Page:Essays on the Chinese Language (1889).djvu/99

 We now come to one of the great writers on the language, a teacher who has exercised great influence on nearly all who have followed him. This author, often quoted simply as Mr. Ku (顧氏), belongs to the period in which the Ming dynasty fell and was succeeded by that now reigning. He was born in 1613 at K'un-shan (崑山), in the Prefecture of Soochow, and died in 1682. His given name was Yen-wu (炎武), and he had the additional names Ning-jen (寧人), and T'ing-lin (亭林). In the department of philology Ku composed five books, which were published together in 1643 with a short preface by a friend. This is followed by a very interesting essay or letter addressed to one Li Tzŭ-tê (李子德) which is entirely devoted to the archæology of the language. The first of the five books is entitled "Yin-lun" (音論). Discussions on vocal sounds, and it may be regarded as introductory to the others. In this we have extracts from many authors and much interesting information on the origin and development of the Chinese language. It describes the technical terms used in etymological treatises, criticises previous authors, and gives Ku's own views on the use of characters in early poetry. The second book is called "Shi-pên-yin" (詩本音) and is an attempt to reproduce the sounds of the characters as used in the "Shi-ching." The third is the "Yi-pên" (易本) which does the same for the rhymes in the "Yi-ching." The fourth is the "T'ang-yun-chêng" (唐韻正) in which the finals of the T'ang writers have their ancient sounds given, these being substantiated by a collection of evidence from old authorities. The fifth book, which is devoted to the old sounds of words, is called "Ku-yin-piao" (古音表). The author of these works was a man of vast learning, but he was also a thoughtful reader who reasoned and criticised. He was at the same time an enthusiast, specially in matters connected with the antiquities of the language, and carried his opinions to excess. Ch'ên Ti and Lu Tê-ming were the masters whose views as to the proper treatment of the characters in the early classical poetry he in the main adopted. He held that words rhymed in the old ballads merely because of similarity of sound and without distinction of tone. This and