Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office
Background
The name “Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office” (中国大辞典编纂处) began in 1928, but its origins can be traced back to the Reform Movement a century earlier. Reformers believed that China’s weakness lay in the lack of enlightenment among the people, which in turn was caused by the difficulty of Chinese characters and the vast number of illiterates. Starting from the goal of popularizing education, they proposed ideas and plans for script reform. In 1913, the first Commission on the Unification of Pronunciation of the Republic of China was convened, voting to approve the pronunciation of 6,500 characters, which boosted the demand for a standard National Language and a Dictionary of National Pronunciation. Due to political turmoil, the first edition of the “Dictionary of National Pronunciation” and the “Revised Dictionary of National Pronunciation” were not published until 1919 and 1921, respectively. In 1920, the “Committee on the National Language Dictionary” was established to engage in the standardization of “words”. In 1923, the fifth annual meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Unification of the National Language (hereinafter referred to as the “National Language Committee”) under the Ministry of Education decided to organize a “Committee for the Revision of the Dictionary of National Pronunciation” and authorized the “Committee on the National Language Dictionary” to raise funds independently to establish a “National Language Dictionary Compilation Office” to carry out the work.
Establishment
In 1928, the National Language Committee renamed the National Language Dictionary Compilation Office to the “Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office” (hereinafter referred to as the “Compilation Office”), and it took over the revision work of the original “Dictionary of National Pronunciation”. The Republican government simultaneously allocated the “West Four Courtyards” of the former Presidential Palace in Zhongnhai (i.e., Jurentang) as the office space for the Compilation Office (Telephone: West Bureau 2506), and the work of the Compilation Office officially began.
Organization
The Compilation Office aimed to “settle the accounts of four thousand years” and, following the principle of “working according to historical rules”, organized a massive system: it established five departments for Collection, Investigation, Arrangement, Compilation, and Statistics, with divisions under the departments, totaling 15 divisions. Although the structure was large, due to limited funding, there were not many personnel.
The initial board members of the Compilation Office included: Ma Lian (Library of the Sino-French University Comte School), Li Jinxi (Beijing Normal University), Liu Fu (Peking University Music Laboratory), Xiao Yu (Sino-French Education Foundation), Y.R. Chao (China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture), Wang Yi (National Language Committee), and Yuan Tongli (National Peiping Library). Key staff members included: Li Jinxi (General Director), Qian Xuantong (Director of the National Pronunciation Dictionary Division, Compilation Dept.), Liu Fu (Director of the University Dictionary Division, Compilation Dept.), Wang Yi (Director of the National Pronunciation General Dictionary Division, Compilation Dept.), Xiao Jialin (Director of the Popular Dictionary Division, Compilation Dept.), Liu Yi (Director of the Chinese-French Dictionary Division, Compilation Dept.), Bai Dizhou (Director of the Arrangement Dept.), Sun Kaidi (Director of the Books and Newspapers Division, Collection Dept.), and Wei Jiangong (Full-time Compiler). Special Compilers included Wang Chongmin and Ma Lian. Other compilers included: Zhang Weiyu, Wang Shuda, Cui Ji, Wang Zongjian, Xu Yishi, Yuan Shaohua, Peng Wangqun, Luo Linzhang, Kong Fanjun, Wang Shoukang, Xiao Jiewu, and Xiao Kun. Secretaries included: Li Shoupeng, Sun Ruidi, Weng Bingyi, Shang Jiabin, Zhao Yuzhen, Qiu Xueming, Zhang Xunru, and Suo Enkun.
Achievements
By August 1933, after 5 years, the Compilation Office had clipped and recorded 440 types of books and newspapers, accumulating nearly 2.5 million cards. The first step in compiling a dictionary is to collect such a quantity of materials; at that time, only the “Oxford English Dictionary” in the UK could compare. During this process, the work of the Compilation Office produced many “by-products”. Although they could not all be printed due to limited funds, many were published in periodicals of other academic institutions or published by various bookstores through copyright leasing. They generally fall into five categories:
Index of Books (or with Pronunciation):
- “Index of Pronunciation for the Three Books of Shuowen and Guangyun”, 12 volumes (Supervised by Li Jinxi, compiled by Zhang Weiyu, Secretary Weng Dehui, completed in September 1932, not printed, stored in 12 boxes in the Compilation Dept.)
- “Index of Pronunciation for Erya”, 1 volume (Supervised by Wei Jiangong, Secretary Zhang Xunru, completed in October 1931, bound in one volume, ordered by National Pronunciation, with both Zhuyin Fuhao and Gwoyeu Romatzyh annotated)
- “General Index of Qunya and Dialects”, 12 volumes (Supervised by Wang Shuda et al., completed in September 1932, not printed, drafts incorporated into the Arrangement Dept.)
- “General Index of Titles and Notes in Special Collections”, 12 volumes (Supervised by Wang Chongmin, completed in April 1934, not printed, drafts incorporated into the Arrangement Dept.)
- “Index of Tongsudian and Hengyanlu”, 2 volumes (Supervised by Sun Kaidi, completed in July 1930, mimeographed)
- “Classified Index of Titles in Qing Dynasty Collections”, 3 volumes (Compiled by Wang Chongmin, printed jointly with National Peiping Library, Normal University, and Peking University in 1934)
- “General Index of Names and Genealogies”, 25 volumes (Compiled by Zhang Weiyu)
Organization and Research of Pronunciation and Forms (including National Language and Dialects)
- “Guangyun General Check”, 12 volumes (Mimeographed; compiles all characters in Guangyun according to their Fanqie, determines National Pronunciation, adds Niuyun, and arranges them by radical); “Guangyun Pronunciation Chart”, 4 volumes (Compiled by Bai Dizhou; divides the Fanqie rhyme categories of Guangyun into charts for initials, rhymes, spelling, and tones, totaling four charts)
- “Table of Modern Pronunciation of Guangyun Entering Tones”, 1 volume (Compiled by Bai Dizhou, completed in December 1930, mimeographed; annotates the modern pronunciation of all characters in the Guangyun entering tone volume. National Pronunciation is based on Peiping pronunciation)
- “Study of Ancient Sound Systems”, 1 volume (Compiled by Wei Jiangong, printed by National Peiping University in 1934)
- “Study of Zhongyuan Yinyun”, 2 volumes (Compiled by Zhao Yintang, printed by National Peiping University in 1934)
- “Table of Modern Pronunciation of Shuowen Radicals”, 2 volumes (Compiled by Qian Xuantong, completed in April 1933)
- “Table of Modern Pronunciation of Shuowen Phonetics”, 2 volumes (Compiled by Qian Xuantong, completed in June 1933)
- “Notation of Folk Characters in Dunhuang Bianwen”, 1 volume (Compiled by Diao Rujun, completed in 1932)
The following are individual papers:
“Examination of Ancient Yin, Yang, and Entering Tones” (Wei Jiangong), “Regulations on Phonetic Tracks” (Wei Jiangong), “Yin Yang Bridge” (Wei Jiangong), “Some Prerequisites for the Study of Ancient Chinese Sounds” (Wei Jiangong), “Proof of No ‘Xie’ Initial in Ancient Sounds” (Qian Xuantong), “Statistics of Guangyun Initials and Rhyme Categories” (Bai Dizhou), “Phonetic Notation of the 46 Initials of Guangyun” (Qian Xuantong), “Examination of Jiyun Sound Categories” (Bai Dizhou), “Evolution of the Rhyme Book Systems of Tang and Song” (Wei Jiangong), “Several Rhyme Books Before Lu Fayan’s Qieyun” (Wei Jiangong), “Examination of Fanqie in Six Dynasties and Tang” (Liu Pansui), “Preface to
Explanation and Examination of Language Word Classes and Methods
- “Grammar Dictionary”, 28 volumes (Compiled by Li Jinxi, Commercial Press)
- “New Chinese Grammar” (Compiled by Li Jinxi, published by Commercial Press in February 1924, revised in September 1932)
- “Comparative Grammar” (Compiled by Li Jinxi, printed by Peiping Authors’ Bookstore in May 1932)
- “Lianmian Dictionary”, 36 volumes (Fu Dingyi)
- “Citong”, 24 volumes (Compiled by Zhu Qifeng, published by Shanghai Kaiming Bookstore in April 1934)
- “Explanation of Particles in the Three Hundred Poems”, 10 volumes (Li Jinxi, completed in May 1930, not printed)
- “Examination and Explanation of Lianmian Characters in the Three Hundred Poems”, 6 volumes (Compiled by Zhang Shoulin, completed in January 1932)
- “Explanation of Terms in Jinsilu”, 1 volume (Compiled by Li Jinxi, completed in January 1931, not printed)
- “Broad Evidence of Song and Yuan Words”, 10 volumes (Compiled by Li Jinxi, completed in January 1933, not printed)
- “Terms Translated from Foreign Sources in Past Dynasties”, 24 volumes (Compiled by Fang Zhuangyou)
- “Collected Explanations of Dialects of Various Ethnic Groups in the Southwest”, 3 volumes (Compiled by Fang Zhuangyou)
- “Collation and Explanation of Liezi”, 1 volume (Compiled by Wang Chongmin)
- “Collation and Explanation of Liuzi Xinlun”, 1 volume (Compiled by Sun Kaidi)
- “Collected Explanations of Lunheng”, 30 volumes (Compiled by Liu Pansui, completed in December 1932)
The following are individual papers: “Proposal for Research on Modern Chinese Language” (Li Jinxi), “Simple Chart of Compound Word Formation Methods” (Li Jinxi), “Ambiguity and Partial Meaning of Compound Words in National Language” (Li Jinxi), “Continued Examples of Partial Meaning in Compounded Words in Chinese Grammar” (Liu Pansui), “Lianmian Style” (Wei Jiangong), “How to Link Compound Words” (Xiao Dichen), “‘Linking’ What ‘Word Class’” (Y.R. Chao), “Examples of Inverted Subject-Predicate in the Three Hundred Poems” (Li Jinxi), “Morphology of Pure Chinese Literature and Chinese Language and Script” (Wei Jiangong), “Study of Auxiliaries” (Chen Dingmin), “Brief Discussion on Quantifiers” (He Rong), “On Proper Nouns Adding Numerals” (He Rong), “Discussion on ‘Ba’” (Wang Xiangchen), “Broad ‘Ba’” 4 articles (Li Jinxi), “Explanation of ‘Baman’” (Li Jinxi), “Theory of ‘Balala’” (Li Jinxi), “On ‘Ba’” (Li Jinxi), “On ‘Baba’ and ‘Fuqin’ in Current Language” (He Rong), “Examination of ‘Baba’” (Li Jinxi), “Explanation of ‘Mo’” (Wang Chongmin), “Explanation of ‘Mou’” (Chen Dingmin), “On ‘Fengjian’ in Modern Language” (He Rong), “Hitting ‘Ya’” (Liu Fu), “Examples of Other Uses of the Character ‘Da’” (Zan Hou), “Study of the Character ‘De’ in National Language” (Chen Dingmin), “Discussion on ‘De’” (Xian Liu), “Explanation of ‘Lai’ and ‘Qu’” (Liu Fu), “Explanation of ‘Liba’” (Li Jinxi), “Explanation of ‘Li’” (Chen Dingmin), “Theory that Ancient ‘Gan’ and ‘Kou’ Were Interchangeable” (Chen Dingmin), “Sound of ‘Kedou’” (Wei Jiangong), “Examination of ‘Jianbing’” (Sun Kaidi), “On ‘Jiang’” 3 articles (Li Jinxi), “‘Jue’” (Li Jinxi), “Explanation of ‘Qi’ and ‘Qi’” (He Shiji), “On ‘Xiang’ and ‘Si’” (Wei Jiangong), “‘Zhi’ in the Three Hundred Poems” (Li Jinxi), “Explanation of ‘Chi’” (Liu Fu), “Examination of ‘Changre’” (Sun Kaidi), “On ‘Zaowan’ in Dream of the Red Chamber” (Gao Shouan), “A Wonderful ‘Zuya’” (Wang Xiangchen), “Reading ‘Ya’” (He Rong), “Explanation of ‘Wude’” (Sun Kaidi), “Occasional Remarks on Zodiac Animals” (Wei Jiangong), “Examination of Khitan People” (Fang Zhuangyou), “Witty Remarks of Beijing” (Qi Tiehen), “A Slice of Hejian Dialect” (Zhang Xunru), “Trivia on Qin Pronunciation” (Bai Dizhou)
Organization, Collation, and Bibliography of Literature in Modern Language
- “Index of Cipo”, 2 volumes (Compiled by Wang Yi, completed in September 1932, not printed)
- “Reference Table of Repertoires in General Collections of Yuan Drama”, 1 volume (Compiled by Li Jinxi)
- Compilation of “Xixiang Ji Quwen” from Yongxi Yuefu Edition (Compiled by Li Jinxi and Sun Kaidi, published by Peiping Lida Book Company)
- “Re-collated Jin Dong Jieyuan Xixiang Ji”, 2 volumes (Compiled by Sun Kaidi)
- “Compiled Song and Yuan Southern Drama”, 20 types (Compiled by Sun Kaidi)
- “Bibliography of Chinese Popular Novels”, 12 volumes (Compiled by Sun Kaidi, printed jointly with Peiping Library)
- “Classified Compilation of Proverbs from Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties”, 4 volumes (Compiled by Sun Kaidi)
The following are individual papers:
“The Issue of ‘Storytellers’ Lineage in Song Dynasty” (Sun Kaidi), “Examination of Storytelling” and “Examination of Cihua” (Sun Kaidi), “Two Allusions in Dong Jieyuan’s Xiansuo Xixiang” (Sun Kaidi), “Literary Language in Zhang Xie Zhuangyuan Drama Text” (Wei Jiangong), “Examination and Critique of Capital Editions of Popular Novels” (Li Jinxi), “Ming Editions of Water Margin Seen in Tokyo, Japan” (Sun Kaidi), “Notes on Reading Qingpingshantang Huaben” (Chen Yunlu), “Qingpingshantang Huaben and Yuchuang Qizhenji” (Ma Lian), “Examination of the Origins of Sanyuan Erpai” (Sun Kaidi), “Preface to
General Category
- “Chronology of Chinese Literature”, 20 volumes (Compiled by Ao Shiying, printed by Peiping Lida Bookstore)
- “Chronology of Chinese Academics”, 60 volumes (Compiled by Liu Rulin)
- “Selected Readings on Thought and Academics in Song, Yuan, and Ming” (Compiled by Li Jinxi, printed by Peiping Authors’ Bookstore in May 1933)
- “Revised Examination of Philology”, 100 volumes (Compiled jointly by Wang Chongmin and National Peiping Library)
- “Collation Notes on Xie’s Examination of Philology”, 5 volumes (Compiled jointly by Wang Chongmin and National Peiping Library)
- “Augmented Brief Catalogue of Examination of Philology”, 10 volumes (Commissioned by Wang Chongmin to Jin Peng, compiled jointly with National Peiping Library)
- “Examination of Dialects”, 5 volumes (Compiled by Cui Ji, printed in December 1932)
- “Selected Records of Characters Explanations by Qing Scholars”, First Series, 5 volumes (Compiled by Wang Chongmin)
- “Chart of Trends in Changes of the National Language Over Four Thousand Years” (Compiled by Li Jinxi, published in September 1926, revised and republished in May 1929, printed by Peiping Cultural Society)
The Compilation Office had an unnoticed Statistics Department. Its task was to collect a certain annual quantity of books and newspapers and calculate the frequency of occurrence of each character and word to distinguish between common, occasional, and rare usage, for the purpose of determining whether to include them when writing dictionary entries. This foundational work of character and word statistics was a pioneering initiative in the history of lexicography in our country.
It should be said that the most important achievement of the Compilation Office was the completion of the “Dictionary of National Language” (Guoyu Cidian). It became the standard for the National Language at home and abroad and has been used in Taiwan to this day. The “Modern Chinese Dictionary” (Xiandai Hanyu Cidian) published later in the mainland was also compiled based on the personnel and materials of the Compilation Office. It can be said that the work of the Compilation Office laid the foundation for the establishment of the National Language standard.
Evolution
After the fall of Peiping in 1937, Li Jinxi planned to move the Compilation Office to Changsha, Hunan. He led Xiao Jialin and others to Changsha and established a temporary workplace at the Hunan Provincial Nanyue Library. Wang Yi and some remaining personnel raised funds on their own in Peiping and completed the compilation of the eight-volume edition of the “Dictionary of National Language” in 1944. Since Peiping was under the rule of the puppet government at the time, this edition was published using the name “Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office” and included a large number of Japanese loanwords. Other personnel of the Compilation Office had to find other livelihoods due to lack of funds and transportation problems amidst the war. After the victory of the War of Resistance in 1945, Li Jinxi returned to Beijing Normal University. The Compilation Office was approved to be affiliated with the Normal University, and a four-volume edition of the “Dictionary of National Language” was revised and published. After the establishment of the new government in 1949, publication work was managed by the General Administration of Press and Publication, and the Compilation Office only engaged in the compilation of a few small dictionaries. In 1956, the Chinese Academy of Sciences established the Institute of Linguistics and set up a Dictionary Editing Office. The Compilation Office, together with the Xinhua Dictionary Society of the original General Administration of Press and Publication, was merged into the Dictionary Office of the Institute of Linguistics, becoming the most capable professional dictionary compilation unit in our country.
Publications
- “Vocabulary of Common National Pronunciation Characters”, Editor-in-Chief Qian Xuantong, co-compiled by Li Jinxi, Bai Dizhou, Xiao Jialin, reviewed by Y.R. Chao and Wang Yi. This is the 3rd edition of the “Dictionary of National Pronunciation”. Published in May 1932.
- “Revised Dictionary of National Pronunciation”, drafted by Zhang Weiyu, completed in June 1932.
- “Table of Common Characters by National Pronunciation Rhymes” (also known as “Peiwen Xinyun”), co-compiled by Li Jinxi and Bai Dizhou, printed and distributed by Peiping Peiwen Studio (i.e., Renwen Bookstore).
- “Thirteen Tracks of Peiping Phonetic System” (also known as “Small Dictionary of Peiping Homophones”), compiled by Zhang Xunru, proofread by Wei Jiangong.
- “Compilation of Small Tracks of Peiping Phonetic System” (also known as “Vocabulary of Peiping Erhwua”), compiled by Zhang Xunru, consulted by Wei Jiangong.
- “Popular Dictionary”, Editor-in-Chief Xiao Jialin, completed in 1932, printed by Shanghai Shenzhou Guoguang Society.
- “General Dictionary of National Pronunciation”, Editor-in-Chief Wang Yi, completed in June 1933, printed by Shanghai Commercial Press.
- “Chinese-French Dictionary”, Editor-in-Chief Liu Yi, completed in December 1933.
- “New Radical Index Dictionary of National Pronunciation”, Editor-in-Chief Wang Yi, preface by Li Jinxi, first edition in August 1949, considered the 4th version of the “Dictionary of National Pronunciation”.
- “Augmented and Annotated Vocabulary of Common National Pronunciation Characters”, Editor-in-Chief Li Jinxi, compiled and proofread by Wang Yi, He Meicen, Fu Jieshi, Niu Jichang, Gao Jingcheng, Xu Renyu, Xu Shirong, Sun Chongyi, Wang Shuda, Zhang Naizhi, Zhang Weiyu, Li Zengdu, Zhu Changqi, first edition in August 1949, considered the 5th version of the “Dictionary of National Pronunciation”.
- “Dictionary of National Language” (Guoyu Cidian), 4 volumes. The first volume was proofread by Li Jinxi, Qian Xuantong, and Y.R. Chao. Due to the war, publication took 10 years, from 1937 to 1947. Personnel changed, but Wang Yi and Xu Yishi participated throughout. Other participants included Peng Xinru, Yuan Zhesheng, Luo Linzhang, Chen Wenguang, Wang Jingting, Sun Chongyi, Xu Shirong, Fu Jieshi, An Wenzhuo, Sun Peiliang, Wang Shuda, Lu Xiuru, Zhang Weiyu, etc. There are two prefaces by Li Jinxi and Wang Yi at the beginning of the book. The dictionary contains 15,000 single characters and 90,000 compound words, totaling 105,000 entries, explained with concise principles.
- “Augmented Notes on Zhonghua Xinyun”, Editor-in-Chief Li Jinxi, compiled and proofread by Wang Shuda, He Meicen, Fu Jieshi, Sun Chongyi, Zhang Weiyu, Zhang Naizhi, published in 1950.
- “Learning Culture Dictionary”, Editor-in-Chief Li Jinxi, compiled and proofread by Wang Shuda, He Meicen, Fu Jieshi, Sun Chongyi, Xu Renyu, Xu Shirong, published in October 1952.
- “Homophone Dictionary”, Editor-in-Chief Li Jinxi, compiled and proofread by Wang Shuda, He Meicen, Fu Jieshi, Sun Chongyi, Gao Jingcheng, Xu Shirong, published in 1956.
- “Hanyu Cidian”, the simplified version of the “Dictionary of National Language”, first edition in 1957.
References:
- “Overview of the Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office”, Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office (20th Year of the Republic of China).
- “Outline of the History of the National Language Movement”, by Li Jinxi, Commercial Press (May 2011).
- “The First Professional Dictionary Institution in Modern China — The Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office”, author: Wang Jiarong (2007).
- Letter from Li Jinxi to Zhu Shaoliang, Commander of the Eighth War Zone, dated October 14, 1937.
- “Complete Diary of Ye Shengtao”, by Ye Shengtao, People’s Education Press, China Education Publishing & Media Group (October 2024).