Chinese, also referred to as a Sinitic language, or Han ethnic language, comes in hundreds of distinct variants. However, not everyone knows the fascinating history behind this linguistic mystery. Join Thao & Co. on the enthralling exploration of the origins of Chinese characters and the accumulation process that has defined the Chinese language’s development over thousands of years.
To this day, the true origins of the Han ethnic group have not been officially determined. Nevertheless, according to Chinese historical records, the most widely accepted viewpoint is that the Han people belong to the Mongoloid race in South Asia and are originally a group known as the Huaxia tribe.
In particular, the Huaxia tribe appeared during the times of the Shang and Zhou dynasties (21st to 8th century BCE) in the central plains of China. By the time of the Han dynasty (260 BCE to 220 CE), the Huaxia tribe had developed into an ethnic group known as the Han people. They migrated throughout China and became the largest ethnic group among the 56 officially recognized ethnicities in the country.
The formation of the “Han ethnic group” is not just about a name but more importantly about the history through which various groups officially became “Han” in the nation’s expansion.
This expansion was not only about land or territory but also about culture and people, as those who were “not Han” became “Han.” Throughout this developmental process, the Han ethnic group has shaped the unique and distinct culture of China.
A common misconception is that Chinese characters were created by the Han people due to the name’s resemblance. However, the “Han” language originated about 3,300 years ago as Chinese people observed their surroundings and drew objects as pictographs.
Another legend about Chinese characters’ origin in China suggests that they were invented by Cangjie, an official historian in the service of the Yellow Emperor. Over time, Chinese characters have developed into a complex writing system and became the official language of historical Chinese dynasties.
Although there are debates about the true origin of Chinese characters, it is undeniable that Chinese characters have been passed down as a cultural achievement preserved and developed throughout Chinese history.
Until the end of the 19th century, China underwent a “Language Reform” on a national scale with the aim of simplifying some Chinese characters, using the Latin alphabet for phonetic transcription (pinyin) of Chinese characters, and promoting the use of Mandarin.
While the comprehensive Romanization of Chinese characters was not fully achieved, this revolution still succeeded in creating favorable conditions for the Chinese people to learn and use Chinese characters.
The success of the “May Fourth Movement” gave birth to simplified Chinese, a simpler writing system that reduced the strokes of characters and consolidated the characters primarily used in Mainland China. Meanwhile, the original Chinese script, known as traditional Chinese, continued to be used in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Initially, the primary difference between simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese was in the character strokes. However, after a process of “enriching” new vocabulary from the 1950s, differences in vocabulary and language style became increasingly pronounced.
Additionally, according to Sinologist Jerry Norman, there are up to hundreds of different Chinese language variants in China that are mutually unintelligible. Due to the differences in characters, vocabulary, and linguistic style of these variants, localization in Chinese translation is necessary to create translations that are suitable for the target audience.
Chinese characters transcend mere symbols of writing communication; they are a valuable cultural heritage that embodies the wisdom and creative spirit of the Han—this intricate system of writing chronicles the flow of Chinese history and societal transformations spanning millennia.
Delving into the origin and development of Chinese characters not only equips Chinese linguists with a deeper comprehension of the language but also opens the gate to a thorough understanding of culture and ideology across eras. As a result, translators are able to deliver messages that resonate with the cultural values of the target audience.
Explore more interesting facts about languages and the world of translation through our Translation Times column!
