龙行天下:《康熙字典》“龙”之汉字文化内涵观照

The Long(龙)Exists all over the World:Cultural Scrutiny on the Chinese Character of the"Long(龙)"in Kangxi Dictionary

龙起源甚早、流布颇广、影响最巨,形成中国古代极具民族特色与世界声誉的文化现象。汉字乃忠实记录中华文明、承载厚重人类记忆、体现民族文化认同的表意体系、语料史料。以《康熙字典》龙部字为分析文本进行文化观照后发现:龙部字词构建了一体大思精的龙族谱系,受万物有灵宗教熏陶逐渐嬗变为人类认识世界、解释宇宙的通灵神兽、部落圣物乃至民族图腾,被封建皇权所垄断,跃升至古代中国的政治符号、权力话语、世界秩序,且辐射东亚以及全球的丝绸之路、汉字文化圈,最终进化为炎黄子孙集体认同的身份标志和国族象征,是文化自信、软实力提升的祥瑞动物与叙事对象。

The Long(龙)originated early, spread widely and had the greatest influence, forming a cultural phenomenon with great national characteristics and world reputation in ancient China. Chinese characters are the ideographic system and linguistic materials and historical materials that faithfully record Chinese civilization, carry heavy human memory and embody national cultural identity. Therefore, the analysis text is based on the Long(龙)radical character in the ancient authoritative Kangxi Dictionary, after thorough cultural scrutiny from the perspective of Chinese characters’ cultural theory, it is found that the ancient Chinese people were familiar with the characteristics and attributes of the Long(龙).They clearly classified it and correctly named it, building a complete and methodical animal family genealogy. Under the influence of the primitive religious belief of Animism, the dragon was deified as a spiritual animal, a tribal relic and even a national totem for people to understand the nature, explain mysteries and express feelings. In particular, because the Long(龙)is all-embracing, imposing and powerful, it was later monopolized by the feudal imperial power and rose to the political symbols, power discourse and world order of ancient China. Its reputation radiated across the Silk Road and the Chinese character culture circle from East Asia to the globe, and eventually evolved into a Chinese identity and national symbol of descendants of the Yan and Huang Emperors collective identity. The Long(龙)is the auspicious animal and narrative object of cultural confidence and soft power promotion.