On the Theory that the Naxi Dongba Script and Chinese Characters Do Not Share a Common Origin
This article by Wang Yuanlu challenges the view that Naxi Dongba pictographs derived from or were influenced by Chinese characters. Reviewing scholarly opinions, the author notes conflicting claims (Tang Lan, Li Jingsheng suggesting kinship; Li Lincan, Wang Jun favoring independent origin) and argues, through detailed analysis, that Dongba script developed autonomously. Two lines of evidence are presented: first, Dongba scriptures and Naxi oral traditions—despite varying accounts of when and by whom the script was created (simultaneous creation with Chinese and Tibetan scripts, creation during a fishing-hunting era, or invention around the 7th century BCE)—consistently depict Dongba writing as created without reference to other peoples' scripts. Second, comparing Dongba characters with genuinely Sinitic-derived scripts (Khitan large script, Tangut, Jurchen, Sawndip, Bai script), which show clear structural, phonetic, and stylistic borrowing from Chinese, the author finds Dongba script's features fundamentally distinct, supporting an independent origin.
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