The Origin of Chinese Characters: An Illustrated History and Word Guide

245 Pages·2018·14.355 MB·English

by  Kihoon Lee

T O C C
he rigin Of hinese haraCTers

T O
he rigin Of
C C
hinese haraCTers
a i h W g
n llusTraTed isTOry and Ord uide
K l
ihOOn ee
Algora Publishing
New York
© 2018 by Algora Publishing.
All Rights Reserved
www.algora.com
No portion of this book (beyond what is permitted by
Sections 107 or 108 of the United States Copyright Act of 1976)
may be reproduced by any process, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without the
express written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data —
Names: Lee, Kihoon, 1972- author.
Title: The origin of chinese characters: an illustrated history and word
guide / Kihoon Le.
Description: New York: Algora Publishing, 2018.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018009601 (print) | LCCN 2018015460 (ebook) | ISBN
9781628943238 (pdf) | ISBN 9781628943214 (soft cover: alk. paper) | ISBN
9781628943221 (hard cover: alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Chinese characters—History. | Chinese language—Etymology.
Classification: LCC PL1171 (ebook) | LCC PL1171 .L335 2018 (print) | DDC
495.11/1—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018009601
Printed in the United States

The Origin of Chinese Characters
Table of Contents
inTrOduCTiOn 1
Part 1天
(Tian=T’ien) Heaven 7
1. The gOd Of heaven 9
East Asian philosophy starts with “One” 9
“The God of Heaven” above the Human 10
The most important principles in the universe: Heaven, Human, and Earth 11
2. The King WhO is The agenT Of heaven 15
The King Who Wears a Shining Crown 17
The King Wearing Yellow Jade Decoration 18
Ceremony to Pray to the Earth 21
Soil & Jade, the soul of the earth 22
3. arisTOCraTs Wear hOrns 25
The Shaman shakes bells and conducts the ceremony 25
Meaning of gods in bronze plates 25
Smelling the food and celebrating their ancestors 26
A beautiful Shaman wearing lamb’s horns 28
4. The religiOus CeremOny WiTh riCe, Wine, meaT and BlOOd 31
The vassals standing in their proper places 31
Wine and meat brings fortune 32
Government official offers celebratory prayer 35
Bow down to god 35
A plate containing blood 35
ix