Page:Essays on the Chinese Language (1889).djvu/113

Rh Elements. Then he gives a five-fold classification of characters according to the five Regions and five physical organs. Thus under the categories of South and Tongue he gives the characters for ting, ti, ning. There is also another classification of words according to the physical acts required in uttering them. This yields sixteen classes, which are distinguished by names such as "opening the lips," "closing the mouth."

A more popular work of this kind is the "Chêng-yin-tso-yao" by Kao Ching-t‘ing (高靜亭). This book was originally published in 1810, and it has been often reprinted. It is much used by the Cantonese and by the Hoklos and Hakkas of the Canton province in acquiring a knowledge of Mandarin. Western students know the work through Bazin, who made use of it in the preparation of his Chinese Grammar, and Thom, who used it in making his Chinese Speaker. The compiler was a native of Canton, but he left that city in early life and lived first at Peking and afterwards at other places where Mandarin was the language of the people. His little work is very useful but it is not considered so good as the books composed by So I-tsun.

This man So I-tsun (沙彝尊) was a Manchoo resident at Canton. For the people of that city he composed the "Chêng-yin-pien-wei" and the "Chêng-yin-tsü-hua." The former was published in 1837 and the latter a few years afterwards, and both have been several times reprinted. They also are largely used by the inhabitants of Canton who desire to learn the standard language. These books give excellent vocabularies of Mandarin terms in common use, rules for the standard pronunciation of characters, the Thousand Character Classic with the correct sound of each character, and minute instructions as to the physical acts to be performed in making the various utterances. The "Chêng-yin-tsü (or chü) hua" is perhaps the best of all these works and of the most practical utility. It not only