Periodic Characteristics of Phonetic Loan Characters in Early and Late Dongba Scriptures
This article examines the historical characteristics of phonetic loan characters (jiajiezi) in Naxi Dongba scriptures across different periods. Since Dongba scriptures were composed over many centuries yet rarely record precise dates, dating them is difficult; scholars generally agree that the "Creation Epic" (Human Migration Traditions) represents an early, original text, while "Sending Off the Departed" (composed by Dongba priests in the 1920s) represents a late text. By comparing excerpts from these two representative scriptures and analyzing their use of loan characters, the author finds that the number of phonetic loan characters correlates with the era of composition: earlier scriptures contain fewer loan characters, while later scriptures contain more. This comparative analysis serves as a preliminary methodological example for studying the diachronic evolution of Dongba script and language through textual stratification.
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