Theoretical Foundations of Ancient Chinese Lexicography “Shuowen Jiezi” as a Philological and Epistemological Analysis
Keywords:
Chinese language, Chinese characters, lexicography, Shuowen Jiezi, graphemic analysis, semantic component, phonetic component, radical system, etymology, semiotics, epistemology, ancient Chinese linguisticsAbstract
This study is devoted to the analysis of the Shuowen Jiezi dictionary, a fundamental monument of ancient Chinese lexicography, from philological, structural-semiotic, and epistemological perspectives. The research examines the graphemic structure of Chinese characters, their semantic-phonetic components, and the radical-based classification system.
The results demonstrate that the majority of Chinese characters are based on the integration of semantic and phonetic elements and are organized according to consistent structural principles. It was also found that the radical system plays a crucial role in the semantic grouping of characters and serves as a key factor in determining their semantic fields.
Based on these findings, the Shuowen Jiezi dictionary can be interpreted not only as a lexicographic source but also as a conceptual system that organizes knowledge through the Chinese writing system.
