Examples of Semantic Comparison Among Shui Script, Ancient Chinese Characters, and Naxi Dongba Script
This article compares Shui script, ancient Chinese characters (oracle-bone and seal script), and Naxi Dongba pictographs, three ideographic writing systems sharing similar principles of graphic formation. The author argues that analyzing characters with identical or similar meanings across these scripts can reveal underlying principles of character construction while also illuminating cultural and customary differences among ethnic groups. Reviewing prior scholarship (Wang Yuanlu, Yu Suisheng, Liu Youxin, Pan Chaolin, Dong Zuobin, and others) on comparative studies of these scripts, the author notes that despite existing achievements, comparative research remains insufficient and offers broad scope for further study. As a case study, the article examines the character for "burial" (葬), tracing its forms in seal script and oracle-bone inscriptions, and analyzing depictions of a corpse placed in a coffin covered with earth, to demonstrate how cross-script comparison clarifies graphic origins and semantic development.
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