The Relation Of Xiéshēng Characters And The Discussion On Initial Consonants In Old Chinese Phonology Based On ’Han Dynasty Bamboo Slips Of Kongjiapo’

Xiéshēng characters are the most important basis for the study of initial consonants in old Chinese phonology.Scholars have mainly used xiéshēng characters in systematic Shuowenjiezi and other systematic materials are less.In recent years,the bamboo slips unearthed underground have become more abundant.They are also relatively closed and untampered,so they are new systematic materials to choose from.The contents of ‘Han Dynasty Bamboo Slips of Kongjiapo’ include both clerical and classical slips.Clerical slips were often closer to the actual language of the time and classical slips can be compared with other literatures,so ‘Han dynasty bamboo slips of Kongjiapo’ is of great value to the study of old Chinese phonology.Based on the xiéshēng characters in ‘Han Dynasty Bamboo Slips of Kongjiapo’,this paper first analyzes the status of middle-ancient phonology,then uses statistical method to discuss the relations among xiéshēng characters and finally explore the initial consonant system in the old Chinese phonology.At the same time,it is compared with the ancient initial consonant system of other scholars like Prof.Gao Benhan,Wang Li,Dong Tonghe,Li Fanggui and Zhengzhang Shangfang to observe the same or different.The common relations among xiéshēng characters in ‘Han Dynasty Bamboo Slips of Kongjiapo’ are mainly manifested as same initial consonants of xiéshēng characters and similar initial consonants of xiéshēng characters,which is consistent with the principles of Gao Benhan and Li Fanggui.The special relations among xiéshēng characters mainly show the approximation of phonetic property.These relations provide some supporting evidence for the study of initial consonants in old Chinese.We get a regular consonants system from relations among xiéshēng characters in ‘Han Dynasty Bamboo Slips of Kongjiapo’ which includes the following five groups,23 in total.Labial initials phonology group: Bang,Pang,Bing,Ming;dentals phonology group: Duan,Tou,Ding,Ni,Lai,Yi;dentals sibilants phonology group: Jing,Qing,Cong,Xin,Xie;velars phonology group: Jian,Qi,Qun,Yi;laryngeals phonology group: Ying,Xiao,Xia,Yun.