读《楚文字编》

A Fundamental Work in the Study of Chu Characters:A Review of the Collection of Chu Characters

楚文字是中国古文字的一个重要组成部分，据现有资料，其起止时间上承西周中晚期，下迄秦灭楚之际，延续时间达六七百年之久．而就楚文字风格而言，则延续时间更长，如汉初马王堆帛书仍沿袭了诸多旧地遗风。对楚文字的研究则可上溯到北宋时期，当时楚公逆钟等器物一出土便受到极大关注，后历经元明清，其研究得到进一步拓展。1949年至今，其研究广度和深度均被向前推进了，尤其是大批保存完好的楚简的出土，更是掀起了楚文字研究的又一高潮。

The Collection of Chu Characters is a reference book as well as a research work. It features scientificalness and properness in compilation style, richness and comprehensiveness in content, extensive collection and precise acceptance in decipherment, novelty and meticulousness in research, and pursuit of exactness and truth to the original in grapheme. The book meets the expectation for a monograph with rich data and research fruits in this field, and will promote studies of Chu characters and even the whole ancient Chinese writing, as well as their evolutionary history, cultural connotation and social background. Meanwhile, the reviewer expresses his opinion that the book might be further consummated. For example, in the use of inscriptions, still more deep-going discussions would be made for identifying the state affiliation of bronzes and clarifying the relationship between Chu State inscriptions and Chu-system ones.