Related Experiment Videos
[Judging the date of Neijing (Inner Canon) through study on semantic changes]
1Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of TCM, Nanjing 210029.
Zhonghua Yi Shi Za Zhi (Beijing, China : 1980)
|October 20, 2001
Summary
The ancient Chinese text Neijing likely dates to the Han Dynasty. Analysis of character meanings, such as "ti" (tear/nasal discharge), "pi" (skin), and "nian" (year/age), reveals Han-era usage.
Area of Science:
- Historical Linguistics
- Philology
- Ancient Chinese Literature
Context:
- Pre-Qin and Han Dynasty Chinese literature exhibit distinct semantic usages for characters.
- The medical text Neijing frequently uses specific characters with evolving meanings.
- Understanding semantic shifts is crucial for historical text dating.
Purpose:
- To determine the earliest possible completion date of the Neijing.
- To analyze the semantic evolution of key Chinese characters.
- To establish a linguistic basis for Neijing's historical context.
Summary:
- Characters 'ti', 'pi', and 'nian' had different meanings in Pre-Qin versus Han Dynasty texts.
- The Neijing's usage of these characters aligns with Han Dynasty meanings, not Pre-Qin.
- This linguistic evidence suggests the Neijing was compiled during or after the Han Dynasty.
Impact:
- Provides a more precise dating for the influential Neijing text.
- Highlights the importance of diachronic linguistic analysis in historical studies.
- Contributes to a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese medical and cultural history.