Clipping Board » Medical Myths ─ The truth about healthcare is often different from what you intuitively think.
2006/04/03 00:06
Wang Ruogu
Recently, there has been news that the United Nations will abolish Traditional Chinese characters in 2008, causing strong shockwaves and reactions both domestically and internationally. Among them, the response from Kuomintang Chairman Ma Ying-jeou has been the most notable.
During a discussion with Taiwanese students in San Francisco while visiting the United States, Ma Ying-jeou firmly stated that he had recently heard about the UN's plan to abolish Traditional Chinese characters and personally strongly opposes it. He vowed to do everything in his power to prevent it when the time comes. He emphasized that this is an issue of cultural heritage and that if given the opportunity to negotiate with mainland China in the future, he would raise related concerns. Ma Ying-jeou said that he is a "cultural Chinese" and does not personally oppose using Simplified Chinese for writing, but he opposes using Simplified Chinese in printed materials, as it is a matter of cultural inheritance. He also advocates that "Traditional Chinese characters" should be referred to as "Orthodox Chinese characters," not only due to their orthodoxy but also to avoid creating a contrast with the term "Simplified Chinese characters."
Ma Ying-jeou gave an example: Former National Tsing Hua University President Liu Chao-shiang recently visited the Mawangdui archaeological site in Changsha to view unearthed artifacts. While looking at the silk manuscripts (official script from the Han Dynasty written on silk), a British couple asked in surprise, "Can you understand this?" They said these were items from over 2,000 years ago, so how could anyone understand them? Liu Chao-shiang replied, "We Taiwanese can all understand it!" However, the mainland tour guide could not. "This is the difference!" Additionally, Ma Ying-jeou called on the United Nations to designate Traditional Chinese characters as a World Cultural Heritage.
According to reports, Ma Ying-jeou recently attended a conference in Geneva and stated that mainland China's adoption and active promotion of Simplified Chinese characters would place Traditional Chinese characters in a relatively weaker position, potentially leading to their eventual oblivion.
Ma Ying-jeou said he attempted to apply to UNESCO to list Traditional Chinese characters as a cultural heritage under protection but was rejected because Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations.
In the Greater China region, Traditional Chinese characters are still used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, while mainland China switched to Simplified Chinese characters with fewer strokes after 1949 to improve literacy rates.
Some scholars of language and writing believe that Simplified Chinese characters have damaged the aesthetic beauty of traditional Chinese characters. Not long ago, my article calling for attention to the development of pure Chinese language was widely reported both domestically and internationally, sparking ongoing reactions. However, a recent article in a Taiwanese publication criticized my "inconsistency in words and actions": "Some so-called 'blog elites' nowadays claim they may have almost forgotten Chinese, yet the articles they write daily to express their 'views' are all in Simplified Chinese. It's hard to understand what these people are thinking."
The article in the Taiwanese publication agreed with my views on the current state of the Chinese language but seemed dissatisfied with my use of Simplified rather than Traditional Chinese. This compatriot is not fully aware of the fact that mainland China has been using Simplified Chinese for several decades. In response, I gave a brief reply: "I believe that after China's reunification in the future, mainland Simplified Chinese could take a step back, while Taiwanese Traditional Chinese could take a step forward. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"
Recently, an article in *Lianhe Zaobao* titled "Suggestions for Implementing a Division of Labor Between Traditional and Simplified Chinese Characters" also addressed this issue. The article stated:
After reading the article "Ma Ying-jeou Calls on the UN to List Traditional Chinese Characters as World Heritage," I felt deeply uneasy. Frankly, Ma Ying-jeou's call is well-intentioned but misguided. It shows a lack of confidence in the promotion of Traditional Chinese characters and positions them as historical relics. However, Traditional Chinese characters cannot die—how can "living" Traditional Chinese characters become "heritage"?
Simplified Chinese characters may not necessarily help improve literacy rates, but they are not the result of crude, isolated efforts either. Instead, they are a compilation and summarization of various simplified forms of standard Chinese characters that have circulated in Chinese society from ancient times to the present.Traditional Chinese characters are rigorous in context but have numerous strokes, making them difficult to write. Conversely, simplified Chinese characters are easier to write but lack clarity in context. Therefore, each has its pros and cons.
Given this, why not combine the strengths of both? Traditional and simplified Chinese characters should not be mortal enemies but should achieve a win-win situation. English has uppercase and lowercase letters, and Japanese has katakana and hiragana. Why can't Chinese have a division of labor between printed and handwritten forms? Traditional Chinese characters, being rigorous, can serve as the official printed form for various documents and publications, while simplified characters, being easier to write, can be used for everyday handwriting in letters and notes. This division of labor would facilitate the daily use of Chinese characters while ensuring their scientific rigor. Implementing this would likely face no cultural barriers or resistance.
The reunification of the two sides of the strait should start with the easier tasks and progress to the more difficult ones. The exchange between people across the strait inevitably involves Chinese characters. It is suggested that both sides legally recognize the equal status of traditional and simplified Chinese characters and incorporate them into their educational systems. Mainland China could recognize and promote the status of traditional Chinese characters for printing, while Hong Kong and Taiwan could recognize and promote simplified characters for handwriting. This would not only lay a more solid cultural foundation for the eventual complete reunification of the motherland but also authoritatively establish a unified and unique Chinese character system internationally.
Reading traditional Chinese characters and writing simplified ones—this could be the scientific direction for the future of Chinese characters. (By Qing Xiaoyu)
I believe that Chinese can indeed have a division of labor between "printed" and "handwritten" forms. Using traditional Chinese characters for printing and simplified characters for everyday handwriting is indeed a good idea. However, to truly implement this, there is an essential process that cannot be skipped.
Due to the use of computers, the difficulty of writing traditional Chinese characters no longer exists, so the survival of traditional Chinese characters is not only no longer an issue but also presents an opportunity. The rigor and beauty of traditional Chinese characters are unparalleled, and they should not be allowed to disappear in a China of over a billion people. Today, Ma Ying-jeou's call for the United Nations to list traditional Chinese characters as a world cultural heritage is indeed regrettable. However, the article states: "In fact, as long as they are not illiterate, most people in mainland China can more or less recognize traditional Chinese characters, even if they cannot write them or write them completely. Similarly, people in Hong Kong and Taiwan, even if they cannot write or write simplified characters completely, can basically recognize them. Because as long as one is Chinese, they possess the DNA of Chinese characters. Whether traditional or simplified, mastering one form basically allows one to understand the other without formal instruction. I believe every Chinese person has experienced this." I think this statement does not align with reality. A survey would reveal that many young people in mainland China today cannot read traditional Chinese characters, a phenomenon that cannot be ignored. If this continues, aren't traditional Chinese characters heading towards extinction? Thinking about this, how can one not worry?
However, at present, mainland China has been using simplified characters for several decades, spanning one or two generations. We cannot ignore this reality. Suddenly reverting all printed materials to traditional Chinese characters would likely be difficult and could lead to many unforeseen issues. What should be done? I believe that mainland China's simplified characters could take a half-step back (by abolishing some inappropriately simplified characters), while Taiwan's traditional characters could take a step forward (by recognizing some simplified characters that do not cause cognitive ambiguity). This way, the two sides of the strait could gradually move towards the reunification of traditional and simplified Chinese characters, making it more realistic and feasible.
The initial simplification of Chinese characters in mainland China was rushed, leaving many issues. This could be an opportunity to correct them. At the same time, Hong Kong and Taiwan could take a step forward by appropriately reforming some overly complex traditional Chinese characters (not reforming at all would also be unproductive)—this is my opinion.Source: http://www. ettoday. com/ 2006/ 04/ 03/ 142- 1923603. htm
The biggest issue with Simplified Chinese characters compared to Traditional Chinese characters is the "degeneration" of multiple simplified characters corresponding to a single traditional character. The simplification of individual characters is a relatively minor problem.
For example:
"乾", "干", "幹" are all simplified to "干". Only a few instances of "乾" are retained, such as in "乾坤" and "乾隆".
"發" and "髮" are both simplified to "發".
"餘" and "余" are both simplified to "余".
"製" and "制" are both simplified to "制".
"衝" and "沖" are both simplified to "沖".
"術" and "朮" are both simplified to "朮".
"複" and "復" are both simplified to "复".
"後" and "后" are both simplified to "后".
"穀" and "谷" are both simplified to "谷".
"薑" and "姜" are both simplified to "姜".
"採" and "采" are both simplified to "采".
"徵" and "征" are both simplified to "征".
"係" and "系" are both simplified to "系".
"鬆" and "松" are both simplified to "松".
"雲" and "云" are both simplified to "云".
"豐" and "丰" are both simplified to "丰".
"裡" and "里" are both simplified to "里".
"鬱" and "郁" are both simplified to "郁".
"鹹" and "咸" are both simplified to "咸".
"嚐" and "嘗" are both simplified to "嘗".
"準" and "准" are both simplified to "准".
"鬥" and "斗" are both simplified to "斗".
"殭" and "僵" are both simplified to "僵".
...
The result of this multiple simplified characters corresponding to a single traditional character:
- Causes characters with originally different meanings to be mixed together, leading to potential ambiguity in information.
- Creates the issue of "one simplified character corresponding to multiple traditional characters" when converting from Simplified to Traditional Chinese.
This causes significant difficulties in the identification, analysis, organization, and transmission of information.
Especially in classical Chinese, ancient texts, and ancient medical texts, where the redundancy is much lower than in modern vernacular Chinese, a single character difference can often lead to a completely different interpretation of the entire text. After simplification, it is easy to produce erroneous sentences.
Examples:
Traditional: 在欄干旁吃完乾餅，準備幹活。
Simplified: 在栏干旁吃完干饼，准备干活。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 在欄幹旁吃完幹餅，準備幹活。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 在欄乾旁吃完乾餅，準備乾活。
Simplified to Traditional 3: 在欄干旁吃完干餅，準備干活。
Traditional: 姜先生在園裡種薑。
Simplified: 姜先生在园里种姜。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 薑先生在園裡種薑。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 姜先生在園裡種姜。
Simplified to Traditional 3: 姜先生在園里種姜。
...
Traditional: 為了幾斗米和店家鬥嘴討價還價。
Simplified: 为了几斗米和店家斗嘴讨价还价。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 為了幾鬥米和店家鬥嘴討價還價。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 為了幾斗米和店家斗嘴討價還價。
Traditional: 到理髮店剪髮。
Simplified: 到理发店剪发。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 到理發店剪發。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 到理髮店剪髮。
The degeneration of language and writing from precision to vagueness represents a similar trend in the cultural sphere. Simplified Chinese characters have been in use in mainland China for over fifty years, and the younger generation in modern mainland China is almost entirely unfamiliar with Traditional Chinese characters. The result of fewer and fewer people being able to read ancient texts is the loss of cultural heritage.
Reflections on Ma Ying-jeou's Call to Apply for UNESCO Heritage Status for Traditional Chinese Characters
Wang Ruogu
Recently, there has been news that the United Nations will abolish Traditional Chinese characters in 2008, causing strong shockwaves and reactions both domestically and internationally. Among them, the response from Kuomintang Chairman Ma Ying-jeou has been the most notable.
During a discussion with Taiwanese students in San Francisco while visiting the United States, Ma Ying-jeou firmly stated that he had recently heard about the UN's plan to abolish Traditional Chinese characters and personally strongly opposes it. He vowed to do everything in his power to prevent it when the time comes. He emphasized that this is an issue of cultural heritage and that if given the opportunity to negotiate with mainland China in the future, he would raise related concerns. Ma Ying-jeou said that he is a "cultural Chinese" and does not personally oppose using Simplified Chinese for writing, but he opposes using Simplified Chinese in printed materials, as it is a matter of cultural inheritance. He also advocates that "Traditional Chinese characters" should be referred to as "Orthodox Chinese characters," not only due to their orthodoxy but also to avoid creating a contrast with the term "Simplified Chinese characters."
Ma Ying-jeou gave an example: Former National Tsing Hua University President Liu Chao-shiang recently visited the Mawangdui archaeological site in Changsha to view unearthed artifacts. While looking at the silk manuscripts (official script from the Han Dynasty written on silk), a British couple asked in surprise, "Can you understand this?" They said these were items from over 2,000 years ago, so how could anyone understand them? Liu Chao-shiang replied, "We Taiwanese can all understand it!" However, the mainland tour guide could not. "This is the difference!" Additionally, Ma Ying-jeou called on the United Nations to designate Traditional Chinese characters as a World Cultural Heritage.
According to reports, Ma Ying-jeou recently attended a conference in Geneva and stated that mainland China's adoption and active promotion of Simplified Chinese characters would place Traditional Chinese characters in a relatively weaker position, potentially leading to their eventual oblivion.
Ma Ying-jeou said he attempted to apply to UNESCO to list Traditional Chinese characters as a cultural heritage under protection but was rejected because Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations.
In the Greater China region, Traditional Chinese characters are still used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, while mainland China switched to Simplified Chinese characters with fewer strokes after 1949 to improve literacy rates.
Some scholars of language and writing believe that Simplified Chinese characters have damaged the aesthetic beauty of traditional Chinese characters. Not long ago, my article calling for attention to the development of pure Chinese language was widely reported both domestically and internationally, sparking ongoing reactions. However, a recent article in a Taiwanese publication criticized my "inconsistency in words and actions": "Some so-called 'blog elites' nowadays claim they may have almost forgotten Chinese, yet the articles they write daily to express their 'views' are all in Simplified Chinese. It's hard to understand what these people are thinking."
The article in the Taiwanese publication agreed with my views on the current state of the Chinese language but seemed dissatisfied with my use of Simplified rather than Traditional Chinese. This compatriot is not fully aware of the fact that mainland China has been using Simplified Chinese for several decades. In response, I gave a brief reply: "I believe that after China's reunification in the future, mainland Simplified Chinese could take a step back, while Taiwanese Traditional Chinese could take a step forward. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"
Recently, an article in *Lianhe Zaobao* titled "Suggestions for Implementing a Division of Labor Between Traditional and Simplified Chinese Characters" also addressed this issue. The article stated:
After reading the article "Ma Ying-jeou Calls on the UN to List Traditional Chinese Characters as World Heritage," I felt deeply uneasy. Frankly, Ma Ying-jeou's call is well-intentioned but misguided. It shows a lack of confidence in the promotion of Traditional Chinese characters and positions them as historical relics. However, Traditional Chinese characters cannot die—how can "living" Traditional Chinese characters become "heritage"?
Simplified Chinese characters may not necessarily help improve literacy rates, but they are not the result of crude, isolated efforts either. Instead, they are a compilation and summarization of various simplified forms of standard Chinese characters that have circulated in Chinese society from ancient times to the present.Traditional Chinese characters are rigorous in context but have numerous strokes, making them difficult to write. Conversely, simplified Chinese characters are easier to write but lack clarity in context. Therefore, each has its pros and cons.
Given this, why not combine the strengths of both? Traditional and simplified Chinese characters should not be mortal enemies but should achieve a win-win situation. English has uppercase and lowercase letters, and Japanese has katakana and hiragana. Why can't Chinese have a division of labor between printed and handwritten forms? Traditional Chinese characters, being rigorous, can serve as the official printed form for various documents and publications, while simplified characters, being easier to write, can be used for everyday handwriting in letters and notes. This division of labor would facilitate the daily use of Chinese characters while ensuring their scientific rigor. Implementing this would likely face no cultural barriers or resistance.
The reunification of the two sides of the strait should start with the easier tasks and progress to the more difficult ones. The exchange between people across the strait inevitably involves Chinese characters. It is suggested that both sides legally recognize the equal status of traditional and simplified Chinese characters and incorporate them into their educational systems. Mainland China could recognize and promote the status of traditional Chinese characters for printing, while Hong Kong and Taiwan could recognize and promote simplified characters for handwriting. This would not only lay a more solid cultural foundation for the eventual complete reunification of the motherland but also authoritatively establish a unified and unique Chinese character system internationally.
Reading traditional Chinese characters and writing simplified ones—this could be the scientific direction for the future of Chinese characters. (By Qing Xiaoyu)
I believe that Chinese can indeed have a division of labor between "printed" and "handwritten" forms. Using traditional Chinese characters for printing and simplified characters for everyday handwriting is indeed a good idea. However, to truly implement this, there is an essential process that cannot be skipped.
Due to the use of computers, the difficulty of writing traditional Chinese characters no longer exists, so the survival of traditional Chinese characters is not only no longer an issue but also presents an opportunity. The rigor and beauty of traditional Chinese characters are unparalleled, and they should not be allowed to disappear in a China of over a billion people. Today, Ma Ying-jeou's call for the United Nations to list traditional Chinese characters as a world cultural heritage is indeed regrettable. However, the article states: "In fact, as long as they are not illiterate, most people in mainland China can more or less recognize traditional Chinese characters, even if they cannot write them or write them completely. Similarly, people in Hong Kong and Taiwan, even if they cannot write or write simplified characters completely, can basically recognize them. Because as long as one is Chinese, they possess the DNA of Chinese characters. Whether traditional or simplified, mastering one form basically allows one to understand the other without formal instruction. I believe every Chinese person has experienced this." I think this statement does not align with reality. A survey would reveal that many young people in mainland China today cannot read traditional Chinese characters, a phenomenon that cannot be ignored. If this continues, aren't traditional Chinese characters heading towards extinction? Thinking about this, how can one not worry?
However, at present, mainland China has been using simplified characters for several decades, spanning one or two generations. We cannot ignore this reality. Suddenly reverting all printed materials to traditional Chinese characters would likely be difficult and could lead to many unforeseen issues. What should be done? I believe that mainland China's simplified characters could take a half-step back (by abolishing some inappropriately simplified characters), while Taiwan's traditional characters could take a step forward (by recognizing some simplified characters that do not cause cognitive ambiguity). This way, the two sides of the strait could gradually move towards the reunification of traditional and simplified Chinese characters, making it more realistic and feasible.
The initial simplification of Chinese characters in mainland China was rushed, leaving many issues. This could be an opportunity to correct them. At the same time, Hong Kong and Taiwan could take a step forward by appropriately reforming some overly complex traditional Chinese characters (not reforming at all would also be unproductive)—this is my opinion.Source: http://www. ettoday. com/ 2006/ 04/ 03/ 142- 1923603. htm
Crisis of Simplified Chinese Characters
For example:
"乾", "干", "幹" are all simplified to "干". Only a few instances of "乾" are retained, such as in "乾坤" and "乾隆".
"發" and "髮" are both simplified to "發".
"餘" and "余" are both simplified to "余".
"製" and "制" are both simplified to "制".
"衝" and "沖" are both simplified to "沖".
"術" and "朮" are both simplified to "朮".
"複" and "復" are both simplified to "复".
"後" and "后" are both simplified to "后".
"穀" and "谷" are both simplified to "谷".
"薑" and "姜" are both simplified to "姜".
"採" and "采" are both simplified to "采".
"徵" and "征" are both simplified to "征".
"係" and "系" are both simplified to "系".
"鬆" and "松" are both simplified to "松".
"雲" and "云" are both simplified to "云".
"豐" and "丰" are both simplified to "丰".
"裡" and "里" are both simplified to "里".
"鬱" and "郁" are both simplified to "郁".
"鹹" and "咸" are both simplified to "咸".
"嚐" and "嘗" are both simplified to "嘗".
"準" and "准" are both simplified to "准".
"鬥" and "斗" are both simplified to "斗".
"殭" and "僵" are both simplified to "僵".
...
The result of this multiple simplified characters corresponding to a single traditional character:
- Causes characters with originally different meanings to be mixed together, leading to potential ambiguity in information.
- Creates the issue of "one simplified character corresponding to multiple traditional characters" when converting from Simplified to Traditional Chinese.
This causes significant difficulties in the identification, analysis, organization, and transmission of information.
Especially in classical Chinese, ancient texts, and ancient medical texts, where the redundancy is much lower than in modern vernacular Chinese, a single character difference can often lead to a completely different interpretation of the entire text. After simplification, it is easy to produce erroneous sentences.
Examples:
Traditional: 在欄干旁吃完乾餅，準備幹活。
Simplified: 在栏干旁吃完干饼，准备干活。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 在欄幹旁吃完幹餅，準備幹活。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 在欄乾旁吃完乾餅，準備乾活。
Simplified to Traditional 3: 在欄干旁吃完干餅，準備干活。
Traditional: 姜先生在園裡種薑。
Simplified: 姜先生在园里种姜。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 薑先生在園裡種薑。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 姜先生在園裡種姜。
Simplified to Traditional 3: 姜先生在園里種姜。
...
Traditional: 為了幾斗米和店家鬥嘴討價還價。
Simplified: 为了几斗米和店家斗嘴讨价还价。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 為了幾鬥米和店家鬥嘴討價還價。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 為了幾斗米和店家斗嘴討價還價。
Traditional: 到理髮店剪髮。
Simplified: 到理发店剪发。
Simplified to Traditional 1: 到理發店剪發。
Simplified to Traditional 2: 到理髮店剪髮。
The degeneration of language and writing from precision to vagueness represents a similar trend in the cultural sphere. Simplified Chinese characters have been in use in mainland China for over fifty years, and the younger generation in modern mainland China is almost entirely unfamiliar with Traditional Chinese characters. The result of fewer and fewer people being able to read ancient texts is the loss of cultural heritage.
Shen Yaozi said, "The sun bakes the earth, dissipating all things."