The First Known Chinese Calendar: a Reconstruction by the Synchronic Evidential Approach
THE FIRST KNOWN CHINESE CALENDAR: A RECONSTRUCTION BY THE SYNCHRONIC EVIDENTIAL APPROACH by Xueshun Liu M.A., The University of Zhengzhou, 1993 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Asian Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA August 2005 © Xueshun Liu, 2005 ABSTRACT The first known Chinese calendar refers to the calendar embodied in the Yin oracle-bone inscriptions (OBI). Since 1925, the two-layered evidential method has been the standard approach to interpreting them. This method combines primary inscriptional evidence with secondary materials, resulting in inconclusiveness and inaccuracy in previous studies. By adopting the synchronic evidential approach, the present dissertation aims at accurately reconstructing the system by which the Yin divided time into fixed periods. Chapter 1 deals with background issues: it justifies the assertion that the Yin calendar was the first known Chinese calendar, presents inscriptional evidence indicating the existence of a prescriptive Yin calendar, proposes absolute dates for this calendar and justifies the adoption of the synchronic evidential approach. Chapter 2 focuses on time divisions in the Yin day. The two criteria for determining a time division in the OBI are defined as: 1) a word's usage as a time division in early Chinese texts, and 2) suitableness of this usage in inscriptional contexts. The order of the twelve time divisions shows that su WK is the first division of the Yin day. Su is thus the start of the Yin day. Chapter 3 analyzes the lunation in the Yin calendar. Inscriptional evidence confirms that the Yin month is either 30 or 29 days long.
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