“仓颉造字”说的形成与汉字内涵的演变

The Formation of the Cang Jie Character-Invention Story and the Evolving Connotations of Chinese Characters in the Pre-Qin and Han China

作为中国历史上有关汉字起源的一个重要学说,"仓颉造字"说诞生于先秦,形成于两汉。在先秦时期有关"仓颉造字"说的讨论中,造字是一门为人称道的技艺,且具备象征自然万物和设立社会法则的"道"与"法"的内涵。到了两汉时期,"仓颉造字"说的叙事在先秦的基础上,增添了与天相感而生以及辅助王政的要素,并最终在许慎的调和与综合中得到了权威性的确定。伴随着"仓颉造字"说的形成,汉字确立了其融体现技艺、象征自然万物、设立社会法则、与天相感而生以及辅助王政为一体的多维度内涵。

As one of the important theories about the origin of Chinese characters,the story of Cang Jie(仓颉)’s invention of Chinese characters originates in the pre-Qin era and reaches its final form in the Han dynasty.In the pre-Qin literature,Cang Jie’s invention of characters,primarily touted as appreciable craftsmanship,has the implication of representing the"Dao"of nature and setting the"laws"of society.In the Han periods,the Cang Jie invention story adds some new elements,such as heavenly telepathy and assistance to the kingdom,to the preQin narrative,and reaches its definitive form in the summary discussion by Xu Shen(许慎).Along with the completion of the Cang Jie invention story,the Chinese characters are endowed with multidimensional connotations coalescing craftsmanship,representation of nature,establishment of the social laws,heavenly telepathy,and assistance to the kingdom.