The so-called Chicken Account Book unearthed from the Xuanquanzhi site in Dunhuang should be called Account Book of Chicken Receipt and Expenditure according to the slip text.The chicken-counting units in the text are...The so-called Chicken Account Book unearthed from the Xuanquanzhi site in Dunhuang should be called Account Book of Chicken Receipt and Expenditure according to the slip text.The chicken-counting units in the text are mainly “zhi只”and“mei枚；”sometimes numerical words are used with no counting units.In historical records,chickens are counted by the “zhi” and seldom by the “mei.” It was believed among the researchers that “zhi” and “mei” had been synonyms when used for counting.Actually two “mei” (of chicken) was equal to one “zhi”, or one “mei” equaled half “zhi.” Chickens counted by the “mei” were not living but very likely processed or semi-processed food.The study of the chicken-counting units “zhi” and “mei” is of significance to inquiring into prices in border areas of China in the Han period.展开更多
文摘The so-called Chicken Account Book unearthed from the Xuanquanzhi site in Dunhuang should be called Account Book of Chicken Receipt and Expenditure according to the slip text.The chicken-counting units in the text are mainly “zhi只”and“mei枚；”sometimes numerical words are used with no counting units.In historical records,chickens are counted by the “zhi” and seldom by the “mei.” It was believed among the researchers that “zhi” and “mei” had been synonyms when used for counting.Actually two “mei” (of chicken) was equal to one “zhi”, or one “mei” equaled half “zhi.” Chickens counted by the “mei” were not living but very likely processed or semi-processed food.The study of the chicken-counting units “zhi” and “mei” is of significance to inquiring into prices in border areas of China in the Han period.
