile oracle bone inscriptions in his book Comprehensive Categories of Divination Inscriptions in Yin Dynasty Ruins????????,on which most of the subsequent radical systems are based and built up a radical system of 164 parts.Yao Xiaosui's Compilation of Inscriptions on Oracle Bones in Yin Dynasty Ruins??????????,Zhu Qixiang's Dictionaries of Oracle Bone Inscriptions???????,Shen Jianhua's The Character Pattern Table of Oracle Bone Inscriptions????????,Ji Xusheng's Research on the Radicals of Oracle Bone Inscriptions?????????,Li Zongkun's A Compilation of Oracle Bone Inscriptions???????,Chen Nianfu's Word Lists of Oracle Bone Inscriptions in Yin Dynasty Ruins??????????and Xu Liqun's Sorting and Study of Radicals of Oracle Bone Inscriptions????????????respectively divided oracle bone inscriptions into 149,162,145,150,148,163,and248 radicals.Yao,Zhu,Shen,Ji,Li,and Chen's radical systems are in one line with Shimakunio's radical system,and thereby they can be called as Shimakunio system.However,in Sorting and Study of Radicals of Oracle Bone Inscriptions,Xu Liqun's radical system is built on the basis of component analysis and forms its own feature,so it is quite different from other seven systems.It can be called as component system.The second,third and fourth chapters respectively make a comparative analysis of the radical characters,the radical classification and the radical ranking of the eight radical systems of Dao,Yao,Zhu,Shen,Ji,Li,Chen and Xu,and draw the following conclusions:First,in terms of radical characters,the setting of Comprehensive Categories????remains to be discussed,and there is a tendency to add new combined radicals and unformed radicals to Oracle radical system.Second,in terms of radical classification,there are many unreasonable categorizations of radicals in Comprehensive Categories????and Compilation of Inscriptions????;component system's Oracle radical classification is more accurate and reasonable than Shimakunio system.Third,in terms of the ranking of radicals,the classification of radicals is unclear and the ranking standards are different in Comprehensive Categories????and the six radical systems affected by the former book.Xu Liqun clearly divided the radicals into five categories,which is more reasonable than the other seven systems.Fourth,in terms of the ranking of characters in radicals,since the Oracle radical system is still developing,all the radical systems lack a relatively unified and specific sorting standard,and there is room for improvement.The conclusion summarizes the whole paper by analyzing the problems in the existing Oracle radical systems,and pointing out the direction of improvement.