释“禅”

Note on the Word Shan

首先分析了“禅”字的构成部件“单”的形体义以及“单”在卜辞里的用法。“单”的甲骨文形体义为树干状,作为树干的“单”可以用于燎祭活动,即焚烧树干去祭祀天神或祖先。卜辞里所谓四单的“单”,其功能就是将树干用于祭祀,而置树干之地自然就是祭祀的场所。“禅”当为会意字,其形体义为用树干祭祀,《说文》解释“禅”为“从示,单声”的形声字,不确,为缺乏历史演变的分析手段所致。

This paper analyses the form meaning of the dan （单） as a component part in the character shan（禅） and the usage of the dan （单） in buci. The form meaning of jiaguwen dan （单） is a tree trunk which is used in tree -burning worship to gods or ancestors. The dan （单） of four dans （单） in buci functions as a worshiping tree trunk and where a tree trunk is put upon is a worshiping place. The shan （禅） is an associative compounds character and its form meaning is to worship to gods or ancestors by a tree trunk. ＇Lack of the analytical method of historical evolution, the shuowen＇ s explanation of the form of the shan（禅） as a pictophonetic character is wrong.