About Us

School of Chinese Seminar

The Significance of Modern Chinese Character Studies

近代漢字研究的意義

Speaker: Professor ZHANG Yongquan 張涌泉教授 (Zhejiang University)

Moderator: Professor TANG Pui Ling鄧佩玲教授 (HKU)

Date: January 31, 2024 (Wed)

Time: 16:30-18:00

Venue: CRT-7.30, 7/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU

Language: Putonghua

*Pre-registration (Click HERE) is requested.*

Abstract:

The study of the historical development of Chinese characters can be categorized into three distinct periods: early Chinese characters, modern Chinese characters, and contemporary Chinese characters. Early Chinese characters, commonly known as guwenzi, pertain to the characters used prior to the small seal script. Modern Chinese characters, however, encompass the characters predominantly employed from the Qin and Han dynasties up until the early 20th century, characterized by clerical script and regular script. Contemporary Chinese characters, on the other hand, denote the characters used to record modern Chinese language since the May Fourth Movement. This seminar explores the significance of modern Chinese character studies from various perspectives. It investigates the establishment of a comprehensive system for Chinese etymology, a correct understanding of Chinese character simplification, the standardization and unification of Chinese characters, the collation and analysis of ancient texts, and the compilation of large-scale dictionaries. It advocates for the establishment of a new field dedicated to modern Chinese character studies and emphasizes the critical importance of conducting extensive research on modern Chinese characters.

漢字史劃分爲上古漢字、近代漢字和現代漢字三個階段。上古漢字習慣上稱爲“古文字”，指小篆以前的漢字；近代漢字是指秦漢以後至20世紀初葉使用的以隸書和楷書爲主體的漢字；“五四”以來記錄現代漢語的漢字則稱爲現代漢字。本講座從構建完整的漢語文字學體系、對漢字簡化的正確認識、漢字的規範和統一、古籍的整理與研究、大型字典的編纂等不同角度，討論了近代漢字研究的意義，倡導建立一門新的近代漢字學，大力開展近代漢字的研究。

About the Speaker:

Professor Zhang Yongquan was born in 1956 in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. He holds a Ph.D. degree from Sichuan University. Currently, he serves as Professor and Director of the Academic Committee in the Faculty of Arts, as well as the Director of the Research Centre for Dunhuang Studies, at Zhejiang University. In 2005, he was selected as one of the first batch of Senior Specialists in Zhejiang Province. In 2006, he was appointed as a Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor by the Ministry of Education, China. Since 2014, he has held the position of Senior Professor in Humanities at Zhejiang University. Professor Zhang also holds several concurrent positions. He is a member of the National Leading Group for the Compilation and Publication Planning of Ancient Texts. Additionally, he serves as the Vice President of the Society for the Studies of Chinese Characters and the President of the Linguistic Society of Zhejiang Province.

張涌泉教授，1956年出生於浙江義烏。四川大學文學博士，現為浙江大學文學院教授、學術委員會主任，浙江大學敦煌學研究中心主任。2005年入選浙江省首批特級專家，2006年受聘教育部長江學者特聘教授，2014年起聘為浙江大學文科資深教授。兼任全國古籍整理出版規劃領導小組成員、中國文字學會副會長、浙江省語言學會會長。

Notice:

1) The seminar will only be conducted in a face-to-face mode.

2) All those who would like to attend the seminar are required to register online (Click HERE) on a first-come, first-served basis;

3) Email of confirmation will be sent to the registered email addresses and participants have to show the screenshot or print-out version of the email for entry of the seminar venue;

4) Walk-in or late-comers will not be allowed for entry of the seminar venue unless situation allows.

ALL are welcome*

*Pre-registration (Click HERE) is requested.