Archaic Chinese Characters

(Dr. L. Wieger, S.J.)

The small anthropomorphic symbol represents the (eldest) son offering to his father
(and ancestors). He is often designed without legs in an ethereal shape, which figures
his being raptured and transported mentally in the presence of his Ancestors, by
his filial love and desire to please them.

The most frequent of all symbols is the right
hand offering the smell of the offered meat,
ascending toward the Ancestors (from left).
There is often added a kind of tear, symbol of
the libation of wine poured down - usually on
grass burned after the ceremony, sometime on
the naked soil,the splash of which then repre-
sented by a dot.

Sometimes the legs of the son are designed,
behind him the grandsons able to stand upright,
and others frog-like crawling on the ground or
between their father's legs. Often there also is a
skein of yarn or two horizontal strokes to indicate
the succession of generations (above and right).

This symbol "text" means
(from left to right):
To announce to the Ancestors,
the fabrication of a bow and arrows,
the launching a bark and
the building of a dwelling-house.

This symbol "text" means
(from left to right):
Offering to the mountains,
offering to the clouds and
invitation to the dragon to make
the clouds burst and rain pour down.
(The libation on a bundle of grass
usually shown by a shih-like cross,
a kung-like character etc..)

This bronze plate's inscription
(probably from the 20th century B.C.)
is the oldest specimen known of
Chinese writing. It is not properly
a text, but the enumeration of all
kinds of animals killed in a great
hunting. The document reveals,
that the shapes of the primitive
characters differed greatly from
that of their derivatives, and that
the principle of the characters
composition was always the same
from the beginning.

Such script 'texts' often
are transscribed using characters
to replace the ancient symbols, yet
being ridiculous read in their proper
modern meaning. So e.g. the 4th symbol
'heel' in line 1 - right to left - means
'in presence of the Ancestors'.)

"On the day i-ssu, in presence
of the deceased grandfather,
the widowed grand mother
(chief of the family) has offered,
with wine etc., this bronze tripod,
to last ten thousand years.
Hoping that innumerable sons and
grandsons will enjoy it for ever."

"The emperor having received the prime
mandate, the great gift of heaven (imperial
rank and dignity), on ascending the throne
(571 B.C.) offers this precious basin, to the
spirits of heaven and earth, hoping they will
prevent internal wars ... To last ten thousands
of generations, for ever."

(The character 5 in row 1 is anthropomorphic,
representing 'Heaven')

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