Writing and Literacy in Early China : Studies From the Columbia Early China Seminar

The emergence and spread of literacy in ancient human society an important topic for all who study the ancient world, and the development of written Chinese is of particular interest, as modern Chinese orthography preserves logographic principles shared by its most ancient forms, making it unique among all present-day writing systems. In the past three decades, the discovery of previously unknown texts dating to the third century BCE and earlier, as well as older versions of known texts, has revolutionized the study of early Chinese writing. The long-term continuity and stability of the Chinese written language allow for this detailed study of the role literacy played in early civilization. The contributors to Writing and Literacy in Early China inquire into modes of manuscript production, the purposes for which texts were produced, and the ways in which they were actually used. By carefully evaluating current evidence and offering groundbreaking new interpretations, the book illuminates the nature of literacy for scribes and readers. Introduction : Writing As A Phenomenon Of Literacy / Li Feng And David Prager Branner -- Getting Right With Heaven And The Origins Of Writing In China / David W. Pankenier -- Literacy And The Emergence Of Writing In China / William G. Boltz -- Phonology In The Chinese Script And Its Relationship To Early Chinese Literacy / David Prager Branner -- Literacy To The South And The East Of Anyang In Shang China : Zhengzhou And Daxinzhuang / Ken-ichi Takashima -- The Evidence For Scribal Training At Anyang / Adam Smith -- Textual Identity And The Role Of Literacy In The Transmission Of Early Chinese Literature / Matthias L. Richter -- The Royal Audience And Its Reflections In Western Zhou Bronze Inscriptions / Lothar Von Falkenhausen -- Literacy And The Social Contexts Of Writing In The Western Zhou / Li Feng -- Education And The Way Of The Former Kings / Constance A. Cook -- Soldiers, Scribes, And Women : Literacy Among The Lower Orders In Early China / Robin D.s. Yates -- Craftsman's Literacy : Uses Of Writing By Male And Female Artisans In Qin And Han China / Anthony J. Barbieri-low. Edited By Li Feng And David Prager Branner. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web. Writing as a phenomenon of literacy -- Li Feng a. David Prager Branner. Getting "right" with heaven and the origins of writing in China -- David W. Pankenier. Literacy and the emergence of writing in China -- William G. Boltz. Phonology in the Chinese script and its relationship to early Chinese literacy -- David Prager Branner. Literacy to the south and the east of Anyang in Shang China: Zhengzhou and Daxinzhuang -- Ken-ichi Takashima. The evidence for scribal training at Anyang -- Adam Smith. Textual identity and the role of literacy in the transmission of early Chinese literature -- Matthias L. Richter. The royal audience and its reflections in western Zhou bronze inscriptions -- Lothar von Falkenhausen. Literacy and the social contexts of writing in the western Zhou -- Li Feng. Education and the way of the former kings -- Constance A. Cook. Soldiers, scribes, and women: literacy among the lower orders in early China -- Robin D. S. Yates. Craftsman's literacy: uses of writing by male and female artisans in Qin and Han China-- Anthony J. Barbieri-Low