Vol. 15, No. 4
This article examines the compilation of two essential reference works on Dongba pictographic script used by the Naxi people: Fang Guoyu's "Naxi Xiangxing Wenzi Pu" (Naxi Pictograph Compendium) and Li Lin-ts'an's "Moxie Xiangxing Wenzi Zidian" (Moso Pictograph Dictionary). Comparing their character collection, definitions, and compilation conventions, the study highlights differences arising from divergent sources, regions, and historical periods. The Pu drew on character cards written by three Dongba priests in Lijiang, reflecting Lijiang script exclusively, while the Zidian, based on Li Lin-ts'an's four years of fieldwork across Baidi, Lijiang, Ludian, and Ruoka areas, incorporates characters from multiple regions and Dongba scriptures, with datable strata marked by terms like "ancient version." Statistical recount shows each dictionary contains roughly 1,000+ single characters despite differing entry numbers. The analysis argues these classic dictionaries, comparable in status to the Shuowen Jiezi for Chinese, offer valuable methodological guidance for compiling more scientific, comprehensive dictionaries of Dongba and other minority scripts.
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