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The Chinese Particle Tzeng

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 March 2015

A. C. Graham
A. C. Graham*
Affiliation:
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
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Extract

It is well known that the character represents two different particles in classical Chinese. Of these the temporal particle tserng, which refers an event to the indefinite past in the same manner as does charng, hardly appears in the extant literature until late in the third century B.C. According to a note on this word by Inoue Juro , there is only one example in pre-Chyn literature, in the phrase (“There has never been…,”) at the beginning of the first chapter of Mohtzyy. This chapter is among the latest parts of the book, and not necessarily earlier than the third century B.C. The first securely dated example is in the Leushyh chuenchiou, begun under the direction of Leu Buhwei (died 235 B.C.) and completed soon after the victory of the Chyn dynasty in 221 B.C.

Type
Articles
Information
Early China , Volume 3 , Fall 1977 , pp. 31 - 35
Copyright
Copyright © Society for the Study of Early China 1977

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References

FOOTNOTES

1. Shibun 25 (1959):10, 11Google Scholar.

2. Cf. Yuhjiang, Wu, Mohtzyy jiawjuh (Dwulih chubaan sheh, 1944), Supplement 2/lA-2BGoogle Scholar.

3. Ibid., 9/3B/5. References, unless otherwise stated, will be to: (i) Haryard-Yenching Sinological Index Series, if included; (ii) otherwise, to the Syhbuh tsongkan edition.

4. Cf. Yiinjy, Wang. Jingjuann shyhtsyr (Wannyeou Wenkuh), 2/43Google Scholar.

5. Mencius (Syhbuh tsongkan 3/1A/11, on Example No. 27 below.

6. Example No. 18 below.

7. As n. 4 above.

8. Tsyrchiuan (Shanghai, 1954), 383.

9. Guushu shiutzyh jyishyh (Peking, 1954), 639–642Google Scholar.

10. Ibid., 10/1A/4.

11. Shuowen jieetzyh guulin 494.

12. Wenyan shiutzyh (Shanghai, 1957), 221, 222Google Scholar.

13. Gwoyeu tsyrdean (Commercial Press, 1937), 1973Google Scholar.

14. Borjiunn, H. YangLuenyeu yihjuh (Peking, 1958)Google Scholar, and Lanjou Univ. Chinese Dept., Mengtzyy yihjuh (Peking, 1960)Google Scholar.

15. Harvard-Yenching Sinological Index Series; Morimoto Kakuzō , Shihsho sakuin and Gokyō sakuin ; and Tsay Tynggann , Lao jiee Lao.

16. On Ode 191.

17. On all points not affected by tzeng these translations from the Odes follow the glosses and translations of Karlgren, , Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 14 (1942);and 16-18 (1944-1946)Google Scholar.

18. Asia Major, n.s., 8, no. 1 (1960):55,56. He gives the following translations of the examples quoted below: No. 39, “Then in the end you will pass over the highest steeps; but now you do not think.” No. 40, “Still there are the statutes and laws; but now no one listens.” Nos. 42-45, “Now (in contrast to your former good state) violent men.…”

Although Pulleyblank understands shyh as ‘now’ in the six cases of tzeng shyh and also in the two of yih shy (Odes 222/4,5), he provides no other evidence that the word can have this sense. He quotes instances of shyh as a transition word in narrative (‘then’), but does not attempt to show either that it means ‘at this time’ rather than ‘thereupon’ or that it can be used in speaking of the present.

Pulleyblank demonstrates that in the Odes shyh is generally object while the related demonstrative shyr is always subject. He is inclined, with some hesitation, to explain shyh as object or transltion word in all cases in the Odes where it might be taken as subject. But he also shows that other texts which make this distinction do allow shyh as subject, even as contrasted subject when not in close conjunction with the succeeding words, for example, the exposed combination wei shyh (Op. cit., 48,66). There is consequently ho difficulty in taking shyh as subject in Examples Nos. 42-45 below, where the repeated tzeng shyh is, on the present hypothesis, exposed at the head of each line.

19. Book of Songs (London, 1937): 252Google Scholar.

20. Rokuro, Shiba, A Concordance to Wen-hsüan (Kyoto University, 1957)Google Scholar; Kiyoshi, Takahashi, A Concordance to Shih-shuo hsin-yu (Hiroshima University, 1959)Google Scholar; and Yoshio, Yamaguchi, Index to Lieh tzu (Makogawa Woman's University, 1960)Google Scholar.

21. Wensheuan 42/12B/4.

22. Op. cit.,55.