"Fu" and "Zhou"—A preliminary study on "language worship" and its symbolization

Authors

  • Xinyu Yuan

    College of Literature and Journalism, Sichuan University

  • Hongbo Li

    College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Sichuan University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18063/fls.v3i1.1253

Abstract

The article aims to, based on the study of "Spells" (or "Fuzhou", 符咒, including the magic figures and incantations), find out the relationship of "Fu" (符, talisman1), "Zhou" (咒, incantations)" and "language worship" (including written language and oral language). There is an in-depth probe into "language worship", and the clarification of the term "Fu" and "Fushu" (the use of Fu), "Zhou" and "Zhoushu" (the use of Zhou), no matter in a narrow sense or a broad one. In addition, the differentiation of language, "language worship" and "Spells" has been achieved via symbols and their symbolization. The final conclusion of such study shows that language worship is the process of language symbolization, and spells, in essence, is the symbol of language.

Keywords:

language worship; language; Fu; Zhou; symbolization

References

Anonymity (2015) The Book of Songs. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.

Chen M (1998) The Summary of the Divination of Yin Dynasty’s Ruins. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.

“Chinese Dictionary” version 2.0, The Commercial Press (Hong Kong) Limited, Chinese Dictionary Press.

Fan Y (2012) The Book of the Later Han Dynasty. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.

Saussure F (1959) Course in General Linguistics. Baskin W (trans). New York: Philosophical Library.

Frazer JG (2017) The Golden Bough. Chongqing: Chongqing Press.

Guo S (2002) Chinese cursing and its cultural implication. Baoji College of Arts and Sciences (Social Science Edition) 12(4): 64–67.

Guo X (2007) A study of language worship in Chinese folk customs. Chinese Journal 12: 101–106.

Hegel GWF (2001) Vorlesungen über die Philosophie der Weltgeschichte. Wang Z (trans). Shanghai: Shanghai Bookstore.

Pedersen H (2010) The Discovery of Language: Linguistic Science in the Nineteenth Century. Qian J (trans). Beijing: World Book Inc.

Lei H (1998) The study of “Shi (示)”. Journal of Fudan University (Social Science edition) 1: 123–126, 132.

Li P (2013) On the “spirit of speech” in Japanese literature of the upper generation. Japanese Literature Research 1: 106–114.

Li Y (1991) Preliminary exploration of Taoist notations and spells. Chinese Taoism 3: 22–27.

Liu P (2006) Language worship of the Han nationality from the perspective of folklore. Journal of Shenyang Normal University (Social Science Edition) 30(6): 127–129.

Oonoyasumaro (2018) Kojiki. Beijing: Modern Press.

Peirce CS (2014) Pierce on Signs. Zhao X (trans). Sichuan: Sichuan University Press.

Sapir E (1964) Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech. Lu Z (trans). Beijing: Commercial Press.

Sun J (1999) The Ancient Books Named Weishu. Jinan: Shandong Friendship Publishing House.

Wang X (2017) The internal relationship between language worship and traditional Oriental Language Concepts—A comparison between Chinese “Script education”, Indian “incantation” and Japanese “Incantation”. Northeast Asia Foreign Language Studies 4: 3–9.

Xu S and Duan Y (2010) The Note of Shuo Wen Jie Zi. Shanghai: Shanghai Classics Publishing House.

Yang M (2007) Beliefs of cherishing written paper. Journal of Sichuan University (Philosophy and Social Sciences) 6: 57–65.

Zhan Y (2001) Mental Misunderstandings—Witchcraft and Chinese Witchcraft Culture. Shanghai: Shanghai Education Publishing House.

Zhao Y (2013) Redefining symbols and semiotics. International Media 6: 6–14.

Downloads

How to Cite

Yuan, X., & Li, H. (2021). "Fu" and "Zhou"—A preliminary study on "language worship" and its symbolization. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.18063/fls.v3i1.1253

Issue

Article Type

Article