Today, we are going to discuss the word "柝", which often appears in ancient documents and poems, such as the famous sentence in "Mulan Poems" "Shuoqi passes on the golden watch, and the cold light shines on the iron clothes".
So, how exactly is the word "柝" pronounced, and what is its deeper meaning?
First, let's correct a common misconception.
Many people may mistakenly pronounce 柝 as "chāi", but in reality, the correct pronunciation of "柝" is "tuò". In ancient Chinese, "柝" is a pictograph, and its glyph is like a person holding a mallet to beat, so the original meaning of the word "柝" is related to striking and patrolling the night to announce the time.
In ancient times, there were no modern timekeeping tools, and in order to keep time or transmit information, people would strike a bang or other utensils to tell the time, which was called "柝".
The "golden watch" refers to a metal bon, whose sound can travel far and wide, and is often used in the military or in cities as a tool to tell the time or alarm. This way of telling the time is called "柝".
On the other hand, "kimji" refers to a metal bon, whose sound is crisp and melodious, and can travel far away, so it is often used in armies or cities as a tool to tell the time or alarm.
Next, let's take a look at the word "柝居". Although "柝居" is not a common word, we can interpret it literally. As mentioned above, "柝" is related to time telling and alerting, while "ju" may refer to the place where you live or are stationed.
Therefore, "柝居" may be understood as "a place with a warning facility" or "a place where the military is stationed and has a warning and time signal". Of course, this is only speculation, and the specific meaning may need to be further determined in context.
Back to the famous sentence in "Mulan Poem", "Shuoqi spreads the golden watch, and the cold light shines on the iron clothes". This poem depicts the night scene of the frontier battlefield, in which the sound of the "golden watch" as a tool in the army to tell the time is transmitted far away in the cold night air, which contrasts with the scene of the "cold light iron coat", and together creates a kind of desolation of the border night and the perseverance of the soldiers.
In addition to the above meanings, the character "柝" has other uses and meanings in ancient texts. For example, in ancient books such as Zuo Chuan, "柝" is also often used as a measure word to indicate the number of times the drum is beaten.
The "柝" in this usage is different from the "柝" in the sense of striking the time, but both are related to striking and sounding.
In general, although the character "柝" is not commonly used in modern Chinese, it has rich connotations and usages in ancient documents and poems.
Through the in-depth discussion of the character "柝", we can not only correct the common pronunciation mistakes, but also have a deeper understanding of the ancient culture and lifestyle.
Have you learned the word?