Abstract
Both jian 閒 and wai 外 are commonly used in ancient and modern Chinese to indicate orientation. As the academic community holds different conclusions concerning the relation between the phono-semantics and phonetic loan characters among 閒 (jian 間), 外, and related characters, however, difficulties have persisted in the interpretation of pertinent texts. In the study of ancient Chinese characters, yue 月 and 外 being the phonetic symbols of 閒 and jian □ , respectively, is the current popular view and thus mostly used in textual research.
In fact, both 閒 and □ are syssemantographs, in which 月 and 外 are semantographic symbols. The character 外 is neither the pronunciation of 閒, nor the abbreviated signific of □ (閒). Certain characters from the Warring States period such as wai □ and wai □ should be considered differentiated characters of 外 and are unrelated to □ (閒). The character jian □, which is not the abbreviated signific of jian □, has another source. Moreover, the Chu character jian □ is the abbreviated signific of jian □, whereas □ is not an erroneous character of □ but more likely a differentiated character of 閒 with the addition of the semantographic symbol dao 刀.
This paper also examines more than ten related cases and argues the following: (1) In the Chu bamboo and wooden slips on divination from Baoshan, Xincai, Tianxingguan, and Xiajiatai, as well as in Rishu 日書 (lit. Day Book), the character 外 in the phrases “wai you bu shun” 外有不順, “shao wai you qi” 少外有慼, “shao you wai yanqi” 少有外言慼, “waisang” 外喪, and “waigui” 外鬼 all refer to direction. (2) The place name “Hewai” 河外, as seen in the Qin dynasty sealing strips sealed with clay, is the counterpart of both “Hejian” 河閒 and “Henei” 河內, where 外 also refers to direction. (3) The phrase “chejia wai” 車甲外 found in Zhao Jianzi 趙簡子 of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips refers to military affairs being “outside.” (4) The poetic aim of the work Cao mao zhiwai 卉茅之外 in the bamboo slips of the Shanghai Museum is related to governance as the literal meaning of the name of the poem is being “outside” the grass and thatch, implying that the ruler is alienated from the people. (5) The phrase “qi wei shou neng er bu wai” 其位授能而不外 from Bangjia zhi zheng 邦家之政 in the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips means one should confer official positions to those capable and do not alienate them. (6) The phrase “shi nan de er yi wai” 士難得而易外 found in Wuwang jianzuo 武王踐阼 of the Shanghai Museum collection of bamboo slips connotes that talented people are difficult to recruit and easy to alienate. (7) The name □ is likely a specific term for vehicles to be used outside and can also refer to vehicles used for military purposes. (8) The phrase “shi ci yi zhi jian yu liji” 使此邑之閒于厲疾 in Daoci 禱辭 of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips means to save the village of a great-grandson from severe illness. (9) The phrase “na jian zhu zhong” 納閒誅眾 from Yong yue 用曰 in the Shanghai Museum collection refers to the acceptance of the contemptible who use falsities to drive people apart and the condemnation of the others. (10) Finally, the place name “Yijian” 伊□ in Zheng Wengong wen Taibo 鄭文公問太伯 from the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips indicates the two places “Yi” 伊 and “Jian” 澗, respectively.
After such comprehensive analysis, it becomes more evident that there is not a phono-semantic or phonetic loan character relationship between the group of characters 閒, □, □, and □ with 月 and 外, thereby clarifying the contestation over the two groups.
Keywords
jian（間、閒）; wai 外; Chinese paleography; phono-semantics; phonetic loan characters
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