This paper discusses the inscriptions ’nvzi’ (女子) on bronzes in the Shang Dynasty. The author points out that ’zi’ (子) in inscriptions which structure is ’emblem + zi (子)’ refers to ’zongzi’ (the eldest so...This paper discusses the inscriptions ’nvzi’ (女子) on bronzes in the Shang Dynasty. The author points out that ’zi’ (子) in inscriptions which structure is ’emblem + zi (子)’ refers to ’zongzi’ (the eldest son in a clan). Compared with ’zi’,inscriptions with similar structure like ’emblem + nv (女)’ mean a female in a clan. For the same reason,’emblem + mu (母)’ represents a married female. All ’emblem + nv or mu’ structure inscriptions should refer to ’nv’ or ’mu’,which is,a females in a clan or married to other state. Both ’nv’ (女) and ’zi’ (子) can be used as the name of a clan or a state,but ’nvzi’ used simultaneously means ’zongfu’ (the wife of the eldest son in a clan).展开更多
文摘This paper discusses the inscriptions ’nvzi’ (女子) on bronzes in the Shang Dynasty. The author points out that ’zi’ (子) in inscriptions which structure is ’emblem + zi (子)’ refers to ’zongzi’ (the eldest son in a clan). Compared with ’zi’,inscriptions with similar structure like ’emblem + nv (女)’ mean a female in a clan. For the same reason,’emblem + mu (母)’ represents a married female. All ’emblem + nv or mu’ structure inscriptions should refer to ’nv’ or ’mu’,which is,a females in a clan or married to other state. Both ’nv’ (女) and ’zi’ (子) can be used as the name of a clan or a state,but ’nvzi’ used simultaneously means ’zongfu’ (the wife of the eldest son in a clan).
