what character could this be?

Discussions on the Hokkien (Minnan) language.
elmer
Posts: 90
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 10:12 pm
Location: Netherlands

Post by elmer »

i'm sorry. I am just a beginner and know of only two tombes. in one of them the characters are carved into the stone, in the other indeed the surface is cut away around the characters. in early May I will know much more, because then I will have visited the graveyard of Jombang.
SimL
Posts: 1407
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 8:33 am
Location: Amsterdam

Post by SimL »

Hi Elmer,

Ok. Good luck on the next trip. I'll be very interested in knowing what you see about this "sticking out" vs. "carved in" business.

Sim.
casey
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 7:27 am

Post by casey »

Elmer

That peculiar word is a form of Chinese number characters. It represents 2467. With the characters “ Zhi-Sheng” (representing Confucius) in front, it means: Year 2467 of the Confucian Calendar.

Confucius, or Kongzi, was born 551 B. C. Min-Guo 5th year is Year 1916. If you add 551 to 1916 you should get 2467.
Tai Ke Lai O Ban Lam Oe
ong
Posts: 535
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:04 am

Post by ong »

www.eastling.org/paper/%C2%DB%CE%C4%CC%E1%D2%AA.pdf
see page 113 benzi for kiann.However the author failed to notice older cuanciu sound for this word like kirann.
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