Chhian Chū Bûn

[Ah-bin]

Here is the first fifth of the Thousand Character Essay in characters and POJ.

天地玄黃　宇宙洪荒 Thian tē hiân hông, ú tiū hông hong,
日月盈昃　辰宿列張 Jít goát êng chek, sîn siù liát tiang,
寒來暑往　秋收冬藏 Hân lâi sú óng, chhiu siu tong chông,
閏餘成歲　律呂調陽 Jūn û sêng sòe, lút lū tiâu iâng,
雲騰致雨　露結為霜 Ûn têng tì ú, lō• kiat ûi song,
金生麗水　玉出崑崗 Kim seng Lē-súi, Giók chhut Khun-kong,
劍號巨闕　珠稱夜光 Kiàm hō Kū-khoat, chu chheng Iā-kong,
果珍李柰　菜重芥薑 Kó tin lí nāi, Chhì tiōng kài kiang,
海鹹河淡　鱗潛羽翔 Hái hâm hô tām, lîn chiâm ú siâng,
龍師火帝　鳥官人皇 Liông su hó•ⁿ-tè, niáu koan Jîn hông,
始製文字　乃服衣裳 Sí chè bûn jū, Nái hók I siâng,
推位讓國　有虞陶唐 Thui ūi jiāng kok, Iú-gû Tô-tông,
吊民伐罪　周發殷湯 Tiàu bîn hoát chōe, Chiu hoat Eng-thong,
坐朝問道　垂拱平章 Chō tiâu būn tō, Sûi kióng pêng chiang,
愛育黎首　臣伏戎羌 Ài iók lê siú, Sîn hók Jiông Khiang,
遐邇壹體　率賓歸王 Hâ jíⁿ it thé, Sut pin kui ông,
鳴鳳在樹　白駒食場 Bêng hōng chāi sū, Pék ku sít tiâng,
化被草木　賴及萬方 Hòa pī chhó bók, Nāi kíp bān hong,
蓋此身髮　四大五常 Kài chhú sin hoat, Sù tāi ngó• siâng,
恭惟鞠養　豈敢毀傷 Kiong î kiok iáng, Khí kám húi siang,
女慕貞絜　男效才良 Lú bō• cheng liát, Lâm hāu châi liâng,
知過必改　得能莫忘 Ti kò pit kái, Tek lêng bók bông,
罔談彼短　靡恃己長 Bóng tâm pí toán, Bí sī kí tiâng,
信使可覆　器欲難量 Sìn sú khó hók, khì iók lân liâng,
墨悲絲染　詩贊羔羊 Bék pi su jiám, Si chàn Ko-iâng

From transcribing these texts, I've realised that many characters in the 上聲 in the thák-chhe•h-im pick up a nasalised vowel from somewhere. In this section we have 邇 jíⁿ and 火 hó•ⁿ, I thought these might all have been characters in the 陽上 category, i.e. those that had muddy initials in Middle Chinese, but some don't fit, such as 五 (no nasal) and 火 (not a muddy initial). I'll make a collection of them and see if I can find a pattern.

More coming soon

[Ah-bin]

Here are the next forty lines (I'll do 200 characters each time)

景行維賢　克念作聖 Kéng hēng î hiân, Khek liām chok sèng,
德建名立　形端表正 Tek kiàn bêng líp, Hêng toan piáu chèng,
空谷傳聲　虛堂習聽 Khong kok thoân seng, Hu tông síp thèng,
禍因惡積　福緣善慶 Hō in ok chek, Hok iân siān khèng,
尺璧非寶　寸陰是競 Chhek phek hui pó, Chhùn im sī kēng,
資父事君　曰嚴與敬 Chu hū sū kun, Oát giâm ú kèng,
孝當竭力　忠則盡命 Hàu tong kiát lék, Tiong chek chīn bēng,
臨深履薄　夙興溫凊 Lîm chhim lí pók, Siok heng un chhèng,
似蘭斯馨　如松之盛 Sū lân su heng, Jû siông chi sēng,
川流不息　淵澄取映 Chhoan liû put sek, Ian têng chhú iòng,
容止若思　言辭安定 Iông chí jiók su, Giân sû an tēng,
篤初誠美　慎終宜令 Tok chho• sêng bí, Sīn chiong gî lēng,
榮業所基　籍甚無竟 Êng giáp só• ki, Chek sīm bû kèng,
學優登仕　攝職從政 Hák iu teng sū, Siap chit chiông chèng,
存以甘棠　去而益詠 Chûn í Kam-tông, Khù jî ek ēng,
樂殊貴賤　禮別尊卑 Gák sû kùi chiān, Lé piat chun pi,
上和下睦　夫唱婦隨 Siāng hô hā bók, hu chhiàng hū sûi,
外受傅訓　入奉母儀 Gōe siū hū hùn, Jíp hōng bó• gî,
諸姑伯叔　猶子比兒 Chu ko• pek siok, Iû chú pí jî,
孔懷兄弟　同氣連枝 Khóng hoâi heng tē, Tông khì liân chi,
交友投分　切磨箴規 Kau iú tô• hūn, Chhiat mô• chim kui,
仁慈隱惻　造次弗離 Jîn chû ún chhek, Chō chhù hut lî,
節義廉退　顛沛匪虧 Chiat gī liâm thòe, Tian phài húi khui,
性靜情逸　心動神疲 Sèng chēng chêng ék, Sim tōng sîn phî,
守真誌滿　逐物意移 Siu chin chì boán, Tiók bút ì î,

When I'm done I might try and do a Hakka one in Hakka PFS (POJ). Hainanese would be good too, but I'm not sure where to find a good source for all the literary readings for Bun-chio Hainanese that I need.

[Ah-bin]

Here are the next 200 characters. when it is finished I may put it and the Sam Chū Keng in a whole new thread with a new title, as thread titles often make it into the first results on Google searches.

堅持雅操　好爵自縻 Kian chhî ngá chhò, Hóⁿ chiok chū bî,
都邑華夏　東西二京 To• ip hôa hā, Tong se jī keng,
背邙面洛　浮渭據涇 Pòe Bông biān Lók, Hô• Ūi kù Keng,
宮殿盤鬱　樓觀飛驚 Kiong tiān poân ut, Lô• koàn hui keng,
圖寫禽獸　畫綵仙靈 Tô• siá khîm siù, Hōa chhái sian lêng,
丙舍傍啟　甲帳對楹 Péng-sià pōng khé, Kap-tiong tùi êng,
肆筵設席　鼓瑟吹笙 Sù iân siat sék, Kó• sek chhui seng,
升階納陛　弁轉疑星 Seng kai láp pē, Piān choán gî seng,
右通廣內　左達承明 Iū thong Kóng-lōe, Chó tát Sêng-bêng,
既集墳典　亦聚群英 Kì chíp hûn-tián, Ék chū kûn eng,
杜稿鍾隸　漆書壁經 Tō• kó chiong lē, Chhek su phek keng,
府羅將相　路俠槐卿 Hú lô chiàng siàng, Lō• kiap hoâi kheng
戶封八縣　家給千兵 Hō• hong pat hiān, Ka kip chhian peng,
高冠陪輦　驅轂振纓 Ko koan pôe lián, Khu kok chín eng,
世祿侈富　車駕肥輕 Sè lók chhí hù, Ku kà hûi kheng,
策功茂實　勒碑刻銘 Chhek kong bō• sít, Lék pi khek bêng,
磻溪伊尹　佐時阿衡 Phoân-khe I-ún, Chò sî O-hêng,
奄宅曲阜　微旦孰營 Iam thék Khiok-hū, Bî Tàn siók êng,
桓公匡合　濟弱扶傾 Hoân-kong khong háp, Chè jiók hû kheng,
綺回漢惠　說感武丁 Khí hôe Hàn-hūi, Iát kám Bú-teng,
俊乂密勿　多士寔寧 Chùn ngāi bít bút, To sū sít lêng,
晉楚更霸　趙魏困橫 Chìn chhó• keng pà, Tiāu Gūi khùn hêng,
假途滅虢　踐土會盟 Ká tô• biát Khek, Chián-thó• hōe bêng,
何遵約法　韓弊煩刑 Hô chun iok hoat, Hân pè hoân hêng,
起翦頗牧　用軍最精 Khí Chián Phó Bók, Iōng kun chòe cheng,

I might point out for all the Âng-mô•-sái out there that there is an excellent translation and commentary in English by Nathan Sturman, although it is in simplified characters and the calligraphy is not nice to look at, the commentary and translation are the best I have found online.

http://www.angelfire.com/ns/pingyaozhuan/tce.html

[Ah-bin]

宣威沙漠　馳譽丹青 Soan ui sa bók, Tî ū tan chheng, 　
九州禹跡　百郡秦并 Kiú chiu Ú chek, Pek kūn Chîn pèng,
嶽宗泰岱　禪主云亭 Gák chong Hêng Tāi, Siān chú Ûn Têng,
雁門紫塞　雞田赤城 Gān-bûn Chú-sài, Ke-tiân Chhek-sêng,
昆池碣石　鉅野洞庭 Khun-tî Kiát-sék, Kū-iá Tông-têng,
曠遠綿邈　岩岫杳冥 Khòng oán biân biáu, Gâm siū biáu bêng,
治本於農　務茲稼穡 Tī pún û lông, Bū chu kà sek,
俶載南畝　我藝黍稷 Chhiok chāi lâm bó•, Ngó• gē sú chek,
稅熟貢新　勸賞黜陟 Sòe siók kòng sin, Khoàn siáng thut thek,
孟軻敦素　史魚秉直 Bēng-ko tun sò•, Sú-gû péng tít,
庶幾中庸　勞謙謹敕 Sù ki tiong iông, Lô khiam kín thek,
聆音察理　鑒貌辨色 Lêng im chhat lí, Kàm māu piān sek,
貽厥嘉猷　勉其祗植 Î khoat ka iu, Bián kî chi sít,
省躬譏誡　寵增抗極 Séng kiong ki kài, Thióng cheng khòng kék,
殆辱近恥　林皋幸即 Tāi jiók kūn thí, Lîm ko hēng chek,
兩疏見機　解組誰逼 Liáng so• kiàn ki, Kái chó• sûi pek,
索居閒處　沉默寂寥 Sek ku hân chhú, Tîn bék chék liâu,
求古尋論　散慮逍遙 Kiû kó• sîm lūn, Sàn lū siau iâu,
欣奏累遣　慼謝歡招 Him chò• lúi khián, Chhek siā hoan chiau,
渠荷的歷　園莽抽條 Kû hô tek lék, Oân bóng thiu tiâu,
枇杷晚翠　梧桐蚤凋 Pî-pâ boán chhùi, Ngô•-tông chó tiau,
陳根委翳　落葉飄搖 Tîn kun úi è, Lók iáp phiau iâu,
游鶤獨運　凌摩絳霄 Iû khun tók ūn, Lêng mô• kàng siau,
耽讀玩市　寓目囊箱 Tam thók goán sī, Gū bók lông siang
易輶攸畏　屬耳垣牆 Ék iû iû ùi, chiok, jíⁿ hoân chhiâng,

[Ah-bin]

Once I was on a roll, I decided to justdo the whole thing and get it over with!

具膳餐飯　適口充腸 Kū siān chhan hoān, Sek khó• chhiong tiâng,
飽飫烹宰　饑厭糟糠 Páu ù pheng cháiⁿ, Ki iàm cho khong,
親戚故舊　老少異糧 Chhin chhek kò• kiū, Ló siàu ī liâng,
妾御績紡　侍巾帷房 Chhiap gū chek hóng, Sī kun ûi hông,
紈扇圓絜　銀燭煒煌 Oân siàn oân kiat, Gûn chiok úi hông,
晝眠夕寐　藍筍象床 Tiù biân sék bī, Lâm sún siāng chhông,
弦歌酒宴　接杯舉觴 Hiân ko chiú iàn, Chiap poe kú siang,
矯手頓足　悅豫且康 Kiáu siú tùn chiok, Iát ū chhiáⁿ khong,
嫡後嗣續　祭祀烝嘗 Tek hō• sū siók, chè sū cheng siâng,
稽顙再拜　悚懼恐惶 Khé sóng chài pài, Sióng khū khióng hông,
箋牒簡要　顧答審詳 Chian tiáp kán iàu, Kò• tap sím siâng,
骸垢想浴　執熱願涼 Hâi kó• siáng iók, chip jiát goān liâng,
驢騾犢特　駭躍超驤 Lû lô tók ték, Hái iók chhiau siang,
誅斬賊盜　捕獲叛亡 Tu chám chék tō, Pó• hék poān bông,
布射僚丸　嵇琴阮嘯 Pò• siā liâu oân, Ke khîm goán siàu,
恬筆倫紙　鈞巧任釣 Thiâm pit Lûn chí, Kun kháu Jīm tiàu,
釋紛利俗　並皆佳妙 Sek hun lī siók, Pēng kai ka biāu,
毛施淑姿　工顰妍笑 Mô• si siok chu, Kong pîn giân siàu,
年矢每催　曦暉朗曜 Liân sí múi chhui, Hi hui lóng iāu,
璇璣懸斡　晦魄環照 Soân ki hiân oat, Hòe phek hoân chiàu,
指薪修祜　永綏吉劭 Chí sin siu hō•, Éng sui kiat siāu,
矩步引領　俯仰廊廟 Kú pō• ín léng, Hú giáng lông biāu,
束帶矜莊　徘徊瞻眺 Sok tài keng chong, Pôe hôe chiam thiàu,
孤陋寡聞　愚蒙等誚 Ko• lō• kóaⁿ bûn, Gû bông téng siàu,
謂語助者　焉哉乎也 Ūi gú chō• chiá, ian chai hô• iá.

[SimL]

It's daunting how many of these "first 1000 characters" I don't know .

I take consolation in the fact that I'm going to be having conversations in the Taipei, Beijing, Singapore of the 21st century, and not with ancient sages or Qing Dynasty officials, so the most basic 1000 characters which *I* will need might be slightly different!

[Ah-bin]

I take consolation in the fact that I'm going to be having conversations in the Taipei, Beijing, Singapore of the 21st century, and not with ancient sages or Qing Dynasty officials, so the most basic 1000 characters which *I* will need might be slightly different!

I have a list of these if you want to know them. But it might be better to know the 1000 basic words rather than the 1000 basic characters if you are wanting to speak to people (I think I have that too somewhere)

Now I;m of the attitude that unless I'm speaking Hokkien I'd rather be reading what the sages wrote!

[SimL]

Hi Ah-bin,

Thanks for the offer. It's ok, I have several of these lists too, and I use them. One is McNaughton's list of 2000+ characters, another is my friend Detlev's list of characters ranked by frequency based on an analysis of internet newsgroups of the early or mid 1990s (they should do a new analysis, as the internet world has grown/changed so much since then), yet a third is a 2000 character dictionary (obviously purporting to be the 2000 most basic characters). [The advantage of the first and last of these is that I can lie in bed and learn from them !]

And yes, you're correct. I'm learning not just common characters, but common words and phrases as well. [As well as obscure ones which catch my fancy. Like, I now know that the term for the Penang Baba "matriarchal family system" which was practiced in my family is 母系家族制度. Now, how many non-native learners of Chinese who can't have a basic conversation (and can't read a story-book for 12-year-olds) know that !]

PS. Actually, I remember now that you gave me two (electronic) lists of basic characters. One of them is the "Basic 1000 characters", IIRC. I've used that list a number of times in the past too.