The Relation Of Xiéshēng Characters And The Study On Initial Consonants In Old Chinese Phonology Based On Dunhuangmajuanwanhanjian

In recent years,the publication of unearthed slips has provided a lot of new materials for our language research.Dunhuangmajuanwanhanjian accords with the scope of the study of the old Chinese phonology,and has published clearer infrared scanning slips,which is a favorable material to study the initial consonant in old Chinese phonology.Based on the xiéshēng characters in Dunhuangmajuanwanhanjian,At first,we make a xiéshēng characters form.Then use mathematical statistics to analysis the relationship between the initials.Finally,we explore the ancient initial consonant system reflected in Dunhuangmajuanwanhanjian from the phonological relations of the xiéshēng characters,and compared with other ancient initial consonant system to analyse their similarities and differences.From the xiéshēng data,we find that the ancient initial consonant system reflected in Dunhuangmajuanwanhanjian includes at least twenty-three single initials.The characteristics of the ancient initial consonant system are mainly manifested as the combination of Duanzu and Zhizu and Zhangzu;Jingzu and Zhuangzu are merged;Qunmu and Xiamu are merged;Yunmu and Xiamu are separated;Exist Rimu;and there are consonant cluster.Among them,most of the xiéshēng relations are basically consistent with the known results,majuanwanhanjian xiéshēng relations can provide more material evidence and supplement for scholars’ research.In addition,there are three groups of unique initials in Dunhuangmajuanwanhanjian,namely Xiaomu and Shanmu,Rimu and Xinmu,Yimu and Jingmu.It can be seen from the xiéshēng data that these three groups of consonants are closely related,but there is little discussion about them in academic circles,and more materials are needed to confirm them.