Kane Daniel

Kane Daniel

University :Macquarie University, Sydney

Country: Australia

Title: Marginalia to the Study of the Qieyun

Panel: Language and Linguistics

There are two major interpretations of the nature of the Qieyun:

(1) that it is a unified phonological system - Sui and early Tang Chang'an, or Sui Luoyang, or Han Luoyang transplanted to the South, or a language common to the upper classes of north and south, perhaps with minor differences.

(2) it is a compromise between north and south, ancient and modern, or an attempt to create a reading pronunciation acceptable to both north and south, or an attempt to incorporate as many distinctions as could be found in any of the materials consulted.

The debate on the nature of the Qieyun can be traced back to the Tang, through the Song and Qing, through the early twentieth century to contemporary research. Practically every scholar who has studied the Qieyun has reviewed the evidence and came to a conclusion supporting one or other of the above interpretations.

The present paper attempts to see the Qieyun in the light of Sui social history, social policy and political history to add slightly more weight to the second interpretation, without arguing that this can definitely resolve the matter one way or the other.

In addition, various interpretations and suggested translations of the title of the work Qieyun are suggested, on the basis that if we have a clearer idea of what the title of the work means, we might have a clearer idea of its nature.