从“鬼”字说开去

鬼,是先民在生产力落后的条件下,对生活生产中的各种灾难产生的原因作出的最为"合理化"的解释,是先民对自然产生畏惧的一种体现。在先民的认识中,这些灾难都是因为有"鬼"这种人们无法战胜的东西在作怪,因而创造的指称这一怪物的专名。人们对鬼是既爱又怕。但随着社会的发展,人们赋予了它许多新的意义。本文试从"鬼"字入手,讨论以"鬼"为形旁的汉字所体现的社会文化内容。

Some Thoughts on the Chinese Character "Gui"

Ancestors invented the character'Gui'meaning "ghost" , to give an explanation that they considered reason-able for the all disasters from life experience under the primitive productivity conditions. The invention of the insuperable 'ghost'represents their awe of nature and certain affections as well because the'ghost'exerts a strong fascination in all disasters. With the development of social productivity, "ghost" is combined with new meaning. The social and cultural significances embodied by "Gui-based" Chinese characters are discussed on the very Chinese character'ghost'.