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The evolution of Chinese writing : the inaugural lecture of the ...

MYSTERY hangs over the beginning of Chinese writing as it hangs over all beginnings. Long ago, when time was young, when' earth was nearer to heaven than it is now, when men saw visions and dreamed dreams, a dragon horse bearing on its back a mystic map came up out of the Yellow River and appeared to Fu Hsi, the reputed founder of Chinese civilization. Out of the River Lo crept forth the half-divine tortoise having on its back a mysterious writing and appeared to Fu Hsi, or to Huang Ti or to Ta Yii.1 These appearances were epoch-making. From the one sprang the diagrams of Fu Hsi having the key to the mysteries of life, science, and philosophy, and from the other was evolved that enduring marvel the written language of China.

But these are legends. The real story, however, is not without its poetry. When men multiplied on the earth and families grew into communities, their affairs became complicated, and some method of recording things and events was felt to be a necessity.

With the need came the man. Some genius hit upon the expedient of tying knots upon cords. Who he was is not known. The honour is given to the fabulous Sui Jen, the fire-maker, to Fu Hsi (2900 B.C.) who has so many honours, to his successor Shen Nung, the divine husband-

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Oxford : Horace Hart, Printer to the University.,
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32 p
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English
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Fian
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https://archive.org/details/evolutionofchine00oweniala/page/n5/mode/2up
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