Lesson 564 of "Explanation of Words": Speaking of the word "book", why is the original meaning of the word "book" "writing"?

Then our "Explanation of Characters in Speaking Texts" course, we talk about the two Chinese characters of the "聿" part, "[彡], 書". In modern Chinese, "書" is simplified to "book", which is a common Chinese character in modern Chinese, which is included in the "List of Common Words in Modern Chinese" promulgated by the State Language Commission in 1988, so the focus of this lesson is "book", that is, "book". The details of the two words are as follows:

1. [聿+ 彡]. Read jīn. The explanation given by the Shuowen Jiezi is: "[聿 + 彡], Nie Juanye." From Nie, from Yan. As the saying goes, the book is good as [聿 + 彡]. Read Wakatsu. "Can mean words. The original meaning is pen ornament. Xu Kai's "Biography of the Shuowen System": "The Pen Classic: Most people in the world use displaced ivory as their pen tubes. Li jewelry has it, but the pen is still light. All ornaments are commonly used for the word '彡' also. "Yu Ban Nie Bu": "[聿 + 彡], as well." Its glyph evolution is shown in the figure:

(Glyph evolution of [聿+ 彡])

From the beginning of the Warring States period, the glyphs of [聿 + 彡] were all embellished with pens on the nie, which means pen ornaments. "Etymology" believes that "聿" is the pictogram of a hand-held pen, and "彡" is "wool ornament painting text", that is, the pictogram of hair, color ornaments, strokes, patterns, etc., and the combination of the two will be decorated with a pen and write a beautiful meaning. This is actually an extended meaning of [聿 + 彡], not the original meaning.

In addition to the original meaning, "[聿+ 彡]" has another meaning:

Admiration; envy. This is actually Xu Shen's saying that "the saying is good for the book [聿 + 彡]", referring to the writing of beauty as [聿 + 彡], Duan Yujie's "Notes on the Interpretation of The Text": "This is a different meaning." The so-called wěi (wěi) of the present people cover this, and envy its goodness is to flow with jin liquid, and the sound meaning and the jintong. Now it is said that "relish" and "relish", these are the words.

(Brush with ornament)

The original meaning of the pen decoration of [聿 + 彡] gradually withered away, and eventually the word [聿 + 彡] also died out, because the brush decoration is often not conducive to writing, and pens made of special materials such as glass and ivory are not easy to use.

The small seal of "[聿+ 彡]" is written as shown in the following figure:

(The small seal of [聿+ 彡] is written)

2. Books (books). Read shū. The explanation given by the Shuowen Jiezi is: "Book, 箸也." From Nie, the voice of the person. "Shape sound word. The original meaning is to write; to record. Because the method of writing books is controversial, let's look at the evolution of glyphs:

(The glyph evolution of Li Xueqin's "Etymology")

In Li Xueqin's "Etymology", the oracle glyph of "book" is omitted, and the discussion begins with the Jinwen "book", believing that "'the'person' is the source, the first sound, and the first text of the book, and at first the 'person' table book, and then it is differentiated into the special word 'book'." The Western Zhou Dynasty book was composed from Nie, and the sound of the person. In fact, the "book" has an oracle bone, see the picture above, the upper part is "聿", which means that the hand is holding the pen, and the lower part is the "mouth", which means saying, that is, writing down the content of the mouth with a pen. This "mouth" can also be the pictogram of pottery, tiles, oracle bones, and other items used for writing.

The golden glyph of "book" changes greatly, the main group of character elements are similar to the oracle bone, the small seal canonize the strokes after writing "book", becoming the shape of the upper "Nie" and "lower" person" in the shape, in fact, it is also the "Nie (pen) person", that is, the meaning of "writing person", which also expresses the meaning of "writing; recording".

Later, the glyph simplified the glyph by combining the strokes of the upper part of the lower part of the "Person" next to the "Nie" into one, which was the "book" of the later Lishu.

The "箸" here, see the "Commentary on the Interpretation of The Words" says, "箸于竹帛 is said to be the book, and the booker is also." The "箸" here is "著", and the ancient "箸" is "written".

(written by)

Xu Hao's "Notes on the Sayings": "Books should be written in the original sense of writing. "Interpretation of the Name and Interpretation of the Book": "The book, also the words of the book." The simple paper of the book never dies. Guangya Commentary: "Book, Record." "Li Ji Yuzao": "Moving is the left history book, and the words are right history books." "The Son of Heaven's every move is recorded by Zuo Shi; every sentence of the Son of Heaven is recorded by Right Shi. Han Yu's "Gift to Cui Lizhi": "Good deeds paint garden officials, the book of the Cun Xiong." "You can also refer to paintings. "Zizhi Tongjian Wei Gaoguixiang Gongganlu II": "The great general asks about things now, but makes my book evil? Hu San's note: "Books can be, paintings can also be." "And now that the great general is playing, why only let me draw approval?"

In addition to the original meaning, "book" has many uses:

(1) Books; works bound into volumes. "Orthographic Tong Yuebu": "Books, all books that carry books." Xu Shen's "Commentary on the Interpretation of Words": "Written in the book of bamboo, the bookkeeper, Ruye." "Writing words on bamboo and silk drapes is called "book", and "book" means to write things like they do. "Analects of Advanced": "Zi Lu: There are people and people, there are social organizations, why should we read, and then learn." ”

(Books)

(2) Refers specifically to almanacs, books of possession, and books of punishment. "Hanshu Penal Chronicle": "The people know that the dispute is over, and they will abandon the ceremony and sign it in the book." Yan Shigu's note: "The evidence is collected from the criminal book." "The people know that there is a lawsuit to be contested, so they must abandon their etiquette and go to the book of punishment.

(3) The abbreviation of the Book of Shang. Wang Yun 's Shuowen Shu Shu Yes and no. "The Book of Shang says, 'Filial piety is filial piety to one's parents and fraternity to one's brothers.'" To apply this principle of filial piety to political affairs is to participate in political affairs.

(Shang Shu)

(4) Text. "Yi ZhiXia": "The ancients knotted the rope and ruled, and the future saints were easy to write deeds." "Ancient people tied ropes as markers to handle affairs, and the invention of inscriptions by later generations of saints changed the way ropes were knotted in the past.

(Inscription)

(5) Font glyphs. Zhang Huaihuan of the Tang Dynasty", "In the Book Break": "Outside the Ten Books, there are books of turtles, snakes, lin, tigers, clouds, dragons, insects, and birds, which are neither worldly nor essential. It refers to the ancient text, the big seal, the small seal, the book, the lishu, the cursive, the chapter grass, the xingshu, the lishu, the eight points, the flying white "ten books", there are turtles, snakes, lin, tigers, clouds, dragons, insects, birds and other fonts.

(Bird and insect text in the ancient seal)

(6) Refers to the "Six Books", that is, the theory of ancient analysis of writing on the mainland. Zhou Li Di Guan Da Situ: "The Three Arts and Six Arts: Ritual, Music, Shooting, Imperial Palace, Book, and Number." Zheng Xuan's note: "Books, the products of the Six Books." Jia Gongyanshu: "Six books, first Zheng Yun: pictograms, huiyi, transfer notes, pointing things, false borrowing, harmonic sounds." Regarding the "Six Books", the six-book system of the Shuowen is: "Pictograms, Pointing Things, Knowing Intentions, Forming Sounds, Transpositions, and False Borrowings." ”

(Three "Six Books")

(7) Calligraphy. The Biography of Wang Xi of the Book of Jin: "(Wang Xizhi) calls himself: 'My book is better than Zhong Xuan, when the resistance line, than Zhang Zhicao, and as a goose line.' (Wang Xizhi) always called himself "My calligraphy can be compared with Zhong Xuan, and can be parallel to him; compared with Zhang Zhi's cursive writing, it can also be compared with it." ”

(Part of Wang Xizhi's "Orchid Pavilion Preface")

(8) Bookkeeping documents, etc. "Li Ji Qu Li Xia": "Zhen Shu and Duan Shu are in front of the King, and there are curses." "Dusting a document in front of the monarch or sorting it out in front of the monarch shows that the preparations are not done well and that you are punished."

(9) Epistles. "Zuo Chuan Zhao Gong Six Years": "Shu Xiang envoys to produce books." "Uncle Xiang sent someone to send a letter to the son.

(Letters)

(10) Edicts of ancient emperors or notes of subordinates. "The Book of Han and the Biography of Dong Zhongshu": "Now with one county and one country, for those who do not respond to the book." It is the royal way that is often absolutely also. Yan Shigu's ancient note: "The book is also the edict of the virtuous literature." "At present, there are many people in various counties and countries, but some counties and countries have not yet responded to the sages and literary policies and countermeasures, because the royal way is often cut off there.

(11) Stylistic names. There are two ways to use it:

[1] Sima Qian's "Records of History" lays out a style of state political system. "Wenxin Carved Dragon History Biography": "Therefore, the present book is based on the emperor, the column is based on the general marquis, the eight books are based on the paving of the government, and the ten tables are based on the year of the year." Therefore, Sima Qian used "Benji" when describing emperors, "Shijia" for recording princes, "Liechuan" for recording secretaries, "Eight Books" for social and political issues, and "Ten Tables" for recording chronology and titles.

[2] In ancient times, it was a special style of discussion. Ming Xushi once "Stylistic Discernment Book": "In the compilation, both the book of the people entering the imperial court is the upper book, and the book of exchanges is the book, and such a repetition is called a book, do not use the pen of discussion as a book." However, there are very few authors, so the collections are not contained, but Tang Li Ao has books such as "Fusheng" and "Pingfu"..."

(12) A common name for certain music arts. Such as: storytelling; book field; book review. The second time in "The Journey of the Old Remnant": "Wang Xiaoyu opened his lips, raised his teeth, and sang a few words of books." ”

(Storyteller)

In addition, "book" is still a surname. "Ten Thousand Surnames Genealogy • Fish Rhyme": "Book, Shang Yin." Shang Shu, official name. Take the official as the clan. ”

The small seal of the "book" is written as shown in the following figure:

(The small seal of the book is written)

([Explanation of words] no. 564, some pictures from the Internet)