Xu Shen was a philologist and Confucian scholar during the Eastern Han Dynasty in my country. In the Han Dynasty, which deposed hundreds of schools of thought and only respected Confucianism to rule the world with Confucianism, during the special period when he was revered as the "unparalleled Five Classics" and the disputes between ancient and modern classics, he gave up all fame and fortune, had the country and nation in mind, and relied on scientific rigor. With his philosophy and dedicated attitude, he devoted his life to writing the earliest dictionary "Shuowen Jiezi" in my country and even the world, which had a huge impact on the development and growth of the Chinese nation and the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization. Xu Shen's works and his spirit have influenced generations of Chinese people, and he has been revered as a calligraphy saint by future generations because of his great contribution. Every year during the college entrance examination season, some students always come to worship Xu Shen Temple, but what they worship is not superstition, but spiritual strength, hoping to get some spiritual support from Xu Shenren. Qin Shihuang unified China by force, while Xu Shen unified Chinese characters with a book, standardizing the shape, pronunciation and meaning of Chinese characters, and also standardized the framework of a culture. It is my country's first dictionary that analyzes glyphs, explains word meanings, and identifies pronunciation. It is the foundation of literary language and a masterpiece of research on written language, characters, phonology, and exegesis. It is an extremely important contribution made by Xu Shen to the study of Chinese philology. It not only preserves the pre-Qin fonts and pre-Eastern Han dynasty writing exegesis, reflects the appearance of Chinese vocabulary in my country, summarizes the development history of ancient Chinese philology, but also systematically proposes the "character theory" of philology for the first time. It is said that in 1926, only Guo Moruo could understand oracle bone inscriptions because he read "Shuowen Jiezi". A book sets up a time and space tunnel connecting the past and present, allowing people today to follow this tunnel toward the unknown future. This is Xu Shen's contribution. Xu Shen was a great man more than 1,000 years ago. He was the first person to theoretically clarify the significance of words. He said: "The foundation of writing is the foundation of economics and art, the beginning of royal politics. The reason why the predecessors are inferior to the successors is the reason why future generations know the ancients." He "studied the origins" through a comprehensive and systematic arrangement and research of the writings. It is precisely because of Xu Shen's unremitting efforts that the study of Confucian classics has been put on the correct scientific track. Xu Shen's academic achievements have a broad and far-reaching influence. Not only today, but even in the future, any study of philology and ancient literature will be inseparable from the book "Shuowen Jiezi", and all subjects involving ancient times, especially history, philosophy, etc., need to start from "Shuowen Jiezi". Find information, clues and even answers in this book "Shuowenjiezi". Therefore, we must clearly realize that Xu Shen’s role and influence on the development of research on philology and exegesis are of epoch-making significance.
Without the spread of Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi", we would not be able to understand the seal script, oracle bone inscriptions, bell and tripod inscriptions of the Pre-Qin Dynasty, as well as the ancient inscriptions of the Warring States Period. Sun Liyan once said in "Chongqing Zongbenshuowen Preface": "The text of the Five Classics was destroyed by the violent Qin Dynasty, but it exists in "Shuowen". If "Shuowen" is not written, there is almost no knowledge of literature and art; if literature and art are not understood, the ancient texts of the Tang and Yu dynasties cannot be restored Therefore, scholars of all ages evaluated his achievements as "comparable to Confucius and the Duke of Zhou", and respected him as "the teacher of all ages" and "the sect of the Confucian scholars". During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, in order to commend Xu Shen, the scholar Jiuqing, together with the Ministry of Rites, petitioned the emperor to "allow Xu Shen, a Han Confucian, to be worshiped in the Confucian Temple." The academic administration of Henan Province also approved the construction of the "Xu Nan Pavilion Temple" in Yancheng County. Sacrifices were offered twice in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the ceremony of kneeling three times and prostrating nine times was also performed.
Huang Dekuan: I mainly locate Xu Shen’s contribution to the entire Chinese culture in philology, and philology is the foundation of the entire Chinese culture. We know that classics are a very comprehensive thing, including pronunciation, text, vocabulary, etc., and the inheritance of classics is mainly text, that is, pronunciation and text. Xu Shen's greatest contribution was to lay a solid foundation for the spread of Chinese classic theory through "Shuowen Jiezi", so his most important contribution was to lay the academic foundation. However, it is undeniable that Xu Shen's attainments and contributions in Confucian classics are not inconsistent with locating his main achievements in Chinese character studies.
Ye Guoliang: In my opinion, "Shuowen Jiezi" is not a book compiled solely from the perspective of philology or exegesis. In fact, part of it is based on the interpretation of characters based on the "Five Classics" at that time. In addition, Part of it is to use words to explain the classics. We have left a lot of materials for studying ancient Chinese classics in it. Therefore, it is a book with ancient characters and at the same time a book of classics. It cannot be viewed entirely from a philological perspective.
Peng Lin: I am very concerned about how Luohe people position Xu Shen this time. I think it is not enough to just position Xu Shen as a "Word Sage", because his study of Confucian classics can achieve the status of "unparalleled in the Five Classics". He originally studied characters for the purpose of studying Confucian classics, and studying characters is actually a tool for him to study classics. Therefore, I think Xu Shen’s contribution to Chinese culture should ultimately be positioned as Confucian classics.
Shan Zhouyao: "Shuowen Jiezi" is very important for today's understanding of ancient classics, documents, and culture. Chinese characters are closely related to the entire Chinese nation and Chinese literature. "Shuowen Jiezi" is very important to the stability of Chinese characters and plays a great role. By the Tang Dynasty, officials paid attention to the unification and standardization of Chinese character shapes, and took "Shuowen Jiezi" as the standard. Later, textbooks became available, and the characters gradually stabilized and were passed down.
Wen Huaisha: I have full respect for the profound and profound Central Plains culture, and I also deeply feel that Xu Shen’s "Shuowen Jiezi" is the essence of culture. The culture of the Central Plains is the mother culture. To understand China, you must first understand Henan.
Henan produced China's greatest poet Du Fu, medical scientist Zhang Zhongjing, philologist Xu Shen, etc. Nowadays, there are even more heroes. It is an extraordinary place. Xu Shen made great efforts to systematize and standardize the loose writing. Not only the people of Henan should be proud of their hometown, but all Chinese people should be proud of the thick soil of Zhongzhou, and they should be proud that Luohe in Zhongzhou has Xu Shen. Today I came to experience the beauty of Luohe with Shali culture in mind. Luohe has two rivers, Shahe and Lihe, and there is also a Shahe in Hunan. This reminds me of my hometown.
Gu Shenglongyi: Xu Shen is one of the sources of all Chinese academics, because the most fundamental thing when we study history is literature and philology, and Xu Shen's "Shuowen" provides just such an understanding. Channels for ancient academic works and documentary records. His contributions to philology and classics are integrated into one and inseparable. Xu Shen's role in Chinese culture cannot be underestimated.
Song Junfen: "Xu Shen not only belongs to China, he should be a world-class historical and cultural celebrity." This is the conclusion Song Junfen came to after studying Xu Xue for many years. Song Junfen is a professor at Capital Normal University. He studied Chinese phonology when he was a doctoral student. His current research direction is Xu studies. His works include "Shuowen Studies", "Chinese Philology", and "Chinese Lexicology". Song Junfen said this for four reasons: First, Xu Shen created the first dictionary in China and even the world. Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi" created 540 radicals, arranged 9353 small seal characters according to the radicals, and explained and analyzed the shapes one by one. Some characters also have documentary evidence or phonetic notations. It is the first truly complete form in the world. Big Chinese dictionary. Western Europe did not have this form of dictionary until the 18th century, which was 1,500 to 600 years earlier than Western Europe. Second, Xu Shen is a great philosopher. Xu Shen proposed that "writing is the foundation of economics and art, and the beginning of kingship." He linked writing with politics so that Chinese civilization could continue. China has a vast territory and many dialects. It is unimaginable to not have a unified writing system. Furthermore, "the reason why the predecessors look down upon the latter is the reason why future generations know the past." The reason why excellent traditional culture is passed down from generation to generation also relies on words. As early as nineteen hundred years ago, Xu Shen realized how important and great writing is. In the 1920s and 1930s, some people advocated replacing Chinese characters with pinyin characters, shaking the foundation of Chinese characters. The consequences of this are very terrible. Just imagine, if the culture of a nation is lost, will the soul of the nation still exist? Third, Xu Shen is the originator of Chinese character studies. Referring to things, pictograms, pictographs, knowing, transferring notes, and borrowing are often referred to as the "Six Books" in philology. It is a high-level summary of the ancients' construction methods of Chinese characters, which fully reflects the wisdom of the sages. Xu Shen developed and enriched the "Six Books" theory, which not only summarized the construction methods of Chinese characters, but also coincided with the construction methods of other nations in the world. From this perspective, Xu Shen's "Six Books" theory can be regarded as an outstanding contribution to all human civilization. Fourth, Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi" provides an important basis for linguistic research. The writing on archaeological relics and the solution of various problems in hermeneutics are inseparable from "Shuowen Jiezi". Song Junfen said with emotion, Luohe is really a treasure land, and we have to thank Xu Shen for his "Shuowen Jiezi". At the same time, she also hopes that Luohe will cherish this unique cultural resource, truly build Luohe into a Xu Shen research, information and tourism center, and become a holy place for people to worship. Academically, Xu Shen was too serious and persistent. During the compilation process, when he encountered the explanation of the word "Dou", he did not avoid the taboo of Empress Dowager Dou's name, and explained the word "Dou" as hole, and further explained the word "Dou" as "Dou". Goudong, this angered Empress Dowager Dou, who demoted her and expelled her back to her place of origin. Later, the Queen Mother was provoked and wanted to kill Xu Shen.
Of course Xu Shen was not given death. Xu Shen was not given death not because the Queen Mother did not want him to die, but because he had a good wife, and his good wife was the God-given princess. This is a beautiful legend. More than 1,000 years ago, one night after a strong wind, a girl named Tianci was blown onto a big tree in the palace. The Queen Mother liked her very much after seeing her, so she accepted her as a palace maid and gave her the title of Princess Tianci. Later, Xu Shen was called to the capital to serve as the Taiwei's Nange sacrificial wine, and the Queen Mother married the God-given princess to him. Xu Shen was demoted and returned home. Princess Tianci resolutely followed her husband back to her hometown and lived an ordinary life. After receiving the news that the Queen Mother wanted to kill Xu Shen, Princess Tianci discussed with her family and pretended that Xu Shen had died of illness. They built a tomb and buried Xu Shen in the cemetery in front of everyone in the village. Secretly, they built a main room and a side room in the tomb to facilitate the death of Xu Shen. Xu Shen wrote books and rested. Every night, the God-given princess would arrive in white clothes, one to deliver food to Xu Shen, and the other to accompany Xu Shen. It was under such an environment that Xu Shen completed "Shuowen Jiezi", which has been passed down to generations.
In the second year of Guangxu's reign, a man died in Xuzhuang Village. Zhou Yun, then the magistrate of Yancheng County, went to do an autopsy. When he walked to the ditch near Xu Shen's tomb, he suddenly felt unwell, so he sent his servants there. I asked around to see if any of them had surprised the sage. When he learned that Xu Shen's tomb was here, he immediately stopped the autopsy and went to Xu Shen's tomb: "The teacher is here, but I don't know about it. Please don't blame me!" After praying, I dared to do business.
Xu Shen wrote in the preface of "Shuowen Jiezi": "Zeng Zeng, my ancestor was the God of Flame, and I summoned you from there. I live here and you are close." This means: I am the Xu family. Xiaozi, the great-grandson of Xiaozi, whose ancestor was Emperor Yan Shennong, later the Xu Kingdom was destroyed and his descendants were scattered. Those who lived in Henan lived along Ru River.
In March of the forty-sixth year of Kangxi’s reign, flowers were in full bloom.
In this intoxicating season, Wen Deyu, the magistrate of Yancheng, went to Laowo and Zhaoling in the east of Yancheng to check on the people's situation. When he walked to the west of Jishi, he didn't know whether the road was bumpy or uneven or the bearers carrying the sedan were corrupt. Looking at the scenery, he accidentally stumbled and knocked Wen Deyu out of the sedan. The bearers immediately helped him into the sedan, then bowed and asked Mr. Wen for forgiveness. Wen Deyu waved his hand and said, forget it, how can you go such a long way without making mistakes. He did not blame the bearers, but he asked an older bearer: Are there any ancient sages in this area? The bearer pointed to the west with his hand and said, "Look, sir, there is a large mound on the southwest high hill. That is Saint Xu's tomb." "Sage Xu? Which Saint Xu?" "It's Xu Shen!" Is it the Xu Shen who wrote "Shuowen Jiezi"? "Yes! That's him." When Wen Deyu heard this, he suddenly realized, isn't it? This is Zhaoling, Xu Shen's hometown. Thinking of this, he hurriedly got off the sedan chair, walked with the sedan bearers to Xu Shen's tomb, knelt down on the ground and kowtowed, and said with shame: Wen Deyu, a young boy, didn't know that Old Master Xu was buried here. I was passing by and should have come here to pay my respects. , not only did not worship, but sat in the sedan chair, arrogant and offended the sages and sages, and was outrageous and disrespectful to the ancients. He really did not know how high the sky was and went against the principles of Confucius and Mencius. Then he built soil for Old Master Xu's grave. After returning home, another monument was erected in front of the tomb.
The monument erected by Wen Deyu was written by him himself. On the right side of the stele, a few sentences excerpted from the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: The Biography of Xu Shen" in true regular script are used with slight changes: "Gong Tashen, courtesy name Shuzhong, was born in Zhaoling. He was a meritorious officer of the county and promoted filial piety and integrity; he was moved to Jiaochang. He died in He wrote fourteen chapters of "The Different Meanings of the Five Classics" and "Shuowen Jiezi". "The Tomb of the Honesty of the Han Dynasty" highlights the seven characters. The signature at the back is: Kangxi Dinghai March, Miyuan Houxue Wende Yuli. Wen Deyu was a native of Sanyuan County, Shaanxi Province. He had been studious since childhood, was familiar with scriptures, and was a Jinshi. It was natural that he respected Xu Shen. Kangxi Dinghai was the forty-sixth year of Kangxi (i.e. 1707 AD). In 2007, this monument will be celebrating its 300th anniversary.